Poker versus Blackjack

All The Aces daily poker column: Part 1: POKER VERSUS BLACKJACK. Which is better Texas Hold Em Poker or Blackjack?

The All The Aces desk11 July 2005Games & Rules

18+ onlyWritten, edited and fact-checked by the All The Aces desk in Britain — how we work and how we correct mistakes. Some links out are paid placements; they are not reviews, and nobody pays for coverage. Gambling in the UK is licensed by the Gambling Commission, and nothing here is advice to bet.

Texas Hold 'Em Poker versus Blackjack

Which is better Poker or Blackjack?

Texas Hold'Em versus Blackjack, what's it to be? Depends on your time scale and your mindset. If you enjoy pitting your wits then poker as a game is its own reward.

However, if fast turnover in cash is your aim on any particular day then blackjack fits the bill and is far and away the most popular and easiest card game on the web. If you're playing blackjack, the most important factor to consider is the dealer's face up card. It sets your decisions in stone by immediately suggesting your chances.

Blackjack players know they're gambling. Poker players rightly believe Texas hold 'em is gambling with a skill dimension and this is born out by the number of successful professional poke players. Our poker site tutorials demonstrate experience will improve your odds.

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Table Talk

65 terms lifted from the newsroom’s own glossaries.

Action

Any actual betting or opportunity to bet.

Bad Beat

To be the obvious favourite in a hand and none the less lose to an opponent statistically considered the underdog.

Big Slick

When the hole cards dealt to you are ace-king. Among the strongest hands you can receive.

Blinded Out

Finding yourself forced out of a game by the blinds.

Blinds

Compulsory bets introduced to ensure there’s money to gamble for in every pot. The player to the immediate left of the dealer posts the small blind, and the player to…

Board

The collective name for community cards in hold 'em.

Button

A small puck with ‘dealer’ on it which moves round clockwise one player each hand. Action starts with this virtual dealer.

Buy-in

The amount of chips you start with or the cost of entry.

Buying the pot

Intimidating everyone into folding by placing an extremely aggressive bet.

Call

When a player matches a bet that’s already been made.

Cap

The last raise permitted in a round e.g. an online game might allow three raises beyond the initial bet in limit games.

Check

If there’s no bet on the table and you don’t want to place a bet, that action is termed a check. You may only check when there are no prior bets or blinds made on…

Collusion

Cheating! Where two players attempt to gain an unfair advantage by sharing information such as their hole cards during a game. Many online sites will confiscate the…

Colt 45

As in a Four and Five, John Wayne style.

Rule or setting	Good for you?	Why it matters
Blackjack pays 3:2	yes	Higher payout on naturals lowers house edge. Prefer this over 6:5.
Blackjack pays 6:5	no	You get less for the same hand. Avoid when you can.
Dealer stands on soft 17 (S17)	yes	Dealer takes fewer extra cards; edge is a bit lower for you.
Dealer hits soft 17 (H17)	no	Dealer improves weak hands more often; edge rises.
Double after split (DAS)	yes	More chances to add money when you have a strong split hand.
Resplit aces	yes	More value from aces. Not all games allow it.
Fewer decks	often	In general, fewer decks can be slightly better if other rules are equal.