Look For A Good Game

If you want to win, don’t just sidle up to any old blackjack game and start betting. Look for casinos that offer the blackjack rules that’ll help you win.
RULES TO LOOK FOR
Every casino offers some type of blackjack, but rules vary from one casino to the next - sometimes even from one table to the next. Most rule changes not only increase the house edge, but they can also make the game a lot less
interesting. You want as many of the following rules as possible at your table but within the table limits your bankroll will allow.
• Stick with Vegas-style blackjack. Never play any of the fancy offshoots, such as twenty-first-century blackjack (found in noncasino card rooms), double exposure blackjack, Spanish 21, California blackjack, or any other goofy variation you might find. Trust me, they’re bad bets cleverly de¬signed to take more than the usual amount of money.
• Blackjacks pay 3 to 2. Never play a game that offers anything else, especially not those sucker 6 to 5 or straight even-money payouts. The casinos are using smoke and mirrors to convince you that anything but 3 to 2 is a good thing - it’s not!
• Dealer stands on soft 17. Very hard to find but worth it if you do.
• The fewer decks, the better. Single decks are better than multiple decks.
• Double on any two cards. Some casinos will allow you to double on any two cards, not just 10 or 11.
• Double after splitting. If you split your Eights and get a Three, you want to be able to double.
• Surrender. You can surrender half your bet when you’re in real trouble.
• Resplitting your Aces. When you split Aces in most casinos, you’re only allowed one card per Ace, no matter what. Look for a casino that lets you split them again if you’re dealt another Ace.