There is actually a psychological factor to blackjack, making it more complicated than it would initially seem. In fact, that psychological factor is quite major because it relates to your state of mind while playing. You’re going to be the one making all the decisions and calling all the shots throughout the game, so that psych factor could make the difference between a winner and a total bankroll wipeout.

Don’t Lose Your Focus

Just about every blackjack players handbook and strategy guide out there will say this, and for good reason. This simply cannot be overstated. When you sit down at a blackjack table, you simply cannot be distracted, troubled, fidgety or – even worse – with an impeded sense of judgment (read: drunk). Remember that the people who win at blackjack are those people who can make good decisions at key points in the game and based on previous events in the game. You have to focus on the card being dealt out, on the dealer’s cards, on the cards of the other people at the table and, most importantly, your own cards. Doing that is impossible if your mind is clearly not in the same place as the cards.

Get Over Your Apprehensions

Many players have preexisting apprehensions when it comes to decisions in a blackjack game. Many of these fears are related to going bust when they’re hitting and already have a high number like 17. Even if all card counting strategies and calculations on probability would support the decision to hit, it’s very likely that those reservations still exist. Players who lose actually prefer to be beaten by the dealer than to go bust, because going bust says something about an incorrect decision or an avoidable event earlier in the …

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