The basic game of blackjack differs from slots or roulette in that it involves both luck and skill. Slots and roulette games are based on pure luck only. While blackjack players have no control over the luck part, the skill factor is totally within their control and they cannot afford to lose out because of not making the most optimum moves. That this plays a crucial role in blackjack tournaments as compared to normal blackjack cash games is explained below. Players who marginally deviate from optimum strategy in cash games may end up winning $400 instead of $500 or losing $500 instead of $400. But a difference of even $1 in online tournaments could mean that they are just out of the prize pool or worse still failed to make it to the spots that pay the fancy prizes.

Online players should forget about memorizing the optimum strategy and concentrate on using the strategy card efficiently. The strategy card is a table that depicts the optimum move in any given situation. Players can have the strategy card on their screen and toggle between the tournament screen and the strategy card. A better option is to print the strategy card and keep the printout in front while playing. This will eliminate the need to toggle screens.

As other online tournaments, blackjack tournaments are time bound. Players have to complete their wagering within the stipulated time. Some online blackjack tournaments specify that a minimum number of wagers have to be placed. At other times players may need to catch up on the next player and may need to place more wagers in order to do so. The idea behind outlining the above situations is that players cannot afford to be slow in their decision making. If players cannot use the strategy card quickly and spend time searching for the appropriate row and column and then deciphering the coded instruction they will be at a loss. Therefore before they start participating in online blackjack tournaments players have to become adept in the use of strategy cards. There is a very simple way of doing this. All online casinos allow players to wager for free. Players should switch to the Play for Free mode and spend at least a few hours in using the strategy card. Only when they are confident should they enroll in an online blackjack tournament.

There is one final tip in the use of strategy cards. Blackjack has a number of variants and can create a problem. However one issue is critical to the optimum strategy, others do not matter as significantly. This is whether the dealer has to stand on a soft seventeen or hit on a soft seventeen. Strategy cards are available for both options. The player should check out the rule in use in the blackjack tournament and choose the correct strategy card. Players who want to go one step further should also check out the number of decks in use in the designated blackjack game and use the strategy card for that number of decks. Wagering with the wrong strategy card is a mistake the player cannot afford to make.

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