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How to Play Live Blackjack

There are a handful of differences between online blackjack and live blackjack. For instance, in live blackjack, you will play against the dealer at the table. However, in online blackjack, you will play against other online players.

Once you’ve selected one of the live blackjack variants within the live casino section at Mr Green Casino, you will essentially have three ways to win the game. The aim is to get a total of 21 when you add your card values together. You can either have 21 with your two initial cards and hope the live dealer doesn’t have the same hand value as you, or you can obtain a higher card value than the dealer without going over 21. Alternatively, you can win the game when the dealer exceeds 21 and you don’t. When your hand value exceeds 21 it also means that you are bust.

At the start of each round, you will receive two cards in your hand, while the dealer will only receive one card in their hand. You will then need to make a decision. You can either request an additional card to be dealt (hit), or keep what you currently have (stand). If you decide to hit, you will receive a single card from the dealer. This process will continue until you reach a hand total of 21, bust (go over 21), or tell the dealer to stop on your desired hand total.

Each card in the deck will contribute to your hand total. For instance, the cards that are numbered from 1 to 10 will basically count their face value. However, picture cards (King, Queen, and Jack) will count as 10, while the Ace can count as either 1 or 11.

Once you are satisfied with you hand, the dealer will move on to their hand. The dealer will continue to draw new cards until they reach a hand total of 17 or more. The game rules for live blackjack state that a dealer is required to draw on 16 and stand above 17.

Once the dealer is done with their hand, your hand is compared to the dealer’s hand to determine the winner. You are a winner when your hand total is higher than the dealer’s hand total or when the dealer exceeds 21. Please keep in mind that you will always be first. Therefore, if you exceed 21, you will instantly lose the game without seeing the dealer’s hand.

Discover different variations of Blackjack

Apart from ‘Hit’ and ‘Stand’, you might be suprised to know that live blackjack also comes equipped with a variety of other betting options that you can use to your advantage. This includes ‘Double Down’ and ‘Split’. When you receive two cards of the same value, you will have the ability to split the two cards to create two separate hands for yourself. This essentially means that you will receive additional cards for two different hands as opposed to only a single hand.

When you double down, you are basically doubling your initial bet to receive one additional card in your hand. The best time to double down is when you receive two cards that equal 9, 10 or even 11. If the dealer’s face-up card is a 10, it’s recommended that you only double down on a hand value of 11.

You will also come across another side bet, known as Insurance, on a handful of live blackjack variants at Mr Green Casino. The Insurance side bet comes into play when the dealer’s face-up card displays an Ace. The Insurance bet will then allow you to insure yourself in case the dealer is holding 21 (blackjack). The Insurance bet will pay 2 to 1 if the dealer has blackjack. However, if the dealer displays any other hand value other than 21, you will lose your insurance bet.

Increase Your Chances of Winning with a Blackjack Strategy

Unlike slot games, where the outcome is purely based on luck, you will notice that blackjack is a game of skill – which is why it’s such an immensely popular casino game in Ireland. When you incorporate an optimal blackjack strategy with a game of skill like blackjack, you can reduce to house edge to an attractive 0.1%!

The skill required to play blackjack with an optimal strategy basically revolves around mathematics. You will essentially evaluate the two cards that have been dealt to you along with the single exposed card in the dealer’s hand. These two evaluations will give you the necessary information to choose between standing, hitting, splitting and doubling down.

However, it’s worth mentioning that there are certain truths you need to keep in mind when using a blackjack strategy. For instance, you should be well aware that 6 is the worst possible face-up card for the dealer when the face-down card is a 10. This is because the dealer will more than likely exceed 21 on the third card drawn. With that being said, if the dealer’s face-up card is a 6, we recommend that you stand if your hand total is 12 or above as this will eliminate the opportunity to go bust when the dealer is already on their way to exceeding 21.

With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at a basic blackjack strategy which will give you valuable insight into which decision you should make depending on the dealer’s face-up card and the two cards in your hand.

DEALERS UP CARD
Y O U R H A N D		2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
	8 or less	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
	9	H	D	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
	10	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H	H
	11	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H
	12	H	H	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
	13	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
	14	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
	15	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H/SU	H
	16	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H/SU	H/SU	H/SU
	17+	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
	A8-10	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
	A7	S	D	D	D	D	S	S	H	H	H
	A6	H	D	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
	A5	H	H	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
	A4	H	H	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
	A3	H	H	H	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
	A2	H	H	H	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
	A-A, 8.8	SP	SP	P	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP
	10-10	S	S	S	S		S	S	S	S	S
	9-9	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	S	SP	SP	S	S
	8-8	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP
	7-7	SP	SP	SP	P	SP	SP	H	H	H	H
	6-6	H	SP	SP	SP	SP	H	H	H	H	H
	5-5	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H	H
	4-4	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
	3-3, 2-2	H	H	SP	SP	SP	SP	H	H	H	H
		2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
	DEALERS UP CARD

H

= Hit

S

= Stand

D

= Double Down

SP

= Split

H/SU

= SUrrender if able to, otherwise Hit

When you calculate the mathematics behind this basic blackjack strategy, you will notice that the player will win 44% of the time, while the dealer will win 48% of the time. The remaining 8% indicates hands that result in a draw (push).

Every single casino game comes equipped with a house edge, including blackjack. A perfect example of this is that the player needs to decide what happens to their hand before the dealer is required to draw a second card to their hand. Thankfully, the house edge can be reduced with a blackjack strategy. However, it greatly depends on the game rules of blackjack.

For instance, some blackjack variants will give the dealer the freedom to hit on a soft 17 (a hand that includes an Ace) to give the casino a bigger house edge, while other blackjack variants will require the dealer to stand on 17 which will reduce the house edge of a casino. You will also find that some variants will allow you to double down on any hand value, while others are restricted to only certain hand values.

Live Blackjack vs Online Blackjack

You will notice that there are significant differences when you compare live blackjack with online blackjack. In the online version, you won’t find any other players at the table which makes it easier to decide your next move as there’s no additional pressure on you. However, in live blackjack, there’s always added pressure as you are playing against a live dealer and the game is affected by the actions of other players around you.

Another significant difference is the fact that you don’t have to stress about splitting or doubling down in online blackjack, as everything is automatically determined for you which means you simply need to select the appropriate button on the screen. With live blackjack, you are always in the hot seat with a limited time to make your decision. Therefore, it’s always easier to learn the game rules and how to bet while playing online blackjack.

Once you become more comfortable with the game, a live blackjack experience will truly take your experience to a whole new level.

If you enjoy the atmosphere of a land-based casino but don’t want to leave the comfort of your own home, we highly recommend that you play live blackjack. The action takes place in real-time thanks to live streaming capabilities, along with the added pleasure of interacting with the live dealers through a live chat facility.