It can be really annoying when slow blackjack players spend too much time trying to make a play. You’re on the 5th seat, but the players before you just keep taking all the time in the world to make their decision on every hand they are dealt. If only you could speed up the game’s pace, blackjack would be more fun and exciting, ain’t it?
The good news is that now you can do just that.
Thanks to multi hand blackjack, you can occupy more than one seat at the table and play multiple hands on every round. Now, it’s down to you making decisions two, three, or more times, and this time, you get to determine how fast you want the game to be.
Online casinos make it easy for blackjack players to sit at the same table against the same dealer and his cards, but with different hands. Therefore, multi hand blackjack may be perfect for players who know their options. However, due to its peculiarity, it’s best to have an excellent understanding of the game and its basic strategy.
During a blackjack game, you occupy one of the multiple available seats while other players take the other seats. You can occupy these seats once a player leaves while retaining your current one, and you can do this with as many free seats as you want unless the casino has a limit. That’s what multi hand blackjack is all about.
You must place your starting bets on each seat you occupy at the start of the next hand. You can combine as many stakes as you want, as long as it doesn’t go against the game’s rules. You must also play each hand in turn, according to the right sequence they are dealt. Once you’ve done this and other players have made their play, the dealer plays out his hands, and the outcome of each of your hands is determined.
Basic multi hand blackjack strategy
Many players often assume they don’t need to switch up their blackjack strategy since they are playing multiple starting hands. That may seem true at first glance since the outcome of one hand doesn’t affect the others, and the game’s goal remains the same – outscore the dealer’s hand or pray the dealer gets busted.
However, the devil is in the detail, and multi hand blackjack has a few minor distinctions that you can use to increase your odds of winning.
First, you must understand that playing multiple hands increases volatility, especially when you bet the same amount on each hand. For example, you have $50 to play, and you decide to stake $5 as your starting hand. This is safer when you’re occupying just one seat, but when you sit $5 on three tables, your starting stake increases to $15. This means you’re betting $15 per round instead of $5. And if things don’t go your way, you’ll go bust in no time. Advisedly, if the table allows a lower bet, you can spread your starting bets across all three hands to reduce volatility.
Now to the more interesting part of multi hand blackjack. With more than one hand, you can reduce potential problems and make the most of good plays. For instance, if you’re dealt a 5 or 6 upcard, you can anticipate winning your hands by doubling down on multiple starting hands and making as many combinations from 12 upwards.
On the other hand, if the dealer deals you a bad spot, say 9 or 10, you may naturally anticipate his next card to be a 10, which is a strong one. The smart thing to consider doing may be to downplay your hands. Perhaps you have a 14, 13, and 9 as your starting hands. You could decide to stand on the 14 and take a card. With luck on your side, you may receive a higher score. If otherwise, you can move on to the 13 and make the same play until you get to the 9.
What’s the good thing about this? If the dealer busts, you win by standing on the 13 and possibly the 9. Of course, blackjack is a game of luck, and the dealer may turn over a 10 or 20, but at least you know you did your best to mitigate your losses.
The point of this strategy is that you should always see your first hand as a safety net that can help you win in case the dealer busts.