Blackjack

Despite the remarkable house edge associated with the game of blackjack, the game is actually quite simple to learn, making it perfect for the beginning online gambler. You play against the house and attempt to make a better hand than the house’s representative, the dealer.

Although the dealer has some strict rules about how they can play their hand, you are free to do as you wish, to the point of busting (going over the 21 point limit when obtaining another card would be pointless).

By simply understanding the basics of the game, you are well on your way to increasing your bankroll through the use of blackjack.

Blackjack Basics

First of all, ignore any suit (clubs, hearts, diamonds, spades) that appear on the cards and concentrate on the point values. The point values are as follows:

Ace – 1 or 11 points (player chooses depending on the situation)

King thru 10 – 10 points

Nine – 9 points

Eight – 8 points

Seven – 7 points

Six thru Two – 6 thru 2 points

Although your primary objective is to defeat the hand held by the dealer, this can be better expressed as getting as close to the number 21 as possible. For example, two Kings would be a total of 20, a good hand.

An Ace and a King would be even better at a value of 21 (of course, it could also be worth 11 points but that would be unwise). You have two basic choices when viewing your cards:

Stand:  You are happy with your cards and do not wish to receive an additional one.

Hit:  You would like to receive an additional card to make your hand better.

Playing the Game of Blackjack

The standard blackjack table seats up to six players plus the dealer. More than one deck is used during each game, typically six or eight. These decks are shuffled into a box commonly referred to as the shoe, from which the dealer deals the cards. Before receiving a card, each player must make a wager. After all wagers have been placed, each player receives two face up cards.

If the total on the cards held by a player is exactly 21, it is referred to as blackjack and they are paid out a 1.5:1 on their wager. If the dealer also happens to have a blackjack, the hand is a tie, however, and the money is pushed to the next hand or you receive your wager back.

The dealer also receives two cards but one of them is face down. Following this, your objective is to get as close to 21 without going over it. If you or the dealer requests another card and it pushes the total over 21, you or the dealer bust, resulting in an automatic loss.

Other Blackjack Terms

Insurance: If the dealer’s face up card is an Ace, players can make an insurance bet. This bet (half of the original wager), pays out at 2:1 if the face down card is indeed worth 10 points. However, any players making this bet loses if the dealer does not have blackjack.

Surrender: An opportunity to give up your hand by only losing half of your original wager.

Double Down: Doubling your original wager but only being allowed to have a single additional card. Valuable when one of your cards is an Ace.

Split: Splitting your two cards into two separate hands. You must make a second wager equal to your first. Good when you have two Aces or two cards worth 10 points.

Hard Hand: A hand that does not include an Ace is a hard hand.

Soft Hand: A hand that includes an Ace is a soft hand.