Blackjack is an easy game to
learn how to play and an
easy game to win. It is also
a game wherein you can have
an edge over the casino. The
rules are quite simple.
However, in order to win you
need to play the game
correctly and only place
your bet whenever the odds
are in your favor.
This game is usually played
with six players, if you are
not playing online Blackjack.
For this game, six decks of
cards are used so that you
cannot count the cards and
thus win by cheating the
casino. These decks of cards
are shuffled together by the
dealer who then places all
of them into a card dealing
box that is called the “shoe.”
Your goal here in this game
is to take cards whose point
totals are as close to 21 as
you can get without going
over that number. As such
you are going to need to
know that the face cards
(i.e. King, Queen, Jack) are
worth 10 points each. You
can then choose to make an
Ace count for either 1 or
11, whichever is more
advantageous for the hand
that you are playing.
Play begins when a bet is
placed. The dealer then
deals two cards to each of
the players. These can be
dealt either face up or face
down but the dealer’s cards
are dealt one up and one
down. At this point each
player decides whether they
want to “stay” or “hit”
which means that they get
more cards so that they can
try to get closer to 21
without going over and “busting.”
If the player and the dealer
tie then there is a “push”
and thus there is no winner.
If you get and Ace and a ten
when the first two cards
have been dealt, this is
called a “natural” or a “blackjack,”
and you automatically win
unless the house ties you.
In order to win at blackjack,
you have to beat the dealer
without having the cards in
your hand total more than
21.
There is some other
terminology that you need to
know also for online
Blackjack:
1. Double Down: This is when
you double your first bet,
which is good if you have a
strong hand.
2. Early Surrender: This is
when you surrender your
cards before the dealer
checks for blackjack.
3. Even Money: This is when
you cash in your bet
immediately because you have
been dealt a “blackjack.”
4. Hard Hand: This is a hand
that does not have an Ace or
wherein you have said that
the Ace totals one.
5. Late Surrender: This
happens when you try to
surrender your hand after
the dealer checks for “blackjack,”
and thus this is not
permitted.
6. Soft Hand: This occurs
whenever you have an Ace
that you have said equals
eleven.
7. Split Hand: This is when
you split your original
two-card hand into two
different hands, which are
to be played separately. You
can only do this if the
first two cards that you are
dealt are of the same value.
Your bet for both hands
needs to be equal.
8. Surrender: This means
that you give up your hand
but only lose half of the
bet.
When you do not have a
strategy for this game, the
casino’s odds are against
you by about 7%. However, if
you have a good strategy
that you stick to then the
casino’s odds are only
against you by .5% or less.
Payoffs:
Result
Payoff
Winning Hand
1 to 1
Blackjack
3 to 2
Insurance
2 to 1
Basic Blackjack Chart:
Legend:
S = Stand
H = Hit
D = Double
Y = Yes, split
N = No, don't split