Blackjack, an extremely popular casino game, is fairly simple. However, in order to succeed at the game, you have to know exactly what’s going on. This page will help you understand the rules of blackjack, as well as some of the terminology associated with the game.
It will also cover the differences between normal blackjack and online versions of the game. Most of the time, the differences are subtle, but they’re still worth knowing. You can get more information about this game reading the article “learning blackjack“.
Blackjack is said to have originated in the 16th century, somewhere in France. For those who don’t know, the main object of the game is to get as close as possible to 21 without going over it.
So if you are dealt a 10 and a 3, you have 13 total, and your goal is 21. If you draw a 7, you have 20 total, which means you have a good chance of winning this round. If you draw another 10 or face card, your total would be 23, which means you would bust.
When you bust you sacrifice your bet to the dealer, even if he busts as well.
The game play is simple. Players place their bets, and then the dealer proceeds to deal out 2 cards to everyone, face up. The dealer’s cards are dealt 1 up 1 down.
The goal is to reach 21, so the dealer goes around the circle asking players if they want to “hit” (get another card) or “stay” (keep current cards).
If players bust, the bet is automatically given to the dealer. If they don’t bust, they must wait until the dealer to flip over his own cards to determine if they won or not. Cards 2-9 are valued at their face value, while 10’s and face cards are valued at 10.
Aces are the only odd one out, and can be used as either a 1 or 11, depending on the player’s choice.
The ultimate goal is to get a blackjack. If you do win a round with a blackjack (21), then you will be paid 1.5x your wager, or 3:2. If the dealer gets a blackjack too, it’s a push, which means that nobody wins, and bets are simply returned to the players.
In blackjack, you are not playing against the other players around the table. You are only competing with the dealer himself.
Players place their wagers in the betting circle in front of their seat at the table, then the dealer deal 2 cards, face up, to each Player and two to himself, one face up and one face down. Kings, Queens, Jacks, and 10’s each count as 10, while Aces count as 1 or 11, as a player wishes. All the other cards (2 through 9) count at their face value.
If the first two cards are an Ace and a 10 the Player has Blackjack and will be paid one and one-half times the wager (3 to 2), unless the Dealer also has Blackjack: in this case the hand finish without winning or losing.
Every winning hand is paid 1 to 1. The Player may continue to draw cards trying to get as close to 21 as possible without exceeding. It’s possible to stand at any point or “hit” another card: if the player goes over 21, he busts and loses his bet.
Once you understand the basics of blackjack, you should learn the more advanced terminology.
We’ve already gone over hit (additional card) and stay (keep current cards), but terms like split and double might confuse you. A split is when you’re dealt 2 of the same card, and you choose to separate them into 2 different hands.
You then go on to play both hands as if you were 2 people. A double is when you decide to double your bet once you’ve been dealt your cards. You will receive 1 additional card when you double, and if you win you’ll be paid double your initial bet. If you want to learn something more about blackjack, have a look at the blackjack strategy.
DEAL
Start the game for the wager placed.
HIT
Request an additional card from the deck.
STAND
Do not take additional cards from the deck.
SPLIT
Split the first two cards into two separate hands. In order to split, the two cards must be of the same point value.
DOUBLE
Players who feel confident can “Double” to earn twice if they do win the hand. Their original bet amount will be doubled automatically and they will receive exactly one additional card.
INSURANCE
When the dealer has got an Ace, and the player believes that the dealer’s down card is a ten value card, it’s possible to buy an “insurance”, that costs an additional amount (the half of that Player’s wager), but in case the dealer has got a Blackjack, it pays 2-to-1.
You can find blackjack in every online casino like Lucky Red. You can choose whether to play for free or real money, and receive a free bonus upon your first deposit as real player. Find more places to play visiting the online casinos page.
Learn more about this game reading all the articles in the Blackjack section.
100% Match Bonus
Eight 100% Match Bonuses up to $3000
Read these three mini-guides to learn all the basics you need to know in order to open a casino account and start playing for real money. Don't forget also to browse the FAQ and all the other site sections.
