Single deck blackjack

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Single-deck blackjack is considered by blackjack players to be the “holy grail” of this classic card game. That’s because the game is played using a single 52-card deck in the dealer’s shoe. This means there is only one card of each value and suit live in the game, making it easier for experienced blackjack players to determine the winning probabilities of their hands more accurately.

If you’re intrigued by single-deck blackjack and the types of strategies you can deploy, read on as we delve deeper for Kiwis searching for single-deck success.

The rules of single-deck blackjack

Although the overall goal in single-deck blackjack is the same as multi-deck blackjack – to build a hand worth more than the dealer’s without going over 21 – the rules of blackjack in single-deck games are subtly different.

First and foremost, payouts for blackjack are usually 3:2 in single-deck games, compared with 6:5 payouts in multi-deck blackjack. The dealer must also hit on soft 17 hands. The 52-card deck is shuffled just once at the start of the gaming session. Players are also permitted to split hands three times only. Aces can be split, but cannot be re-split once receiving one extra card per split hand.

The strategy involved

Basic blackjack strategy is an absolute must when it comes to the optimal blackjack strategy for single-deck games. This relates to the basic strategy devised by mathematician-turned-blackjack pioneer Edward O. Thorp. His approach to decision-making is based on probability, i.e. the value of a player’s first two cards and the dealer’s upcard.

Thorp’s strategy has since been made into handy charts and is particularly useful for single-deck blackjack games where the deck is not shuffled. If the deck is shuffled more regularly or continuously shuffled, it’s much harder to make probability-based decisions as we don’t know what’s next in the deck.

If you’re looking to optimise the return-to-player (RTP) percentage from single-deck blackjack games – which you can learn more about within our casino guide – it’s a good idea to master basic card counting techniques too. The Hi-Lo card counting method is the easiest for Kiwis starting out in blackjack. Essentially, this method is designed to keep a running count of how many high-value cards remain in the dealer’s deck. Each low-value card from two to six is given a value of +1. Cards worth seven, eight and nine have a value of zero. All aces, tens and face cards have a value of -1.

It’s the task of a card counter to keep track of the running count across all active hands played at the table (including any played by others at your table). Whenever the running count is higher than +3, this suggests an imbalance of high-value cards in the deck over lower-value cards, giving you a chance to bet bigger on potential blackjacks or high-value hands worth 19 and 20.

What are the main differences in playing single-deck blackjack strategy?

If you find yourself sitting at a single-deck blackjack table, there are several nuances based on how you should look to play blackjack hands.

• Double downs are much more beneficial in single-deck blackjack. That’s because there are fewer cards worth ten in the deck than in multi-deck games, making it harder to bust your hand.

• Bear in mind that the house edge on insurance bets in single-deck blackjack is higher than in multi-deck blackjack. That’s because the reduced number of cards worth ten in the deck make it less likely that the dealer will have a blackjack. The house edge for insurance in single deck is 5.9%.

• When it comes to multi-deck blackjack, which makes it harder to count cards, it’s best to stick with a rigid betting stake per hand. However, in single-deck blackjack, there may be occasions when you can scale up (and down) your stake depending on the running count. If it’s in your favour, Kiwis may wish to bet bigger to try and take advantage of the more significant number of tens in the deck. Similarly, if the count is low, you may wish to reduce your stake to preserve more likely losses.

FAQs

What are the basic rules in Single Deck Blackjack?

There are no differences between the standard rules of Blackjack and the single deck variant; once all cards are drawn, whoever has a total closer to 21 than the dealer wins.

Is the Ace in Blackjack 1 or 11?

An Ace will have a value of 11 unless that would give a player or the dealer a score that exceeds 21, in which case, the value is 1.

Is the strategy different in Single Deck Blackjack?

The differences are minor, but in a game with multiple decks, you’ll always hit for a hard eight, regardless of what the dealer has. But in the single deck version, you’ll double down on the same hand when the dealer’s upcard is either five or six.

How many cards are in Single Deck Blackjack?

There are 52 cards in Single Deck Blackjack, but in most casinos, several decks are shuffled together. Six-deck Blackjack (312 cards) is the most popular.