Blackjack is quite possibly the most legendary casino card game of all. The beauty of blackjack lies in its simplicity. It's a battle royale between player and dealer, in pursuit of the highest-value hand. 21 is the magic number, but any hand total that beats the dealer's hand without busting will suffice. For aspiring blackjack players, much work must be done. This is a game of deliberate plays, encompassing various tactics and strategies.
For veterans of the game, there is simply no substitute for time spent out in the middle. The repartee between player and dealer is what it's all about. As an up-and-coming blackjack player, there are important rules to learn. This takes time. Fortunately, you can play online blackjack for fun without risking a cent of your bankroll. For blackjack aficionados, this is the best way to master the game!
Table of Contents
The Benefits of Playing Blackjack Online in Demo Mode
Blackjack, like other casino games, comes in multiple variants. Each variant is slightly different from the next, while remaining true to the blackjack creed. That being, Beating the Dealer’s Hand Total. Depending on your particular blackjack variant – Blackjack Classic, Atlantic City Multihand Blackjack, or Side Bets Classic Blackjack – slight differences in gameplay may be required.
Mastery of blackjack is only possible through exposure to the game, warts and all. For many players, bankroll considerations are often a ‘Debbie Downer’. With limited real money budgets, players don't have the luxury of practicing in real money mode until they have fine-tuned their skills to the level of blackjack maestros.
Enter free blackjack online. It's the perfect elixir for ‘Learning before Earning’ in blackjack. For all intents and purposes, there is no discernible difference in gameplay between free blackjack and real money blackjack. In fact, demo play blackjack games present players with an opportunity to practice all of the learned tactics and strategies under real-world conditions.
A caveat is in order: Psychological analysis shows that when people play blackjack online for fun (in demo mode) they are inclined to be far more liberal with their betting. This makes sense, since there is ‘zero loss’ potential with faux blackjack chips, much like playing with Monopoly money. Under real-world conditions, those same players would typically play significantly more conservatively by betting less aggressively, and in smaller denominations.
Tips for Choosing your Bet Size in Free Blackjack Games Online
Free blackjack games play out in exactly the same way as the Real McCoy. Players begin by placing a bet. You will notice multiple different chip denominations on the table. For example, you may find the following: $1, $5, $25, $100, and $500 chips. Despite ‘play-money mode’ players are encouraged to budget accordingly. In demo mode, a faux bankroll of $1000 may be provided. If you decide to bet $500 per hand, you will have to refresh the URL to reload after every couple of hands.
It's a better idea to bet within affordable limits, such as $1, $5, and $25 to keep the continuity of the demo play games going. Many demo play blackjack games provide players with Multihand Blackjack options. This simply means that players can participate in multiple hands of blackjack simultaneously. While this method of play will not increase your chances of winning, it advances your skillset in the following ways:
• Focused Gameplay – Players focus on multiple hands simultaneously
• Teaches Quick Decision Making - Players focus on more decisions per unit time
• Efficient Time Management – Players participate in many more hands per session
Instructions on How to Play Free Blackjack Online
Once you have placed your bet, the dealer (RNGs in simulated games) automatically deals 2 cards to each player in turn, and two cards to the dealer position. Only one of the dealer's cards is visible to players at the table. This is known as an upcard. The face-down card is known as a hole card. As a player, you are tasked with making important decisions using imperfect information. Of course, it would be much easier if players could see both of the dealer's cards – but the rules of the game are the reason why land base and online casinos stay in business. Fortunately, you can use blackjack charts, and blackjack odds calculators to make better decisions.
Blackjack charts are set up in a table format. On the left-hand side of the table are all possible combinations of player hands. On the top of the table, moving from left to right, are all possible dealer upcards. The intersection between the player hand total and the dealer’s upcard is the recommended action. Players can take the following actions in blackjack:
• Hit – Request another card from the dealer. Players can continue hitting until they reach their desired hand total, or until they bust.
• Stand – The decision not to take any additional cards and stand on the current hand value.
• Double – Double the size of the bet and take one final card.
• Split – Identical cards can be split, according to the specific rules of the blackjack game in question. When you split, you play two individual hands and pay for two hands.
• Surrender – The surrender option can be invoked if the player believes that the dealer has a strong likelihood of winning. When available, this option results in a forfeiture of 50% of the bet.
• Insurance – The insurance option may present if the dealer’s upcard is an Ace. Insurance costs 50% of the original bet, and pays 2:1. It is regarded as a sucker bet, since the odds of the dealer not hitting a 10-value card are 9:4 which is greater than the insurance payout of 2:1!
• Side Bets (21+3) – This side bet is effectively an assessment of the players 2 cards and the dealer’s upcard. If the three cards form a Straight Flush, 3-of-a-Kind, a Straight, or a Flush, the player will win this bet.
There are several other important rules that players need to pay particular attention to when playing blackjack online for fun. These include the dealer actions vis-a-vis Hard 17 and Soft 17. A Hard 17 contains no Ace, or an Ace valued at 1. A Soft 17 contains an Ace valued at 11. Generally, you can expect the dealer to draw to 16, and stand on all 17s. It is worth selecting a blackjack table where the blackjack payouts are 3:2, and not 6:5. A quick explanation brings this into sharp focus:
• At a 6:5 blackjack table, a player who bets $100 can win $120 on blackjack
• At a 3:2 blackjack table, a player who bets $100 can win $150 on blackjack
The more you play online blackjack for fun, the better you become. There are definite skill and strategy elements to playing blackjack. That's why the house edge (100 - the RTP) is typically less than 1% in blackjack. With the right blackjack strategy, it is possible for any player to become extremely proficient in the game. All of this is made possible when you play blackjack online in demo mode!