In this lesson I will teach you how to flawlessly remember the correct move based on the basic startegy rules. You will be able to chose the right solution without any hesitation. Your choice will be automatic. You will get the right habit after a few-hour training and master the basic strategy in the course of it.
I will also try to make this short course pleasurable for you by using various training techniques. Of course, the speed at which you will learn depends on each individual. So my advice is that you spend as much time on it as you deem sufficient. It is really worth it to spend a few minutes every day on learning the basic strategy. Remember that you are learning something that you will remember for the rest of your life. Devoting a few hours of your time to gain this knowledge is going to benefit you in your game.
Flashcards with the description of the proper action to be taken during the game of Blackjack – After the first lesson you should have a set of flashcards already made up and be using them on a regular basis. Be sure that the time you need to make the right decison during the game be as short as possible. Your goal is to make the correct decision for any given situation in less than two minutes. While you are practicing it is a good idea to time yourself so you can see how you progress.
Basic strategy excercise
Print out the form below and make as many copies as you need. It is the same form as in lesson 1 but this time the decision field is blank. Try to write the correct decision for each starting hand as fast as you can. Your goal is to do it in less than 60 seconds.
Form 1
| Cards | Decision |
| 5 thru 8 | _______________________________ |
| 9 | _______________________________ |
| 10 | _______________________________ |
| 11 | _______________________________ |
| 12 | _______________________________ |
| 13 thru 16 | _______________________________ |
| 17 or Higher | _______________________________ |
| A,2 | _______________________________ |
| A,3 | _______________________________ |
| A,4 | _______________________________ |
| A,5 | _______________________________ |
| A,6 | _______________________________ |
| A,7 | _______________________________ |
| A,8-A,9 | _______________________________ |
| 2,2 | _______________________________ |
| 3,3 | _______________________________ |
| 4,4 | _______________________________ |
| 5,5 | _______________________________ |
| 6,6 | _______________________________ |
| 7,7 | _______________________________ |
| 8,8 | _______________________________ |
| 9,9 | _______________________________ |
| 10,10 | _______________________________ |
| A,A | _______________________________ |
Use your “Basic Strategy Matrix” from Lesson 1 to check the correectness of your desicions. Remember that time is extremely important.
Now print out the next form. Write in the “Decision field” decision that you have decided to take in each situation. The left field marked “Player” shows your starting hands and the”Di” stands for the dealer’s up card. The blank field is for the decision that you have to make (S – Stand, H – Hit, P – Split Pairs, D – Double).
Form 2
| Player | Di | Decision | Player | Di | Decision | Player | Di | Decision |
| 8,3 | A | ____ | 2,3,6 | 4 | ____ | A,4,2 | 3 | ____ |
| 6,6 | 4 | ____ | 9,9 | 7 | ____ | 7,6 | 3 | ____ |
| 5,4 | 6 | ____ | 10,3 | 3 | ____ | 8,2 | A | ____ |
| 7,7 | 7 | ____ | 9,8 | 7 | ____ | 8,8 | 10 | ____ |
| 9,6 | 8 | ____ | A,7 | 2 | ____ | 10,7 | 2 | ____ |
| 7,5 | 3 | ____ | A,4 | 5 | ____ | 9,3 | 3 | ____ |
| A,2 | 5 | ____ | 6,4 | 10 | ____ | 7,4 | A | ____ |
| 3,3 | 4 | ____ | A,4 | 5 | ____ | 6,3 | 7 | ____ |
| 9,2 | 10 | ____ | 10,8 | 6 | ____ | A,6 | 5 | ____ |
| 5,5 | 9 | ____ | 6,8 | 7 | ____ | A,9 | 6 | ____ |
| A,7 | 6 | ____ | 9,7 | 8 | ____ | 10,4 | 5 | ____ |
| 6,3 | 4 | ____ | A,2,5 | 6 | ____ | 9,9 | 9 | ____ |
| 5,2 | 2 | ____ | 3,6 | 4 | ____ | 2,4 | 2 | ____ |
| 10,2 | 3 | ____ | 7,8 | 9 | ____ | 6,5 | 2 | ____ |
| 9,9 | 7 | ____ | 10,3 | 3 | ____ | 7,7 | 2 | ____ |
| 10,4 | 9 | ____ | A,4 | 4 | ____ | 3,4 | 5 | ____ |
| 6,5 | 9 | ____ | 10,5 | 7 | ____ | 4,4 | 6 | ____ |
| A,6 | 2 | ____ | 5,2 | 10 | ____ | A,2,4 | 6 | ____ |
| 4,4 | 6 | ____ | 8,8 | 8 | ____ | 10,2,A | 3 | ____ |
| 10,10 | 5 | ____ | A,A | 7 | ____ | 8,2 | 10 | ____ |
| 8,6 | 7 | ____ | 8,3 | 10 | ____ | 6,6 | 6 | ____ |
| 7,9 | 10 | ____ | 5,5 | 10 | ____ | 5,4 | 2 | ____ |
| 10,2,A | 3 | ____ | A,5,A | 3 | ____ | A,7 | 3 | ____ |
| A,2,2 | 6 | ____ | 2,2 | 7 | ____ | 3,3 | 2 | ____ |
| 2,6 | 4 | ____ | A,5 | 4 | ____ | 7,8 | 7 | ____ |
| 9,A | 6 | ____ | 6,6 | 2 | ____ | 9,9 | 7 | ____ |
| 10,6 | 3 | ____ | 3,7 | 9 | ____ | 2,5,4 | 2 | ____ |
| 7,7 | 6 | ____ | 3,3 | 2 | ____ | 10,4 | 6 | ____ |
| A,A | 9 | ____ | 5,5 | 9 | ____ | 9,3 | 5 | ____ |
| 2,2 | 2 | ____ | A,6 | 3 | ____ | A,2 | 6 | ____ |
| 9,4 | 4 | ____ | 10,6 | 7 | ____ | 9,8 | 7 | ____ |
| A,3,4 | 9 | ____ | 6,6 | 3 | ____ | A,4,A | 2 | ____ |
| A,4,2 | 6 | ____ | 9,4 | 2 | ____ | 7,5 | 3 | ____ |
| 8,8 | 10 | ____ | A,4 | 10 | ____ | 2,2 | 6 | ____ |
| 5,5 | 8 | ____ | 6,4 | 9 | ____ | 3,3 | 7 | ____ |
| A,8 | 6 | ____ | 8,3 | A | ____ | 6,6 | 2 | ____ |
| 5,2 | 2 | ____ | 9,9 | 10 | ____ | 2,9 | 10 | ____ |
| A,4 | 6 | ____ | 7,5 | 4 | ____ | 9,7 | 5 | ____ |
| 2,3,4,A | 6 | ____ | 7,7 | 9 | ____ | 5,4 | 3 | ____ |
| A,A | A | ____ | 9,3 | 7 | ____ | 7,4 | 10 | ____ |
Time – I can’t stress hard enough the importance of speed, which is the key element of your play. You have to make each game automatic on your part, because in the casino you will not have time to think what to do.
Get out a deck of cards and run a real simulation of the game making decisions and verifying them with the flashcards. The simulation should make the real game much easier later on when you go to a casino and put the real money on the table.
Write on a separate sheet all those situations that you still find problematic, for instance, all soft hands (those involving an ace) and pracitise them more often.
Homework
Try to practice for about 20 -30 minutes a day using your set of flashcards. Use the forms (1 and 2) and spend a few minutes on them as well.
