Blackjack Gut Instinct vs. Math — Which Side Are You On?

So last weekend I was at a friend’s house for poker night, but we ended up switching to blackjack halfway through — and that’s where things got weird. I had this one hand where I knew I should hit based on the odds, but something in my gut told me to stand. I went with the gut, and won. But I keep wondering — was that just luck or is instinct actually worth trusting sometimes? Do you guys play by the book or follow your gut?

 

I always find it funny how card nights turn into philosophical debates about chance and strategy. Even people who never gamble start weighing in with stories from Vegas trips or random apps they downloaded once. It’s wild how much everyone seems to have a “surefire” method, even if they only played twice.

 

I’ve had similar moments, especially when I play online. Most of the time I stick with the math — it's safer and gives me a sense of control. But there are times when I’ve ignored the stats because something just didn’t feel right, and it actually worked out. That said, when I started using basic strategy more consistently, my results were way more stable. I found this guide at https://firstpersonblackjack.com/ super helpful for understanding how it all fits together, especially for First Person Blackjack, where there’s no pressure from other players at the table.