Casino News

Pilarski: Soft blackjack hands are often misplayed

2008-07-03 14:06:19

Few blackjack hands are as poorly played as soft 18, an expert has suggested.

Responding to a question on whether a player should hit or stay with such a hand when up against a nine, Mark Pilarski wrote in the Detroit Free Press that hitting is definitely the right tactic - even though lots of people choose not to.

"No blackjack hands are misplayed more than the soft ones (those containing an ace)," he remarked.

Mr Pilarski explained that the chances of winning go from 40 per cent up to 45 per cent when a player elects to hit as opposed to stay in these kinds of situations.

Blackjack was recently put in the Hollywood spotlight when Kevin Spacey movie 21 hit the big screen earlier in 2008.

Based on the story of the legendary MIT blackjack team, the film did well at the box office, despite receiving mixed reviews.