Blackjack

Blackjack is a card game in which the object is to accumulate cards with a higher count than that of the dealer but not exceeding 21. Also called twenty-one, vingt-et-un.

Blackjack is one of the most popular casino card games in the world. Much of its popularity is due to the mix of chance with elements of skill and decision making, and the publicity that surrounds the practice of card counting, in which players can turn the odds of the game in their favor by making betting and strategy decisions based on the cards that have been dealt. Officially, casinos strongly frown upon card counting. However, because card counting is a difficult skill to master and few players are successful at it, unofficially casinos are happy to have the public believe that there is one casino game in which money can be earned over a long period of time.

Blackjack Rules

Objective

Sometimes the objective of blackjack is described this way:

The objective of blackjack is to draw cards totaling closer to 21 than the dealer draws, without going over 21 (busting).

But the following definition is more correct:

The objective of blackjack is to beat the dealer's hand by either:

• having a total that exceeds the dealer's total
• by not going over 21 when the dealer does.

So, you are not trying to get close to 21. All you have to do is to Beat the dealer.

"To bust" means to go over 21. The house edge in the black jack comes from the rule that the player must act first and if you have more than 21 on you hand - you automatically lose regardless if the dealer busts or not.

Blackjack is usually played with one, two or up to eight decks of cards. The cards are dealt out of a special box that is called a shoe.

The cards are dealt face up to the player and you are not allowed to touch your cards. The basic play for either game is the same.

Card Values

Blackjack is usually played with one, two or up to eight decks of 52 cards. Card suits have no meaning in blackjack.

Card Value 
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 ,9, 10 - face value  
J, Q, K  - 10  
Ace - 1 or 11 

The total of any hand is the sum of the card values in the hand according to the table above. The cards from 2 to 10 count their face value. Any Picture cards count as 10.

As for the ace, it can be counted as either a 1 or 11. That depends on whether the total of your hand goes over 21. If you have 6, 7 and ace, the last counts as 1, and the total of your hand is 14. Otherwise it counts as 11.

"Hard Hand" is a hand that does not have an ace.

"Soft Hand" is a hand that have an ace.

Blackjack Table

Blackjack is dealt on a semicircle shaped table. Each player (from 5 to 7 ) has his own seat in front of his betting circle, the area where the bets are placed.

The Play

The player puts his bet in the betting circle if front of his space. Only chips put in the betting circle count as your bet.

After all bets are made, the cards are dealt clockwise from a shoe. Each player gets two cards face up. The dealer also takes two cards, one face up (the up card) and one face down (the hole card).

After the cards are dealt the dealer will ask each player to make their decision. The player to the left of the dealer acts first.

You have to make your decision about how to play your hand based on the dealer's up card and the two cards that you were dealt.

Play Options

Blackjack

If you get the blackjack (an Ace and a ten-value card that is 21) you will be paid 3 to 2. But if the dealer also get 21 it is a push and you will not be paid.

If only the dealer has blackjack all players will lose.

Hitting

This means you want to draw another card. To signal the dealer for a hit you will tap the table in front of you or make a beckoning motion with your hand. If you wish another card after the first you would motion in the same manner.

Standing

If you are satisfied with either your fist two cards or after hitting, you signal the dealer that you wish to stand. This is done by waving your hand over your cards.

Doubling Down.

You can double your bet after receiving your fist two cards. You then receive only one card on your hand. To signal that you are doubling down you will place an additional bet next to your original bet.

Some casinos rules limit your doubling to hands that has total ten or eleven, but in the most casinos you can double down on any two cards

Splitting

If you get a pair of cards of the same rank you can split these into two separate hands. You must make an additional bet equal to your starting bet placing your chip next to the original chip bet on the hand.

By pair splitting you play each card as a separate hand and you can draw as many cards as you like to each hand.

Insurance

If the dealer's up card is an ace the dealer will ask players if they want to make the insurance bet. Insurance is a side bet you make wagering half your original bet that the dealer's hole card will be a ten. In this case you are paid 2 to 1. To make the insurance bet you should place your chips on the insurance line, which is above the player betting box.

Surrender.

In some casinos you will be allowed surrender your hand and give up half your bet on your first two cards after the dealer has checked his cards for a blackjack.

Once a player hits, the surrender option is no longer available. The surrender is not available if the dealer has a blackjack . When you surrender, the dealer will remove your card from the table and one half of your bet. This option is not offered in many casinos.

Blackjack Basic Strategy

As in all casino games, the house has a statistical advantage over the players that will play itself out in the long run. But because blackjack, unlike other games, has an element of player choice, players can actually reduce the casino advantage to a small percentage by playing what is known as basic strategy. This strategy determines when to hit and when to stand, and also determines when doubling down or splitting is the correct action. Basic strategy is based on the player's point total and the dealer's visible card. There are slight variations in basic strategy depending on the exact house rules and the number of decks used. Under the most favorable conditions (single deck, downtown Las Vegas rules), the house advantage over a basic strategy player can be as low as 0.16%. Indeed, casinos offering special rules like surrender and double-after-split may actually be offering a positive expectation to basic strategy players; they are counting on players making mistakes to make money.

The following rules are beneficial to the skilled player:

1. Doubles are permitted on any two-card hand except a blackjack.
2. Doubles are permitted after splitting.
3. Early surrender; the ability to forfeit half your wager against a face or ace before the dealer checks for blackjack.
4. Normal (aka "late") surrender.
5. Resplitting Aces.
6. Drawing more than one card against a split Ace.
7. Five or more cards with the total still no more than 21 as an automatic win ("Charlies")

The following rules are detrimental to the skilled player:

1. Less than 3:2 payout on blackjacks (as is the case with Las Vegas Strip single-deck blackjack, paying out 6:5)
2. Splitting a maximum of once (to two hands)
3. Double down restricted to certain totals, such as 9-11 or 10,11
4. Aces may not be resplit
5. No-Peek (European) blackjack-player loses splits and doubles to a dealer blackjack
6. Player losing ties

Blackjack News

A gambling game at cards, in wich a player needs to get more points than the dealer to win, but not more than 21 is called Blackjack