5) dON’T HEDGE WHEN YOU’RE LOSING

Patience is a virtue, but with Blackjack it’s also a necessity

The dealer is going to win about six out of ten hands, but the player is going to win larger pots unless he gets anxious and begins to hedge his bets. This is a function of the games rules not luck. The player cannot change this by changing his bet, using a betting system, switching tables, playing multiple hands, or through any other means. The player simply needs to be patient and wait for his moneymaking opportunities.

Never let an opportunity slip away

This is solid advice; however, most of the time, a player who’s losing often avoids doubling and splitting. He may even make desperate attempts to reverse his luck by making long-shot sucker bets. Conversely, if he’s winning, he often doesn’t bother to surrender (if it’s offered). These are all excellent ways to lose. Doubling and splitting are critical advantages, which the player should never forego because of a losing streak. Nor should the player ever double-for-less or fail to surrender when it’s called for by basic strategy. Luck has no will and no memory. This is hard to accept during a long losing streak, but, it’s true.

The Rule-of-33 is helpful to control your game. However, things can change in the middle of a blackjack session and the player needs to be ready to make adjustments. For example, if you’ve carefully calculated your bankroll for three hours of play and you decide to stay and play longer, recalculate your bankroll and your profit target. Don’t assume that your original estimates still apply … they don’t.