High Limit Blackjack

In high-limit blackjack, all cards are dealt from 6 decks and each deck consists of 52 cards. These cards are shuffled by the dealer after each round.

The wagering total is chosen by the players. These can be selected from the £1, £5, £25 and £100 chips. Once the wager amount is selected, the bet is placed and the hand begins. A player has to place their wager within a time limit or else the hand continues without them. Bet amounts are not allowed to be altered once the hand is distributed. But additional wagers like splits and insurance can be added throughout the hand.

Players need to complete “hitting” and either stay or get to the unfortunate stage of a bust before the dealer reveals his/her cards. If both you and the dealer hit blackjack simultaneously on the deal, the hand is considered a push. This means that the player’s wager is left on the table and the next hand will proceed. Another important rule to remember is that if a dealer goes over 21 while still drawing cards, all players that are still active in that specific hand will win their wagers.

The purpose of high-limit blackjack is really quite simple and relates directly to regular blackjack. The aim of the game is to hit 21 or get cards that are very close to but not over 21. When you play with a professional and reputable casino, you will need to ensure that they play fairly and that cards are dealt honestly. This can be assured by checking their licensing and certifications. We recommend playing with live dealers at the live high-limit blackjack tables.

Wagers often start as low as £1 and go as high as £100. This means that you can bet big if you are feeling lucky.

This high-limit card game uses a basic strategy, which means that it is one of the easiest card games you can play at a casino. All you need is a basic understanding of the game and its rules.

High rollers out there can limit the house edge to just 0.5%-1%. A casino’s edge represents what the casino is expected to earn as a percentage of a player’s wager. As an example, if the house edge is 1% for a game, the payout percentage to the player is 99%. Remember that the house has an advantage by being the last player to act on a hand, so you should rely on a basic strategy when deciding if you should hit or stand.

You should consider how many decks are being played with at a table. Also, consider what probability you have of busting based on your hand. Generally, the fewer decks used, the lower the house edge.
Each blackjack game relies on the value of two cards. This means that there are a variety of possible outcomes. You will see a general two-card count table with a projected frequency of specific outcomes below.

Most players use this basic strategy chart as a stepping stone to understanding high-limit blackjack strategy. Translating the basic strategy chart shows you how to play your first 2 cards based on the dealer’s “face-up” card.

As an example, take the following scenario: If your first 2 cards are 3 and 5, you have a total of 8. The chart will instruct you to hit. You draw a 3 which totals 11. The chart then tells you to double on 11, but you are allowed to double on only your first 2 cards. Therefore, you must hit. The chart translation uses the word “otherwise.” So, if you had to translate this example it would say, “If you have 11 – double otherwise hit.”

Here are a few key terms you need to know before we get into the detail of each chart scenario:

• Stand: This means that you will keep your hand at its present value. You may stand at any given time. Once you are satisfied with your hand, you should click the stand button. When the dealer has completed his/her hand, the game will finish.
• Hit: If your first 2 cards are low, you can take another card from the deck to get closer to 21. Taking another card is called “hitting,” and you can continue to do this until you decide to stand or go bust.
• Double: When you are dealt your first 2 cards, you have the option to double. This means that the bet amount will be doubled, and you will be dealt 1 more card. The hand stands after the next card is dealt, so generally, a double is done when you have exceptionally good cards. You can also double after a split (see below). Doubling is not possible if you have been dealt a blackjack. If you lose, your entire bet amount is forfeited (the initial bet amount and the additional amount placed for the double option).
• Split: If you have 2 cards that have the same value, like two 10s, you can split the cards into 2 hands that are completely separated. You can do this with 2 aces if they are your first 2 cards. Once you split, you will be prompted to place an additional bet that is equal to your original bet.
• Insurance: This allows you to protect yourself from the dealer and his/her blackjack. If the dealer is showing an ace, you can insure your hand against the dealer’s blackjack. The insurance costs half of the bet amount and is an additional bet from the player. If the dealer has a blackjack, the insurance feature pays 2:1 and you will lose the initial bet. If the dealer doesn’t get a blackjack, you lose the insured bet and the game continues to be played for the initial bet amount. Insurance will not be offered to you if you get a blackjack.
• Surrender: This is basically the act of backing out of the game. You will have the option to surrender if you feel that your cards are not good enough for that hand. One half of your bet will be taken when you surrender. This decision also has to be made when your first 2 cards are dealt and prior to indicating if you want to split, stand, double or hit. The dealer also has to check if he/she has a blackjack before you can surrender. This action does not happen often, but it is imperative to understand what it means prior to implementing any game strategies.

This strategy shows you how to play high-limit blackjack when you have 2 cards that do not contain an ace. The rules are as follows:

If you have 8 or less, always ensure that you hit.
If you have 9, double if your dealer has 3 – 6, otherwise hit.
If you have 10, double if your dealer has 2 – 9, otherwise hit.
If you have 11, double if your dealer has 2 – 10, hit if your dealer has an ace.
If you have 12, double if your dealer has 2 or 3, stand if your dealer has 4 – 6, otherwise hit.
If you have 13 – 16, stand if your dealer has 2 – 6, otherwise hit.
If you have 17 – 21, always stand.

Remember that this strategy only works if you do not have an ace in your first 2 cards. If you have an ace, you will need to use a different strategy.

This strategy is the opposite of the above strategy. It dictates what you should do if your starting hand contains an ace.

If you have Ace 2 or Ace 3, double if your dealer has 5 or 6, otherwise hit.
If you have Ace 4 or Ace 5, double if your dealer has 4 – 6, otherwise hit.
If you have Ace 6, double if your dealer has 3 – 6, otherwise hit.
If you have Ace 7, double if your dealer has 3 – 6, stand if your dealer has 2, 7 or 8.
If you have Ace 8 or Ace 9, always stand.

You will notice that both the hard-hand and soft-hand strategies are from the same basic strategy chart but play out very differently. Most high-rollers memorize these rules when playing high-limit blackjack online.

This strategy explains what you should do if you have pairs in your first 2 cards. This is rare, but there is a much higher chance of this happening if the dealer is playing with more decks.

If you have a pair of aces or eights, always use the strategy of splitting.
If you have a 2 pair or 3 pair, split if your dealer has between 2 and 7, otherwise hit.
With a 4 pair, split if the dealer’s hand adds to 5/6, otherwise hit.
With a 5 pair, double if your dealer has 2 – 9, otherwise hit.
With a 6 pair, split if your dealer has 2 – 6, otherwise hit.
With a 7 pair, split if your dealer has 2 – 7, otherwise hit.
If you have a pair of 9s, stand if your dealer has 7, 10 or ace, and split if your dealer has 2 – 6, 8 or 9.
If you have a pair of 10s, always stand.

Try to incorporate flashcards into your learning experience when trying to memorize these rules. Once you have them in your memory, high-limit blackjack will be much easier to understand and play.

This is one of the oldest blackjack strategies out there and it is designed to minimize losses and increase profits. This traditional strategy lets you keep track of what cards are dealt in a game. You can then find out when a deck favours the dealer and when a player has higher odds.

When counting, count dealt cards from 2 – 6 as +1 and cards 7 – 9 as 0. 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace are all counted as -1. You will be able to determine if the deck is full of small or high-value cards very early in the game. remember that card counting is not always possible at an online casino as the deck is reshuffled with each new hand, so test this out before implementing the strategy online.