Alternative Methods for Winning at Blackjack

1. Exploiting Dealer Tells

When playing blackjack for real money, involving the dealer can significantly enhance your chances of success. However, we must emphasize that this method is not simple. It largely depends on whether the dealer favors or dislikes you.

Ideally, in certain casinos where dealers still check their hole cards, they possess knowledge of their hand, specifically if their hole card is a ten or an ace.

The objective of exploiting dealer tells is to observe and interpret the dealer’s behavior when viewing their cards, allowing you to make informed decisions regarding your own hand.

Regrettably, this technique is not applicable when playing electronic blackjack at the top online casinos for Poles. Nonetheless, it can be utilized in live blackjack games at live dealer casinos.

In the best-case scenario, the dealer’s actions may “tell” you whether to hit or stand. However, mastering the art of dealer tells is challenging.

2. Ace Tracking

Ace tracking, another form of dealer tells, is a complex technique. It involves memorizing the precise sequence of cards in the discard pile, enabling you to predict when aces will appear.

For instance, if the dealer places the 7 of diamonds in the discard pile before an ace of spades, and the shuffling process is straightforward, you can catch a glimpse of the initial cards during a round of play.

You can also utilize our expert blackjack cheat sheet when playing blackjack online.

If the ace of spades does not surface in the current round, there is a good chance it will appear in the next. However, mastering this approach is challenging, and only a few casinos employ a simple shuffle method that facilitates card tracking.

3. Shuffle Tracking

Once again, it is essential for the casino to employ a straightforward shuffling method in order to make this technique effective in beating blackjack.

By tracking a cluster of low or high cards as they are shuffled, you can gain an advantage. You can adjust your card counting strategy by cutting the deck at the bottom or the top of this cluster.

4. Playing the Warps

Playing the warps may sound like a concept from a science fiction movie, but it is not. Casino dealers sometimes bend the cards slightly to check if they have blackjack.

A skilled player can detect the subtle “dent” in these cards and use it to their advantage, particularly when taking insurance against the dealer’s blackjack.

Unfortunately, most casinos are aware of this technique and regularly replace old cards with new ones to prevent such exploitation.

5. Spooking

Spooking involves observing the dealer’s hole card from behind when they check for blackjack. The “spook” stands behind the dealer and sees the hole card simultaneously.

Once the “spook” identifies the card, they communicate the information to their partner at the table. Many players consider spooking to be cheating. If you intend to use this method, make sure to check if it is legal in your state.

6. First Basing

First basing occurs when the player sees the dealer’s hole card at the same time as the dealer, without the need for a playing partner like in spooking. However, dealers in live dealer casinos are skilled blackjack players and do not reveal any tells.

7. Front Loading

Front loading is perhaps the most effective method to beat blackjack, but it only works in hand-held games. What exactly is front loading in blackjack? It involves the ability to see the dealer’s hole card before they place it on the table.

Knowing the dealer’s hole card gives you a significant advantage. If the dealer has a strong hand, it’s best to hit your weaker hands and avoid splitting or doubling down.

If the dealer holds a “stiff” hand (a hand with a total of 2 to 6), try not to bust, split, or double down whenever possible. A stiff hand forces the dealer to take additional cards.

Any hand totaling 12 to 16 will bust if the dealer hits a 10-value card. Most casinos no longer use front loaders, but there may still be some that do. If you have a nearby casino that employs a front loader, playing blackjack there can be advantageous.

Once again, front loading provides the best opportunity to beat the dealer if you are aware of their hole card.