A 5 Card Charlie is a simple strategy that can dramatically improve your chances of winning at blackjack. In fact, many casinos now offer 5 Card Charlie as an optional add-on to their blackjack games. Here’s how it works:
You start by putting down five cards, all of the same rank. Then, you draw two new cards.
If they are both lower than any of the five cards you already have, you discard the two new cards and replace them with the two from your original hand. Keep playing this way, discarding any two cards that make your total higher than the card currently showing on the table (in other words, keep playing until either you lose or the dealer busts).
If you play 5 Card Charlie correctly, you’re almost guaranteed to beat the house. Why? Because under normal circumstances, the house always has a better chance of getting a high total (for example, if they are playing with a 21-count deck).
But with 5 Card Charlie, even if they get a high total on their first draw, they’ll only be able to increase it by one or two points – far below what would be needed to beat even the poorest player.
So why is 5 Card Charlie such an effective strategy? It all comes down to probability. When you play with a five card hand, there’s a much greater chance that each individual hand will be good enough to win – even if all five cards are of the same rank.
In short, 5 Card Charlie gives you a much higher chance of hitting a “hot hand” – something that can really help boost your chances of winning at blackjack.
