Most blackjack strategies focus on the player’s objective to get as close to 21 points as possible, while minimizing the house advantage. However, because of various card combinations that can result in a “busted hand” or losing more than 21, a no-bust strategy has been developed so that players will never exceed a total of 21 points.

It is generally known that when playing blackjack online or in a land-based casino, the goal of the player is to get as close to 21 points as possible while avoiding going over. Because of certain hands such as a pair of 10s or face cards with no suits, players can exceed a total of 21 points.

How Does It Work?

 A “no-bust” strategy requires that the player should bet all of his cards unless he has a total of 16 or higher. The player then doubles down on 11 and 12, splits any pairs, doubles on hard totals if the dealer shows an ace, and stands against soft 17.

Note that against certain card combinations, a player has to take hits or stand based on other rules.

When doubling down, split pairs and doubling soft totals are allowed in a “no-bust” strategy, but taking insurance or drawing cards are not. The “no-bust” strategy also promises that players will neither win nor lose when doubles are allowed.

This strategy works by using an alternate set of rules for deciding whether to take more cards or stand on the hand. A player who is not busting can always stop taking cards at any time and still have a drawing hand, so that they can win true odds on their wager.

It also allows the player to have a basic strategy chart developed for hitting and standing that works in every situation, provided the card totals are between 11 and 21.

According to Mr. Ong, the CEO of WS88, the most important aspect of this strategy is that any time it’s a player’s turn to deal, he must go bust before the dealer does. Therefore, if a player has five cards totaling 25, he must stand when it’s his turn. Betting is done based on the total of cards received, not their face value as in normal blackjack.

The no-bust strategy guarantees a win over the house because all other players at the table are busting and losing against the dealer.

When Not to Play by the Rules

This strategy has a lot of rules that take some time to get used to. If the dealer’s up card is an Ace, players are required to hit until they reach a value between 17 and 21. This includes soft totals, which are otherwise known as “pushes.”

The reason for this exception is because Aces can only be counted as 1 or 11. Players will occasionally deal with a soft hand that totals to an odd value between 19 and 21, which players should always hit because the dealer will not bust.

The beauty of this strategy is it helps players of blackjack online mitigate risk and guarantees a win against the house in many cases. The odds are still stacked against players, but the “no-bust” strategy can help win more money in the long term and is worth learning.

Here are some examples:

9 Decks (2 in the hole)/DAS

Hitting 16 against a 6 is not allowed, 17 and over double unless the dealer shows a card between 2 and 7, or 9 to ace. If the dealer’s upcard is 8 or higher you can split eights once. Split fives three times into two hands of five cards each. Splitting aces is not allowed. You can double if your hand is six cards or less, with no restrictions on the dealer’s upcard.

If you’re using this strategy, you’ll want to do it when there are more decks in the game – and that means playing at tables with high limits. The more decks there are in play, the less likely you are to bust, since more cards will be drawn before a busting hand is dealt.

But remember that “no-bust” doesn’t mean you’ll win every time. It just means that even when your point total doesn’t call for hitting or standing, doing so won’t result in a loss of your bet. Moreover, this strategy doesn’t work with more than two decks, since the risk of busting will always be higher as a greater number of cards are dealt to the players.

Takeaway

Blackjack has been experiencing declining popularity for years now as more and more players are attracted to other casino games like craps, slots, roulette and baccarat. “No-bust” might help revitalize this time-honored card game by making it more attractive to beginners.

Keep in mind that basic strategy is the only way you can consistently win at blackjack, and it should be your default play for all other situations. You need solid blackjack rules and strategies like this one to make sure you win long term.