Dear Mark: Do you know if there is any blackjack game that allows the player to have an edge against the house, using just basic strategy and not counting cards? Jerry C.

Basic strategy is nothing more than how you play your hand against the dealer’s “up card.” Playing correctly, Jerry, you can lower the casino advantage down to less than one percent, which incidentally, can be done at any casino that offers blackjack.

In the past, I have come across a few casinos that offer a blackjack game that is beatable using perfect basic strategy alone. You’ll need to find the following combination of rules to get this edge: Single deck, the dealer stands on soft 17, and doubling down is allowed after splitting.

Bear in mind, Jerry, scarce as this game is now, if you can ferret out a blackjack game with these rules, you will have a .1% advantage against the house, which for a $10 bettor, will give you an expected return of about 60¢ an hour with perfect play.

I highly recommend you don’t quit your day job.

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