Sunday, April 02, 2006

Playing Blackjack for a Living

There are so many websites and books on 21 or Blackjack, that it is easy for any card enthusiast to learn the basic rules and to start playing. Most people take to Blackjack in a casual manner, and do not mind losing modest sums of money for the sake of some light diversion. That is fine, but we should not overlook the professional aspects of Blackjack, whether at a Casino or in the form of Internet Blackjack.

Keep in mind, when you play blackjack that this is a serious system, with sound mathematics behind it. Dealers do not empty your wallets by chance alone! Blackjack follows sound principles, and you can devise careful strategies so that you win more often than you lose. It is actually possible to make a living from Blackjack just as Casino operators and Internet Blackjack website owners do. However, you cannot attain the status of a habitual winner, unless you practice and take Blackjack seriously, rather than treat it as a mere card game.

Many people who chance upon a game of Blackjack are amazed to see a veteran make a pile of cash in minutes. It really is as easy as it looks, provided you have burnt the midnight oil doing your homework. You may think that it is glamorous to walk in to a ritzy Las Vegas Casino and display your wealth. You may scorn at people who spend a few minutes everyday sharpening their Blackjack skills on an Internet screen. However, behind all the dollar earnings and time spent at the tables, lie a concerted effort, unvarying determination and an indomitable will to learn the game so as to win.

Losing is part of the game. Do not hope to win everyday at Blackjack. This does not mean that you should lose your shirt, but do not get discouraged and surrender because you let your concentration slip for awhile. Ask successful blackjack players for insider tips and you will discover that they have spent hours observing other players and dealers as well.

Blackjack rules are not the same everywhere. The game originated hundreds of years ago in France, and large numbers of variations have been developed over the ages. Most Casinos and Internet Blackjack websites use forms which improve their chances of winning. Remember, that you can only play with one dealer at a time, whereas a dealer is not limited to playing against you alone.

People who play Blackjack for a living choose Casinos and Internet Blackjack websites which use beneficial variations of the standard rules. By the same token, they also avoid playing at tables where they know that the rules are stacked against them. The best players have excellent vision, and can count of make an immediate estimate of the number of cards left to be dealt. Since numbers lie at the heart of winning in Blackjack, strategies must change when more than one deck is brought in to play.

Though one can write an entire series of books on how to win at Blackjack, the first step of determining to play to win rather than just for casual entertainment, is a first step towards crafting winning strategies that can keep you ahead, and win you many admiring glances as well!