A guide to the chart of combinations which reduce the house odds in blackjack

Online blackjack is a straightforward game as far as the basics are concerned.

In the most simplistic terms, you just need to score as close to 21 with the cards you are dealt without scoring over that amount and going bust.

However, there is much more to the game. There are skills and knowledge you can bring to the table to increase your chances of beating the dealer and winning at blackjack.

If you are serious about playing blackjack to a higher level, then the first thing you need to do is learn the strategy.

This is a chart that you can find on the internet, which is used by players to reduce the casino advantage to a smaller percentage. This outlines what the best play is for every card combination, based on what you have been given and the dealer's face-up card.

So, for example, if you have got a hand with a value of 15 and the dealer's card is a seven, then you should hit, but if his card is a six, you should stick.

The strategy indicates when you should stand, hit, split, double down and surrender. It is based on the rule that when the dealer reaches 17 or above, he must stand and cannot add any cards to his hand, regardless of whether it is a 'soft' hand or not.

A soft hand refers to when a player's ace card can be given an 11 value without going over 21, meaning it is always possible to draw another card without busting.

If you are playing in a real life casino you need to learn the various combinations, as you cannot have the chart in front of you on the table!

However, if you are playing in an online casino in Canada then of course you can have it by your side throughout a game of blackjack. You are likely to find that it becomes second nature anyway the more you play.

Do you have any tips for using the strategy? Have you found that it works well?