How to Play Blackjack Games and Rules of Blackjack

The game of blackjack uses a standard 52-card deck. The casino decides how many decks to use in each of their individual blackjack games. There are thirteen cards in every deck each with its own suit. Each card in the deck has a specific value. Two’s through ten’s are valued according to their number. Jacks, Queens, and Kings all have a value of ten. Aces can be valued at either one or eleven with the decision being left to the player.

The object of the game for the player is to get a higher card total than the dealer without going over 21 which is known as busting. The player will win if his/her card total is greater than the dealer without going over 21 or if the dealer busts during play. The player win amount on each hand is equal to the bet made at the beginning of the hand.

After the initial cards are dealt the player must decide to either hit or stand. When a player takes additional cards it is known as hitting. The player can hit as many times as he/she desires or until the cards bust or total more than twenty-one. The player may also decide to stand or not take any additional cards.

Once the player has finished then the dealer now must complete his/her hand. If the dealer has less than 17, he/she must always hit. If the dealer has 17 or more he/she must stand. If the dealer has a soft 17 (a hand that equals 17 and includes an ace valued as an eleven) then the dealer must stand. There are casinos that offer variations on these rules. Always remember to check with the casino host or rules page for specific betting rules.

The highest possible hand is a blackjack and consists of an initial two-card total of 21 (an ace and a ten-card value). If the player receives a blackjack he/she is paid 3:2 as a bonus or $15 for every $10 bet. If both the player and dealer both get a blackjack then the hand is graded as a tie and the player’s initial bet is returned.

In order to learn how to play blackjack the player must understand the five basic decisions that can be made when play starts. The blackjack betting player decisions include whether to “hit or stand”, “double down”, “split”, “insurance” and “surrender”. The chart below explains each player decision in detail:

Hitting

A player can decide to take another card or hit by signaling the dealer with a scrape or a touch of the finger on the table. Online players have the option available in the bottom menu after the first two cards have been dealt. The player can continue to hit until he/she is happy with the card value total or a “bust” has occurred.

Standing

A player may decide to stand when he/she no longer wants another card. The player can signal the dealer to stop by moving his/her hand horizontally across the top of the cards in a sweeping motion. Online players have the stand option available at the bottom of the screen. A click of the mouse alerts the dealer that you want to stand and not take any additional cards.

Double Down

A player also has the option to double down on the initial bet. When the player doubles an equal bet amount is placed next to the original amount and the player will receive one card. The card is dealt face-down on top of the first two cards that are showing. No further player options are allowed at this point. The players’ hand is complete and the turn now goes to the dealer. Doubling down is a strategic move which should only be used in accordance with basic blackjack betting strategy. The player may signal the dealer to double by placing the additional bet next to the original and making the “one finger” sign. Online players always have the double option available after the first two cards have been dealt.

Split

A player may decide to split the hand in order to create two hands for the same initial bet amount. This can only be done when a player is dealt two of the same cards.

For example, if a player receives a six and another six to start he/she may opt to split. In order to “split a pair” the player must put an equal amount of money next to the original bet amount on the table. The dealer then will split the cards and two new hands are created. The dealer will start to deal the next card on the first hand and wait for the player decision. The player may signal the dealer to split by making the “two fingers” sign. Online players have the option available only when two of the same cards are dealt.

Insurance

A player may decide to buy insurance if the dealer is showing an Ace on the up-card. In order for the player to insure against a dealer blackjack another bet must be made equal to half of the original bet. If the dealer has a blackjack the insurance bet gets paid 2 to 1. If the dealer does not have a blackjack the player will lose the insurance bet.

Surrender

A player may decide to quit or not continue to play out the hand. This is usually done when the player feels no combination of cards or decisions made can beat the dealer. The player signals the dealer to surrender verbally. The player will lose half of the original bet amount when surrendering but retains the other half. For example, if a player bets $100 and wishes to surrender after the first two cards are dealt he/she would retain $50 and the dealer would keep the other $50 for the casino.

RULES OF BLACKJACK AND 21 GAME VARIATIONS

Each casino has their own individual rules. It is the responsibility of the player to learn and understand the rules before sitting and playing. Casinos have different rules which are all based on a desired win percentage. Here are some common variations used at different casinos:

Double Down after splitting allowed

Some casinos do not allow any player decision after a split of pairs. However, some casinos will allow a player to double down. The player advantage increases by .13 when allowed to double after a split. For example, if a player splits sevens and receives a four on the first hand a double down opportunity exists. If the player chooses to double the eleven he/she has just increased the chances of winning by .13 percent.

Re-splitting Aces

The majority of casinos allow Aces to be split only one time. After the dealer splits the Aces the player gets one additional card. However, some casino will allow a player to re-split if he/she receives an Ace opn either of the initial split Aces. The casino advantage is reduced by .03 percent when this is allowed.

Early or Late Surrender

The surrender option is offered either before or after the dealer checks for blackjack when the face-up card is an Ace. When a player is offered early surrender it cuts the casino advantage by .624 percent. Early surrender is when the casino allows the player to surrender half of the original bet before the dealer checks the hole-card. Late surrender is when the casino allows the player to give-up half the bet after the dealer has checked for a blackjack.

Double Down only on ten or eleven

Some casinos will only allow player to double down on a hand of 10 or 11. This rules increases the casino advantage by .28 percent.

Dealer must hit on soft-17

At some casinos the dealer must stand on all 17s. However, at some casinos the dealer will hit on a soft-17 which is a card total of 17 made up of an Ace and a combination of a card or cards which total 6. The casino advantage increases by .2 percent when the dealer hits on a soft-17.