For those who are unfamiliar with the game of Blackjack, the following information will teach you how to play the game. Blackjack, which is also known as 21, was first played in the 18th century in France and is still really popular in casinos all over the world. This article will give an overview of the basic rules for how to play so you can join in on the fun and know what the house edge is.
The Blackjack rules are really simple to understand and this is no doubt one of the biggest reasons for the game’s enormous popularity. The game is typically played with eight decks of cards, although varies from casino to casino. It is important to understand that the basic strategy for a single deck differs from a multi-deck game.
There is only one player needed at the table to start a game with the dealer although in most games there can be up to 6 players. The game starts with each player being dealt two cards, and the dealer as well, but one of the dealer’s card is dealt face down. The aim of each player is to score 21, or as close to it as possible, without going over 21.
Once all of the player stand, the dealer exposes his face down card. Generally, in most casinos, if the dealer has a 17 or higher, they must stand, and the dealer’s hand is compared with each player’s hand to determine the winner. Some casinos require the dealer to hit on soft 17 (which is when there is an Ace in the dealer’s hand.) If the dealer hits and his card value is more than 21, he “busts” and the each player still remaining in the game win.
There is an element of strategy involved in playing Blackjack and it would be wise to learn all the basic strategy before wagering for real money on any blackjack games.
Player’s Betting Options
When players are dealt their first 2 cards, they have to decide whether or not they want to stand, hit, split, double down, surrender or take insurance when the dealer’s first card is an Ace.
To stand means that a player does not get any extra cards, and the action passes onto the next player, until it’s up to the dealer to determine the value of their hand.
If a player decides to hit, he will be given an extra card, and this card’s total will be added to the player´s overall hand value to try and make 21.
When a player gets a pair (two cards of the same value) it’s possible to split them. For example 88 would split two two hand containing an 8 in each hand and you bet on both hands. If you have high cards and the dealer is showing a low card it is definitely a good time to split, as there is a good chance you will make a good total, and the times you don’t, there is a good chance the dealer will bust.
Another situation you will encounter when playing blackjack is when a player wants to double down his wager. This means they will get one extra card by the dealer regardless of what it is after which they must stand.
There are also a few casinos in existence that offer players the surrender option. Blackjack games that have surrender offers players the chance to minimize their losses by surrendering their bad cards that have little chance of winning if they were to continue against the dealer. If a player is up against the dealer who has an Ace showing in his hand, the player is able to take insurance.
Card Values in Blackjack
The card values remain the same for both the dealer and the players. An ace can be worth 11 or 1. Face cards including King, Queen and Jack have a value of 10. The cards from 2 through to 10 have their normal face value.
The house edge for Blackjack is around 0,5% mark, which is much better than most other casino games.
So make sure to read up on the Blackjack rules before going to online casinos and wagering for real money.
