How much of a role does luck play in games like blackjack? Well, the answer to that might depend on who you ask. A beginner might look at the game, see that both the player and dealer are trying to be the ones closest to 21 without going over and conclude that it must surely be mostly up to chance who achieves that, but if you ask an expert player, you’ll likely get a very different answer.

The determining factor in blackjack is not the luck of the draw, but what you do with that luck. There are quite a few situations where a novice player might assume they just got an unfortunate hand, while a more skilled blackjack enthusiast will understand how to turn the cards in their favor. Knowing when to split, double down, hit, stand, or surrender can make all the difference in this game. To help you understand this, we’re going to be looking at the importance of structured play in six-deck blackjack.

Why six-deck above any other variant, you may ask? Well, firstly, it’s one of the most common types of blackjack and is the variant used in many casinos today. Many people think of this version as the default. Still, it’s important to know that adding more decks of cards slightly tilts the odds away from the player and favors the dealer in most cases. Six-deck blackjack has slightly better odds for the player than, for example, eight-deck, but worse than single-deck blackjack.

Why Six Decks Change the Game

You might be questioning the above logic. After all, each deck is identical, so why should adding more of them affect the odds in any meaningful way? Well, the answer lies in how many duplicates of each card there are in the deck. If you’re playing single-deck blackjack, and the first card you draw is an ace, then your chances of drawing a second ace drop significantly as there are now only 3 left in the deck, a 25% reduction. If you’re playing six-deck blackjack, then there were 24 aces at the start of the game, out of 312 cards, and drawing one means that there will now be 23 out of 311 cards. That’s a pretty small change in the odds compared to the single-deck version.

But why does that matter? Well, without going too deep into the mathematics behind it or looking at probability tables, the quick answer is that drawing doubles isn’t very advantageous for the player who is trying to employ some basic strategy. You’re aiming to get close to 21, after all – an odd number – so it doesn’t matter which card you get doubles of, none of them will get you to 21 exactly.

Still, the number of decks doesn’t have as big an effect on the odds as some people expect, and some players actually prefer practicing on 6-deck blackjack as the added complexity of those extra cards can push you to become a better player and give you more insight into the strategies behind this game. If you get to the point where blackjack basic strategy 6 deck approaches feel comfortable to you, then you can probably handle other versions without much mental adjustment.

Going Beyond Guesswork

It has been said of chess that games aren’t won as often as they are lost, and this applies to blackjack too. If you watch other players, especially those just getting started, you’ll see what this means. They make blunders, they forget optimal strategies, and they cost themselves games that they could have won if they had thought a little more carefully about their next move. It’s a fast and surprisingly complex game after all, and it’s easy to slip up at times.

Skilled players rarely make mistakes, however. Every move they make is based on the mathematical probability of winning and losing. That doesn’t mean they turn into an android (after all, there’s still some gut instinct involved). But their play is guided by structure and they will usually be able to explain their reasoning for a given choice as stemming from a solid logical approach.

Going beyond the basic strategy, some players explore advanced techniques like card counting to give themselves even more of an edge. However, keeping track of the cards in a fast-paced game like blackjack is far from easy, so it’s often advisable to learn other strategies and get good at the base game before attempting something like this.

How Casinos Reflect Structured Play

There are many online casinos that present 6-deck blackjack as a way of offering more thoughtful, structured play. One major advantage of the digital approach is that the games will usually let you play at your own place. There’s no pressure from other players to hurry up and you won’t have to worry if you need to take some time to figure things out mid-round. This is particularly good for beginners! If you are just getting started, then the table below might help you see how the different numbers of decks affect various approaches to this game:

Final Thoughts

When you’re just starting out with blackjack, it’s easy to fall into the trap of rushing. You might find yourself trying to make quick decisions and minimize thinking time. That’s not the best approach because it leaves you open to rash, emotion-based decision-making. Those who take their time and learn how to play the game effectively, as well as focusing on building emotional management, are the most likely to succeed.