There are some hard and fast rules about when to Double Down. They are as follows.

If you have 11 you can double. There is a 30% chance of making 21 and no way to bust out. If you do make 21 the dealer can only beat you with a Blackjack and even then you’ll have your money returned.

If you have a hand of 10 you can double. The odds of winning are similar to that of if you have 11 and you have no chance of going bust.

If you have 7/8/9 don’t double. As tempting as it is that you might make 17, 18, 19 or even 20 it is unlikely. Any card other than a 10 will leave you with a vulnerable hand. The only exception to this is if you have a nine and the dealer had a low (2-6) up card and thus has a good chance of going bust.

If you have 12 or more DON’T DOUBLE. As tempting as it may be when you see the dealer has a card that means he is likely to go bust. You also have a high chance of busting and losing out.

What you must remember with Doubling Down is that you can only have one further card.

I would stress that doubling up can also affect the effectiveness of your betting strategy. Especially if you are using the Paroli or Martingale system. You should make the decisions about when you are going to Double Down and stick to them so you don’t click the double button on a whim.

Lets start with the most well known; the Double-Up. It is actually known as the Martingale system. You start with a one unit bet ($1 if you are me or $1000000 if you are the Sultan of Brunei – you base your unit amount on your bankroll). If you win you make the same bet. If you lose you double the previous bet continuing to double until you win. When you win you start again with one unit. This betting system is madness and you have to have a huge bankroll to make it work. It is not uncommon to lose 8 hands in a row, by which time you will be betting with 128 units! In the long run you will not make money this way. Your bankroll will be broken in no time at all –unless of course you are the Sultan of Brunei.

The Paroli betting system is the opposite of the Martingale system. This time you double up when you win. To use this system you need to decide how many you times you double up before you start again. This system can be effective as it is simple to use and easy to remember. You also don’t need a large bankroll to play in this way and it can make a lot without risking too much.

The Parlay betting system is comparable to the Paroli system. It is simple and easy to remember. You base your bets on your profit, so you make a bet where your original bet plus your original winnings are used for your next bets. To use this system, you simply start by making a bet of any size. If you win with this initial bet, you use the original bet and part of the profit to place your next bet with. For example you bet £10 and win, for your next bet you use the original bet, $10 and part of the profit say $5 to make the next bet (Total $15). This way you are not always risking your profit. As with Paroli you need to decide how many times you will do this before you start again. Although you won’t make as much profit as with Paroli you will be risking less of your profit.

The Parlay betting system takes a little thought before you hit the tables but in the long run it can be a good option for beginners and seasoned players alike.

Still, a pretty solid first tutorial for anyone who never played single deck blackjack before — so check it out if you’re new to the game!

Click here to view the embedded video.

By the way — excellent dealer skills!

The object of blackjack make the highest total you can without going over 21 (going bust). Simple.

Each numbered card 10 and under, has a value equal to the number on the card. All the face cards count as 10. This leaves the magic Ace which can count either as 1 or 11, depending on what helps your hand the most. A hand that is 21 is called ‘blackjack’. If you are dealt blackjack you are paid immediately (and you get to do a little dance).

There are 2 ways to win. Either you have the highest total or the dealer goes bust. You can play with other players at the table but you are only trying to beat the dealer. If the dealer gets a blackjack, the players automatically lose unless they have a blackjack too.

Each player receives 2 cards (usually face up) on the table. The dealer receives 1 card face up and 1 card face down.

The player has the following options while playing blackjack:

• Hit Taking another card
• Stand You have made your best hand
• Double Down Doubling your bet and taking one more card
• Split Splitting your pair into two separate hands
• Surrender Surrendering half of your bet and giving up your hand right then

You have the option of taking as many hits as you want as long as you don’t go over 21.

The dealer must play his hand according to the house rules. Usually the dealer must hit until he has a total of 17 or higher. If the dealer starts with a total of 17, he stands.

See simple. This seemingly easy game has driven grown man too tears with joy and despair. Try it and see how you fair.