How to play BlackJack
BlackJack
BlackJack is an old but still very popular game at casinos all over the world. It is one of a few games that give the odds to the player. With a little bit of luck, experienced (i.e. not those who just know how to play BlackJack) players can easily and effectively challenge the casino.
The goal
The goal of the game is to obtain a card total of 21 or as close to 21 as possible. However, this sum can not be exceeded.
The rules
The game is against the dealer. It is dealt from 6 decks. Points of the cards numbered 2 - 10 are counted at face value. Jack, Queen and King are valued at 10, Ace at 1 or 11, depending on what favours your hand.
The highest hand is blackjack - Ace and card valued at 10. Then the players get 150% of the bet.
Exceeding 21 means going bust- the game is over. The two-card hand is always higher than the three-card one at the same value.
The game starts when you place the bet. The player and the dealer get two cards each. The player shows both cards and the dealer just one of them. Knowing this card, the player must decide what to do. So, let's see how to play BlackJack.
Betting and playing options of the player:
- hit (receiving another card)
If you choose this option you have to assume receiving the highest card possible, keeping in mind that you can not exceed 21 points. - stand (waiting)
If you are satisfied with the received hand and you think that it is close enough to 21 points, then the dealer reveals his second card and the hands are compared. - double down (the option to double the initial wager)
The player can double the initial wager and take the third card, if the total of first two cards is 10 or 11. To do so, just click the "Double" button. - split (splitting the cards)
You can split two cards, if they are of identical value. To the two hands you take out the next ones, but the rule is that after splitting two Aces you can add maximally one card to each hand. Here eventual 21 points don`t mean blackjack, but just 21 points. Split can happen just once, which means that you can not split the hands that already had been split. The move "split" is connected with the necessity of placing the same bet. - insurance
You can use this option when the dealer's first card is an Ace. The player, by paying an amount equal to half of his wager, can buy insurance to protect himself in case the dealer has a Blackjack. If his guess is right, the insurance will pay 2 to 1, which corresponds to the original stake. But if the dealer does not have a Blackjack, then you loose your insurance but retain your original wager.
Basic Strategy- How to play BlackJack and win?
Basic strategy is the method worked out by the players and the mathematicians. It allows choosing the best move, on the basis of your own cards and the revealed dealer`s card. Understanding and using the basic strategy, not only does give you a chance to win the game, but also to build up your experience in how to play BlackJack.
- Hard Hands - the hand of cards, where an Ace is counted as 1 point,
- Soft Hands - the hand of cards, where an Ace is counted as 11 points.
Complete basic strategy:
| Players` points | Dealers` points | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A | ||
| Hard Hands | 5-8 | H | |||||||||
| 9 | H | D | H | ||||||||
| 10 | D | H | |||||||||
| 11 | D | H | |||||||||
| 12 | H | S | H | ||||||||
| 13-14 | S | H | |||||||||
| 15-16 | S | H | |||||||||
| 17-21 | S | ||||||||||
| Soft Hands | A-2 (13), A-3 (14) |
H | D | H | |||||||
| A-4 (15), A-5 (16) |
H | D | H | ||||||||
| A-6 (17) | H | D | H | ||||||||
| A-7 (18) | S | D | S | H | |||||||
| Pair | A & A | SP | |||||||||
| 2 & 2, 3 & 3 |
SP | H | |||||||||
| 4 & 4 | H | SP | H | ||||||||
| 5 & 5 | D | H | |||||||||
| 6 & 6 | SP | H | |||||||||
| 7 & 7 | SP | H | |||||||||
| 8 & 8 | SP | ||||||||||
| 9 & 9 | SP | S | |||||||||
| 10 & 10 | S | ||||||||||
H - hit
D - double
S - stand
SP - split
As you have probably noticed learning how to play BlackJack may take some time. Nevertheless, the motivating factor with respect to this game, is the fact that the better you get to konw the details on how to play BlackJack, the grater the odds are that you will win.