Single-deck, Double-deck, and Shoe blackjack – What’s Best?
Whether you’re still looking to master the basic blackjack strategy chart or have hundreds of hours at the table, this article is for you. Indeed, there are legitimate advantages for each blackjack variation available in online casinos. In the below paragraphs, we’ll highlight the perks for the most common blackjack variation you could find online. This way, you’ll be in a better position to evaluate if you should play single-deck, double-deck, and shoe games even before knowing if the table is hot. Learn more about Blackjack variations.
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Single-deck blackjack – many options in online casinos but not offline
Most seasoned players would tell you that single-deck blackjack games are hard to come by in brick-and-mortar casinos. If you stumble on a single-deck blackjack game offline, some would even say that you’d have to be cautious to sit at this table. Single-deck blackjack rules in land-based casinos offer a poor return on your bets 6 to 5 or even money traditionally. Not to mention that you can’t double down on the first 2 cards.
But in online casinos, there are plenty of single-deck blackjack games you could try, like Blackjack Atlantic City by Nextgen. Or Golden Nugget Single Hand Blackjack by SG digital pays 3 to 2. Plus, you can double down or surrender after seeing your first 2 cards in the last game.
Blackjack variations – The pros and cons of single-deck blackjack
The perks? Well, there are fewer decks to count through. So, you’ll quickly know if the deck is hot. On average, you’ll hit blackjack every 20.93 hands.
The drawback? Most online single-deck blackjack games are RNG-driven. So you won’t know when the game will reshuffle the deck and when you need to reset the count. As a rule of thumb, you should look for games that reshuffle the decks every 3+ hands. Only in these cases can you stand a chance at beating the house.
Double-deck blackjack – less risky than multi-deck but requires you to adjust your bets faster
Similarly, as single-deck blackjack, if you’re considering a double-deck game, you’ll need to estimate how many cards are drawn before the dealer reshuffles. Ideally, you’ll want the dealer to use a minimum of 1 full deck to get an accurate count. You also need to know how much blackjack pays, ideally 3 to 2. This way, you have more chances of being profitable in the long run.
The truth is, the risk is much lower if you play a double-deck blackjack game than if you’d play an 8 deck game. Well, that’s if the dealer’s stand and hit rules are the same on both tables you’re’ comparing naturally.
For example, in New Jersey online casinos, you’ll find a double-deck blackjack game on PokerStars Casino that pays 3 to 2. But it’s an RNG game. So once again hard to estimate the deck penetration.
Multi-deck blackjack or shoe games
As always, your first point of reference is to check how much blackjack pays. Thankfully, if you’re loading an Evolution blackjack game at a live casino, you’re almost guaranteed it’ll pay 3 to 2. And once again, you should check where the casino cuts the shoe. For example, suppose you’re playing an 8 deck game. Of course, you’ll want a minimum of 1 deck to be left in the shoe. Less than that, you should give it a miss.
Blackjack variations – The pros and cons of multi-deck blackjack or shoe games
By and large, the biggest perk for playing a 6 or an 8 deck blackjack game is that you can typically get away with a more extensive bet spread. Plus, casinos don’t generally look for card counters on multi-deck tables, as double-deck blackjack is a better game for pro card counters. Suppose multi-deck blackjack is your game. Remember to not play through a true negative count to keep your risk lower. Multi-deck blackjack is often the best game to play if you master blackjack strategy and hi-low count. Not to mention, if it’s a heads-up game, you’re playing like Evolution’s Infinite blackjack. You’ll play more hands per hour, which is a big plus.
So, what’s best? Single-deck, double-deck, or shoe blackjack?
Well, it all depends on your skill level. If you’re new to blackjack, consider playing with fewer decks. And focus on keeping the count. If you’re a pro, then multi-deck blackjack games with no automatic shuffler are what you should look for to maximize your EV.
We hope you’ve found this article interesting. But remember that when it comes to blackjack, practice makes perfect. So you should master 1 style of gameplay before considering any other blackjack type.
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| $25 FREE on Signup 100% up to $1.000 on First Deposit Hotspot Leaderboard | Visit Casino |
