Blackjack today and tomorrow

Nowadays the same basic rules of the game are applied in the vast majority of modern casinos. It is, therefore, a less complicated job to calculate the advantages of the differing minor rule variations that exist. However if a player remains serious in their wish to play a more traditional game it is worth noting that the Vegas club in (you guessed it), Las Vegas boasts “the most liberal ‘21’ rules in the world”.

As Blackjack continues to evolve, minor rule variations have been introduced, such as introducing restrictions on certain betting techniques that result in a marginal increase in the house edge. Single deck games are rare now, and you’ll certainly not find any on the Internet. Those that remain in real-world casinos are not subject to the same liberal rules that once applied, minimising the possibilities for card counters and lucky gamblers to up their bets when the right opportunity arises.

Despite the fact casino floor people remain paranoid about “counters”, double-deck games are still fairly common and their rules generally remain unrestricted. The more decks used, the more difficult it will be for the “counter” to make accurate predictions about the outcome of specific hands. This explains why the casinos that remain indifferent to the presence of “counters” at their tables are often the ones who use eight decks in a game, permit only high betting limits or enforce restrictive rules. Online casinos are even less concerned about card counters, as the majority of the games will shuffle the cards after every hand, making card counting impossible.

As a result of the steady increase in player numbers it is fair to assume that Blackjack will remain a permanent fixture of casinos in the future. Through casino-funded research it has become evident that players are becoming more and more knowledgeable about the game. As experienced players begin to demand more favourable odds this could lead to the rules becoming further relaxed. Already many casinos now offer more player-friendly options such as lower table minimums, the option to surrender and single and double deck games.