Blackjack Perfect Strategy
“Perfect strategy” is billed as the ultimate goal for the careful blackjack player, but there are enough misconceptions to fill a book. Let’s take a quick look at the theory and some of the common objections.
First of all, “Perfect Blackjack” assumes that there is only one ideal move for each situation.
Once you get your first two cards dealt, and you see the dealers upcard, there is only one perfect move you can make. This is the basis of all blackjack strategy cards and tables; memorizing them will set you on the path to perfect blackjack.
Critics of the theory say that memorization is not as good as learning the rules, but the response is obvious: if you are going to come to the same conclusion, why would you bother taking any longer to get there?
Once the perfect first move has been made, there is another layer of strategy involved, much more fluid and variable than the first. Strategy cards usually stop with that first move, because the permutations multiply afterward (i.e., once you bet, hit, stand, double, or especially split)…but it all comes down to the “perfect” move.
The blackjack player serious about “perfect” blackjack must be prepared to learn the right moves for any situation. The system was designed not to win every time, but to maximize the winning odds and minimize any losses that occur over time. The long-term result of perfect blackjack is to make the house and the player operate on as level a field as possible…and though extensive computation of the statistics, “perfect blackjack” seems to do just that.
On the other hand, the critics object that the calculations aren’t as cut and dry as the “perfect blackjack” supporters claim. In fact, some actually state that they can get better results by adopting a more flexible approach…that by applying an understanding of the rules and hands-on experience to each game, they can succeed more often.
Ultimately, it is your choice whether to follow the perfect blackjack path or to go about the more holistic approach.
