Blackjack has long been one of the most beloved casino games. Its rules are straightforward, and it can bring down the house edge to less than 1% when played correctly. Shorter sessions of blackjack may help prevent long losing streaks while increasing your chance of escaping them altogether.

As with any game of blackjack, the key to understanding its dynamics and outcomes is studying a strategy chart. A strategy chart will demonstrate the optimal way for you to play your hand depending on both dealer up card and your hand size – whether to hit, stand, double down, or surrender.

Always stand on hands of 17 or higher and double down if the dealer shows 10 or an Ace to maximize long-term winning chances. Be wary when standing on high-value hands as additional cards could come out from under your hand and potentially bust it.

As previously discussed, splitting aces and eights as well as any pairs of nines, sevens, sixes or threes will increase your odds of getting strong hands against the dealer’s upcard. It is advised not to split 2s or 4s since these weak hands do not perform as expected when split.

As soon as you’ve gained an understanding of the rules and strategies surrounding blackjack, it’s time to begin playing! You can do so either physically at any casino, or online through software programs like Blackjack Ultimate XVII. In physical casinos, a dealer will deal two cards to each player while holding up two more faces up and two down; then players have options of hitting, standing still, splitting or doubling down as appropriate.

Once each player has selected an action, the dealer will act last. He or she may either hit on hands totaling 16 or less or stand on those totalling 17 through 21. Players win when their hand value exceeds that of the dealer or they have a blackjack. They lose when their total exceeds 21 or when it falls lower than that of the dealer if neither player had blackjack.

Consistency in betting strategy is of utmost importance. Never increase your bets because of an upswing or when feeling like the odds have changed in your favor; odds won’t care either way in the long run; to beat them successfully you must adhere to an effective plan with each hand – one such tool being the Blackjack Strategy Chart which should always be consulted prior to making decisions at the table – helping improve blackjack skills while increasing winning opportunities.