Single Deck Blackjack is unquestionably one of the more popular games to play, especially amongst card counting fans. Playing blackjack with a single deck makes it easier to gauge what cards are in the deck, and therefore, as far as blackjack strategy goes, Single Deck Blackjack is appealing.

If you’re interested in learning how to play the game and how to make money playing blackjack, then this guide is for you.

Join us as we explore playing Single Deck Blackjack online, explain its differences with Multideck Blackjack, and showcase a few tips and tricks to help get you started. If you’re ready to begin, read on to find out more.

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Single Deck Blackjack explained

As the title suggests, playing single deck online blackjack means that there is just one deck of 52 cards (no jokers) included in the game. Single Deck Blackjack casinos may offer you several variants to choose from, but the general rules remain the same. There is more to this game than the use of a single deck, though.

What is Single Deck Blackjack? By using a single deck, the game’s house edge and dealer rules regarding hitting and standing vary from other titles. There are also fewer opportunities to use bonuses or blackjack side bets. Let’s explain that to you more clearly over the following sections.

How to play Single Deck Blackjack today

Do you know how to play a hand of Single Deck Blackjack? The gameplay is simple enough. Just do like so:

Step 1
Ensure that you’ve got the right game. How many decks do casinos use in blackjack? This varies from game to game, but blackjack games that use a single deck will specifically say so
Step 2
Place your bet in the ante betting circle on the table. The bet must fall within the minimum and maximum table limits. These will naturally be a lot more in high limit blackjack games
Step 3
The dealer will dish out the cards. If you don’t have 21 from the start (and hope the dealer doesn’t either), you can hit (basically, take another card) or stand (stick with that you have)
Step 4
When it comes to learning how to win in Single Deck Blackjack, the objective is the same as in all blackjack games. You’re trying to beat the dealer’s hand by getting as close to 21 as possible. If your hand totals more than that, you bust and lose
Step 5
After decisions are made, the highest-ranking hand wins

Of course, there’s a bit more to it than that, so let’s look at some of the specific rules in play next.

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Single Deck Blackjack rules – Everything you need to know

Single Deck Blackjack is played to Classic Blackjack rules. This means that you can play Single Deck Blackjack with Basic Strategy, as you would in any other game. A typical Single Deck Blackjack chart will help you determine the best move, but generally speaking, these are the Single Deck Blackjack rules you need to know:

  • Naturally, only a single deck of cards is used.
  • The dealer must hit on a soft 17.
  • Players are free to split their hands up to three times. They can split aces, but only one additional card is dealt to each ace. Aces cannot be re-split. Moreover, a split ace and ten-card hand do not count as a blackjack.
  • Conventional blackjack payouts are in play, so expect wins of 1:1 for any victory, 2:1 for insurance bets, and 3:2 for blackjack, again, not including split ace 21s.
  • In blackjack, hit or stand options are down to you, but you will bust at 22 or higher.
  • Use your Basic Strategy guide to learn when to double down in blackjack. As there are fewer 10-point value cards, it is trickier for you to bust, so doubling down is made easier.
  • Surrendering is not permitted in Single Deck Blackjack.

Single Deck vs Multideck Blackjack compared

Single Deck Blackjack odds are increased compared to Multideck Blackjack hands. As there are fewer 10-point value cards, it is a lot more difficult to bust. Does this make Single Deck Blackjack better, though?

The increased probability of Single Deck Blackjack wins is appealing over, say, Double Deck Blackjack, but there are a few other things to consider before we decide:

Overall, we’d say Single Deck Blackjack is ideal for first timers and newbies who want to practice card counting, but we would specifically say that it is better – just different.

Top tips for playing Single Deck Blackjack online

Single Deck Blackjack strategy uses largely the same Basic Strategy system as other blackjack games. However, Single Deck Blackjack cheats sheets can help you learn when to stand, split, hit and so on. While we do recommend that you study these charts, we can also provide you with a few Single Deck Blackjack tips here, and they include:

Tip

👉 Never take insurance. It has a higher house edge than multideck games.

👉 If you can’t split 5s and 10s, look at a hard total of 10 or 20.

👉 If re-splitting limit rules are in place, look at the hand as a hard total, excluding aces.

👉 If you have a no-nonsense pair of aces that cannot be re-split (due to table rules), but drawing to split is permitted, consider doing so, then doubling against a five or six. Alternatively, hit.

👉 Download a Basic Strategy (for Single Deck Blackjack) chart and start playing free Single Deck Blackjack. This will give you the time you need to study the chart and learn what you need to do and when.

Can I count cards in Single Deck Blackjack?

Single deck blackjack strategy is compatible with your counting cards. In fact, in Single Deck Blackjack, card counting is easier than in almost any other game, on account of there being so few cards. Learning how to card count in blackjack with a single deck is straightforward. Consider this…

You will need to have a basic understanding of running counts and how they work. We’ve got guides to help you with this. Once you’ve grasped the basics, then perhaps you may wish to use a specific strategy for Single Deck Blackjack.

We think that the Hi-Op system is ideal for Single Deck Blackjack.

  • This involves adding +1 to your count when a three, four, five or six appears
  • Adding nothing when 2, 7, 8, 9 or Ace appears
  • Subtracting one from your count when a 10, Jack, Queen or King shows up.
  • You may need to adjust it marginally to take into account that the first two cards are dealt face down.
  • You will also want to have an idea of how often the deck is shuffled – most likely frequently.

The pros and cons of Single Deck Blackjack

PROS
  • Easier to count cards
  • Lower house edge than Multideck Blackjack games
  • Commonly found at online casinos
  • Uses Classic Blackjack rules and offers no real surprises
CONS
  • Less likely to see side and bonus bets included in these games
  • Insurance bets have a higher house edge than usual

FAQs: Your questions on Single Deck Blackjack answered

Yes. You can frequently play Single Deck Blackjack at most leading online casino sites, many of which appear on our page.
We wouldn’t claim the one is better than the other. However, if you want to practice counting cards and prefer to play blackjack where there is less chance of busting, single-deck games would suffice.
The house edge in Single Deck Blackjack should be around 1.55%, but you can lower it to 0.50% if you use Basic Strategy and count cards.
Several top providers have developed Single Deck Blackjack games. Some are mobile blackjack games, some are RNG-based, and others are live blackjack titles. Popular ones come from BetSoft Gaming, Arrows Edge, Microgaming, Playtech, NetEnt, and Evolution Gaming.
Yes. The frequency of shuffles and your own ability to count cards will determine how successful you are, but it is certainly possible to a degree, yes, even in live dealer games.

Play Single Deck Blackjack Online Today

If you want to get started with Single Deck Blackjack, then we’ve got plenty of top casinos eager to offer you access to their games. You can also peruse the rest of our site to learn about blackjack cheat sheets, strategies, and betting systems, learn about multi-hand blackjack games, multideck titles, and much more.