Types of Blackjack Players

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Blackjack players fall into six categories. Your best bet is to stick with the fifth category, where the casino will have only a marginal edge against you or no edge at all. 

The first type of player bases his game on hunches and instinct. This player never bets his hands consistently. He's hoping for a visit from Lady Luck, but she rarely appears.

The next type of player refuses to hit any hand that might bust. He figures that certain hands are more likely to bust, so he waits and hopes that the dealer busts. Unfortunately, the dealer busts only about 28 percent of the time. The casino will win $6.50 for every $100 bet by this player.

Some players mimic the dealer. They hit all hands that are 16 or less and stand on all hands that are 17 or more. Since the casino wins lots of money, the casino's strategy must be the best, right? Unfortunately, these players don't take into account that they play their hands before the dealer. If they bust, they lose, regardless of how the dealer fares. The casino will win about $5.50 for every $100 bet.

Other players use basic strategy, with some slight changes. They know some blackjack techniques but refuse to play the correct basic strategy on certain hands, such as hitting when they have a 12 against a dealer's up card of 2. The casino will win between $2 and $5 for every $100 bet.

Another type of player always employs basic strategy. The casino will win between 0 and 61 cents for every $100 bet. In certain single-deck games, the basic strategy players will even enjoy a small edge over the casino. This is the smartest way to play blackjack.

Expert card counters have invested time and energy into mastering advanced techniques for expert play. They will win 50 cents to $1.50 for every $100 bet against the casino. However, this type of strategy is not recommended for most players.