The superstitions surrounding blackjack
Blackjack myths and the influence of other players
It is sometimes said that people who play online casino games are the most superstitious. Now, that’s a bit of an exaggeration because plenty of people regularly visit online casinos and land casinos who are not superstitious and even approach the games in a very systematic and mathematical way. Still, there is no denying that there is a lot of superstition surrounding the various casino games. For example, players always carry a lucky doll or do other things that they hope will increase their luck. Unfortunately for them, these things don’t really work, but they can’t hurt either. This is different from many myths surrounding some games. Therefore, we will now look at a few myths about blackjack.
Why are myths so bad?
The problem with myths surrounding games of chance is that it affects the way you play and thus potentially keeps you from your optimal game. If you believe that you’ll be luckier and get better cards if, for example, you’re wearing your special tie or carrying that one dollar coin your grandfather gave you, it has no bearing on the game itself. This still allows you to play optimally. Myths, however, hinder you in your play and, ultimately, your winnings.
Influence of other players
A commonly discussed myth around blackjack is that if a bad player is sitting at your table, it would negatively affect your game. So, if a player constantly hits when he should pass or vice versa, this would throw the game into disarray for the other players at the table. But, if you think about this a bit longer, you realize that this is nonsense. The whole point of blackjack is that you play with your own cards against the bank.
You’re not playing against the other players at the table, so the outcomes they have and the playing styles they employ do not affect your play. At most, you can become frustrated with other players, which can cause you to pay less attention yourself. If this is a problem for you, then it’s recommended that you try not to pay attention to other players at all.
Now, in a land-based casino, this can be a bit more difficult than in an online casino, if only because online, you can simply turn off your chat function and thus can’t get into an animated conversation with one of your tablemates, which also makes you pay more attention to their game. And if your fellow players still get on your nerves, there is always an online casino to be found where you can sit at the table alone.