Some Blackjack Concepts Explained

Nothing causes heavy losses in Blackjack more than ignorance of the game's concepts. The problem with most players is that they think since it's just about a race to 21, they can play it without much thought.

That assumption is wrong, because while getting to the aforementioned number is key, you must know certain concepts to help you get to that point. The more that you know about these ideas, the more competent you will be.

Video Blackjack

This isn't quite like Video Poker, but actually refers to the downloadable games from the Internet, or even the ones that you can play directly in an online casino. For a lot of people, playing video Blackjack is more convenient than going to a gambling establishment.

If you are a novice, try them out; they are free, easy to install and have play money options, which will allow you to fine tune your game. You can then go to a casino more confident in your ability to play the game, although you can also play for real money using that software.

Card Counting

Anyone who has played Blackjack for a short while will eventually come across this strategy, and the inevitable question of whether it works or not.

However, that inquiry is actually of second importance to the question of whether you can apply it or not without being caught. The fact is that most casinos do not allow this Blackjack strategy.

Remember that there are video cams all over the casino, and if one of the guys upstairs thinks you're doing it, (and they are very good at spotting these types of activities) the floor manager will go over and tell you to stop it, or just throw you out.

Even in places where card counting is not illegal (and there really is no basis for it to be) the constant shuffling of cards makes application very difficult.

Deck Penetration

In its basic sense, the term "deck penetration" in Blackjack refers to the number of cards that have been issued as compared to the number that are still remaining. Very often, this depth is written down in percentages. For example, a "60% deck penetration" means that roughly over 30 cards have been dealt already.

Is this important? If you are using a card counting Blackjack strategy, then you need to keep an eye on this aspect. However, it should be borne in mind that casino dealers often reshuffle the cards before it reaches a certain level, making this tactic quite difficult to use. If you aren't into card counting though, there's no need to worry about deck penetration.

Winning in Blackjack, or any other casino game for that matter, depends on how much you know about the game, its ins and outs. By analyzing the various concepts you will never be left wondering what would happen if you had only known about this or that.