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Don’t underestimate the importance of psychology in blackjack if you want to become a winning player.
Disciplined Play Will Yield Larger Profits in the Long Term
A blackjack player who plays using basic strategy and applies the “card counting” strategy can gain an edge over the casino and come out winning over a long period of play. Although many players know this and even accept it as a fact, they still deviate from the logic and ignore this factor when they sit down to play.
Why do they do this? Simple; human nature and the psychology that comes into force during play and when money is on the line, take over and lead to poor decisions. Look at the following examples of blackjack psychology in action and see the two common mistakes that players make:
The Fear of Busting
The most common error among blackjack players is the fear of busting, or going over 21, because this instantly puts you out of the game. Because of this, many players find it hard to take a hit even though it is the right play to make.
If you stand on 16 when you should take a hit, this will stop you from going bust. But you also know that dealer has to stand on 17 and above, so the perceived advantage of not going bust is offset by the fact that you cannot win unless the dealer goes bust. Losing by busting is psychologically worse for many players than losing to the dealer.
If you take a hit and then go bust, it’s your fault. If you stand and lose, you can say the dealer was lucky and you have no responsibility for the loss. Players become so over-involved trying to avoid going bust, that they fail to recognize the probabilities of winning and losing when neither player nor the dealer goes bust.
Of Fallacy and Luck
Here is another case of irrational thinking due only to the fact that players fear losing and will do anything to protect their winnings:
The fallacy is increasing one’s bet after a loss and decreasing it after a win. This is known as the “the gambler’s fallacy”. The illogic behind it says that if you lose a hand the odds will go up that you will win the next hand, and vice versa. Other players do exactly the opposite, increasing their bet size after a win and decreasing it after a loss. Good logic dictates that in blackjack, luck runs in streaks - if you’re hot, increase your bets.
What makes Players Act Irrationally When They Should Act Rationally?
Players who don’t know basic strategy fall into these psychological traps. This applies equally to experienced players. Let’s look at the reasons:
Players cannot get away from the fact that winning blackjack requires losing periods, so they get frustrated and try to win their losses back.
Players fall into the common trap of thinking that once “won’t make a difference” and then try another way of playing.
A player is not fully focused on the game, his judgment is blurred and he is mentally lazy.
Making Your Plan and Remembering to Use it!
The psychology of blackjack is an important but under-estimated factor in winning at blackjack over the long term. At the same time, it requires strict mental discipline to focus over a long period of play, take your losses and remain mentally focused. This is psychologically difficult for many players.
Remember that winning at blackjack requires tough discipline in executing your plan. If you don’t have discipline, you don’t have a plan!
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