Blackjack Rules

Blackjack is a favourite among players all over the world, partly because you can win with the help of mathematics. The odds of winning are not as random as for instance at roulette or slot games. If you are playing Blackjack in a Casino you will have a Blackjack table with 52 cards and the players will try to beat the house (represented by the dealer) and not each other.

First Steps

If you are a beginner you should know about certain points when it comes to playing Blackjack. Firstly, you should choose a table which suits your playing budget best. Each table has posted its minimum as well a maximum bets at or above them. Secondly, look at what kind of game is being dealt because there are many Blackjack variations – so make sure you play a variety you know. Thirdly, if you want to purchase chips from the dealer, wait until the round is over and place your money in front of you on the Blackjack table. The dealer will change the money into chips and push it to you. There are different chip colors, depending on the value, make sure that you know how much the chips are worth. If you need help or have any questions, you can ask the dealer and he will certainly help you and answer your queries. Fourthly, put your bet in one stack into the circle which is on the table. You should place chips with the largest value on the bottom of your stack. As soon as the cards have been dealt, it is forbidden to touch the chips inside the circle. When the hand is over, the dealer will pay winners and gather the losses. Only after you received your winnings or after your losses have been collected, you are allowed to place a new bet into the circle. Finally, if you decide that you do not want to play any more, take your remaining chips to the cash desk and exchange them for real money. If you have a lot of smaller valued chips, the dealer will probably exchange it into larger valued ones. Count the value before you leave the table and do not hesitate to bring an incorrect swap to the dealer’s attention.

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How to win?

You will win if your card total is higher than that of the dealer without going over 21 points. If you get a card total of more than 21 points loose immediately, no matter what card value the dealer has. If you and the dealer have the same card total (17 or more) the hand is a “Push” and your bet will be returned.

At Blackjack the following cards are used:

2-9 = are valued at their face value (card 2 is worth 2 points)

10, jack, queen, king = value: 10 points

Aces = 1 point or 11 points

As you see, an Ace has the value of either 1 or 11 point(s) and is called “soft” because you will not exceed 21 points. So, if you have an Ace and a 6 you have “Soft 17” because you can draw another card without the danger of overstepping the limit (which is 21 points). In contrast, an Ace, 6, and 10 is a “Hard 17” because the Ace has to be counted as 1 otherwise you would exceed the 21 points and loose.

Blackjack

The best possible initial hand is a Blackjack (or “natural”). If you have a total 21 points with your two initial cards than you have a “natural” or “blackjack”. The only possibility to have an initial card total of 21 points is when you have an Ace and a card with a value of 10 points (10, jack, queen or king). A Blackjack beats every other hand, except another Blackjack. If you have a Blackjack and the dealer has four cards with a total of 21 points, you win. If you both have a Blackjack then it is a “Push”.

Blackjack belongs to the Casino games with the lowest house edge. Nevertheless, you should not have false hopes with regards to the chances of winning. You probably will not get rich. If you are playing at an Online Casino you can practice and improve your play.

The game begins

Each player receives two cards by the dealer. If you are playing so called “shoe games”, your cards will be dealt face-up and they remain on the table, without touching them. In contrast, hand-held cards are dealt face down and you must pick them up but you should be aware of the fact that you are allowed to touch your hand-held cards with only one hand. Please note that if you receive additional cards (to your hand-held ones) by the dealer, he will put it on the table where they should remain – so do not add them to your other cards!

After everyone has received his cards, the first player to the dealer’s left starts by indicating how he wishes to proceed. Then the next player in turn states what he wants to do and this goes on until the dealer finishes his hand. The dealer will subsequently hand the winnings and gather the losses.

When it comes to the European version there is an important difference to the playing procedure. Here, you will receive just one card face up and you will have to wait till everyone has completed their hands before you receive your second card and completes his hand.

There are two rule variants to which the dealer has to adhere. First of all, “Dealer stands on 17” says that the dealer has to draw cards (hit) until he reaches 17 or more points. If the dealer for example has a total of 19 points he must stop (“stand”) drawing another card. Secondly, the “Dealer hits soft 17” variety says that if the dealer has a soft 17, he draws another card and “stands” on 18. In this way the house’s advantage is to somewhat raised. It is important to know that the dealer has no other choice – he has to play according to the rules of the Casino which means that he has to draw cards until he gets a minimum of 17 points or he loses (“bust”) by exceeding the 21-point limit.

Surrender rule

Although you can not surrender in all Casinos, the most important aspect to keep in mind is that you can quit playing and get half of you money back BEFORE you buy your first card and only if the dealer has no Blackjack. As soon as you draw a third card or split you cannot surrender anymore. If you have for example bet10$ and you have 16 points and the dealer has a higher card value (e.g. Ace or 10), then you can surrender and you will get 5$ back – which is quite convenient for players. There are two kinds of surrender – “Early Surrender” and “Late Surrender”. If you choose the “Early Surrender” rule, you quit playing before the dealer takes a look in his cards for a blackjack. Unfortunately, you will realize that this kind of surrender is not frequently offered by Casinos whereas the “Late Surrender” rule is much more common. The “Late Surrender” rule applies after the dealer has looked into his card for Blackjack and if you are lucky and he has no Blackjack you may surrender if you wish. Although it is nice if you can end the game and still get half of your bet back you should weigh your options carefully and surrender only if it is really necessary!

The rule of Double down

After you have received your two cards (and only at this point), you are allowed to double your initial bet. However, you should keep in mind that if you decide to double down, you will receive only ONE additional card. You can double down up to your initial bet amount – just place the additional chips nearby your preliminary bet.

Split

You can split your cards if your two initial cards have the same value (for example two 8’s). After splitting, you are playing with two individual hands. Usually, you have to place an equivalent bet for your second hand and place the chips next to your original bet in the circle. Here is a typical example which should illustrate the procedure: You bet 5$ and you receive an 8 first and then a second 8 which makes a total of 16 points. You decide to split because 16 is really not a good hand. So, you split up your cards and have two hands with 8 points per hand. Now you have to pay the original bet again (in our case 5$). In this way you have two hands to play. For each hand you can draw cards, which also indicates that you actually play twice against the house. Usually, you will split your cards when you have two 8s or two Aces. If you have two Aces, it is really advisable to split your cards – with two 10s it would make less sense. Some operators also allow additional splits (for example if you have three 8s) but there are rather exceptions. Therefore, you should take a look at the house rules.

Insurance

You can use insurance rule if you fear that the dealer might get a Blackjack with the next card. This can actually only happen if the dealer’s first up-card has a value of 10 points or if it is an ace. If this is the case then the dealer offers “Insurance” to the players which will cost you up to half your initial bet. If the dealer then really has a Blackjack, you will win the double amount of your bet (2:1). However, if the dealer has no Blackjack you will loose your insurance money and the game continues.

Single Deck and Double Deck

Normally, Blackjack is played with six or eight decks which are pilled in the so-called “shoe”. Sometimes, especially in Vegas, Blackjack is played with two decks. If you are playing at a table with single or double decks, you will receive your cards face down and can take them.



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