The 2-1-2, or Manhattan, system is a simple staking plan used in online blackjack. It can also be played with roulette.

In essence, the Manhattan works like a positive progression system. If you win, you start by decreasing your stakes. If you win again, you increase them. It's like the opposite of the Martingale where bets are always doubled after a loss.

The Manhattan is designed to capitalise on hot streaks while cutting down on losses after a bad run. Let's see how it works.

How the 2-1-2 Manhattan betting system works

As the name suggests, you start your 2-1-2 sequence with a 2-unit bet. We'll set our units at £1, so our first wager is for £2.

We win our first hand, so our stake reduces to £1. We win our second hand, and the bet increases by £2, to £3. We keep moving up and down until the dealer wins a hand. At that point we reset our stake to £2.

Playing the 2-1-2/Manhattan staking system at the table

In our table below, we are tracking 10 hands of classic blackjack and using optimal strategy. We're using a cheat sheet too to help us implement optimal strategy on every hand.

In blackjack, a winning hand pays 1/1. A blackjack (an ace and a picture card) pays 3/2.

From our table, you can see that after 10 hands we are still in profit despite having two losing hands. The stakes haven't gotten out of control, either. They fluctuate depending on hitting both winning and losing hands.  

Advantages and disadvantages of the 2-1-2/Manhattan plan

The 2-1-2 isn't about crazy runs. It can decrease and increase after a win but will reset once the dealer wins. Losses are kept in check and winning hands are steadier.

It's important to have a cheat sheet handy so you know what the optimal move is during your hand.

A cheat sheet tells you when to hit and stand depending on both your cards and the dealer's. It will also tell you when to double down and when to split pairs.

Let's see how the 2-1-2 system compares to other popular staking plans:

Martingale

After a loss: Double your stake

After a win: Reset your stake to base unit

Advantages/Disadvantages: In the Martingale system, your stakes increase every time you lose.

The thinking goes that once you win, you will have recouped all of your losses. But the Martingale doesn't factor in huge downswings that can irreparably damage your bankroll.

D'Alembert

After a loss: Double your stake

After a win: Halve your current stake

Advantages/Disadvantages: The D'Alembert works a little like the Martingale in that stakes increase after a losing hand.

But following a win, they don't reset. Instead, they simply reduce to half the current stake and continue. You aren't punished by having your stake completely reset.

Like the Martingale, however, the D'Alembert has a problem. In the case of a long downswing, the losses can pile up. By the time you win, even halving your stake might not be enough to recoup any losses.

Try the 2-1-2 system for free today

When played optimally, online blackjack has one of the lowest house edges in the casino. If you make the right plays, the edge can be as low as 0.5%.

With a system like the 2-1-2, you can make better use of your bankroll too. Master blackjack online at Betway Casino and see how this intriguing staking plan can work.