• Standing. This is the countermove to hitting. All it means is that you decline to take another card because you believe that if you do, you are going to go over the total of 21. This is another move that the basic strategy chart is going to line up for you so you should always look to it for reference on what to do. Standing is also something the dealer may do based on the casino’s rules for the table.
• Double down. Doubling down is when you take a double wager, but you agree to take just one more card, or hit once more. This is a good way to work with your hand too and it lets you double your win if you get lucky with the move.
• Split. This is when you have a pair of cards in your hand and want to split them up to play two separate hands. This is always a good idea if you have doubles. You want to split them to give yourself that extra shot at a blackjack if you get the right combination. Splitting is something that not everyone subscribes to, but if you look at the math you are going to see that it pays off more often than not. If you want a good way to assure you are going to have the edge and get a better shot of winning, then always split your hands when you can.
• Surrender. This is when you give up half of your overall wager and quit. Sometimes this is going to be the only option for you when you realize that there is no way you can get blackjack based on the cards you currently have in front of you. It isn’t a bad move and it minimizes how much you are going to lose as you pull out of the hand.
Blackjack is a game of strategy and that means you are going to have quite a learning curve to it. Don’t worry though- there are plenty of places online and at land- based casinos where you can practice the game to come up with your own strategy. Plus, things like the basic strategy chart are also going to help you considerably. Take your time with the game and come up with your own strategy. It may take time, but it is going to be well worth it when you start winning big.