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Take a Look at the Difference Between Blackjack and Poker

Posted on by Mark Perry

Blackjack is most often considered to be a game based purely on luck, while poker is considered by many to be a game of a bit more finesse and skill. Though they are both played using cards, their aims are very different.

Blackjack’s only aim is to reach or get as close to 21 as possible while beating the dealers hand, while poker has a variety of options available but usually it’s main aim is to have the highest hand of cards available with which to beat other players.

House vs Player

Blackjack revolves around a single player or multiple players betting against the dealer directly and it doesn’t matter too much what the other players at the table are doing – what matters is what hand you’re using. Poker on the other hand put you directly in opposition to all the other players at the table – and if someone has a better skill set than you along with better cards, then the odds are pretty stacked against you.

Rules

Blackjack is a pretty standard game wherever you go – and it’s unlikely to vary much beyond having to reach as close to 21 as you can without going bust and having a higher hand than the dealer. With poker, there are a large variety of spin-offs on the traditional game, with each alternate game having slightly different rules to follow. You have varieties such as Texas Hold’em, Three, Five or Seven Card Stud, Let It Ride, Draw Poker, Chinese Poker, Omaha Hold’em, to name but a few variations.

Land-based VS Online

In regard to land-based games, blackjack is a game where the casino (also called the house) will closely monitor their repeat customers – since they don’t like it when people win continuously against them and will often try and deter the winners from returning too frequently. This leads to skilled blackjack players having to move around quite often to avoid being blacklisted, which makes it harder for them to hone their skill set at a place close to home.

Going online however, negates this. With poker players playing at physical casinos, there are numerous tables available, so your odds of playing against the same people every week is slim to none, and the house is unlikely to care too much if a poker player keeps winning big, since players go up against each other, and not the house.

Card Counting and Tracking

Blackjack is a popular game for card counters, as there are a variety of systems which allow sharp players to track what cards have been played and allow them to then calculate their odds of winning at each step – such as with Red Seven, Zen, Hi-Opt or Halves to name a few.

In poker however, the only way to calculate if you’re winning is to check the amount of chips you’ve won so far, and how many you have left to play with. Or to put it another way, it’s far harder to apply a card tracking system in a poker game against numerous players, many of whom may fold without ever revealing their cards.

Avoid These Common Blackjack Mistakes While Playing

Posted on by Mark Perry

Knowing when to stand and hit are two of the most important blackjack rules to follow, with most assuming that there is no other strategy involved and that the rest of the game is based purely on luck for the most part.

But this advice is flawed since despite the ease of learning rules, there are plenty of strategies that surround the game of blackjack. Keep reading to discover what common errors you should avoid and learn some tips to improve your overall game play.

Holding out for 21

The dealer (or house) is the person at the table or online which you’ll have to beat, and new players often make the mistake of trying to reach 21 exactly thinking it’s the best score and easily obtained. This is very ill advised since standing with a lower hand will often give you a much better game outcome.

For example: you have a hand that equals 15. New players at https://onlinecasinosca.org/cad will often hit again in the hopes of getting closer to 21. But if the dealer has a lower hand, they’ll need to hit the deck to raise their score, and if they have to hit twice, they’re far more likely to go bust. So always keep in mind that a pretty score isn’t the point, beating the dealer is.

Strategy Chart

Another common mistake is not having examined a blackjack strategy chart. This kind of chart advises players on the action they should take, based on their hand and the dealers up card. For example, if the dealer has an up card of 2 or 3, standing on 12 will likely have you lose, since the dealer has a higher chance of getting a face card or ten to boost their score.

The strategy chart will show that you should hit. It should be noted that unless you have a photographic memory, a strategy chart will only benefit you if you choose to play online, as you can then take your time to figure out your best bet, based on the options available to you. A live dealer in a land-based casino, however, will not take kindly to you checking a strategy chart after every dealing.

Other Errors to Avoid

Splitting 10’s

If you have two tens, most new players choose to split them, in the belief that they’ll get a better score by doing this. However, two 10’s put you at 20 and if you stand with this hand, you’ll likely beat whatever score the dealer has.

Standing On 12

A rookie error is often standing on 12 if the dealer has an up card below 6. Standing on 12 should be avoided when possible as statistically, while there is the possibility of you getting one of 16 cards that will make you go bust, you’re far more likely to get one of the 36 other cards in the deck which will improve your hand and leave you better off standing on your next turn.