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HOW TO PLAY BLACKJACK

LEARN RULES AND TIPS

The Logic Behind Blackjack

Beat The Dealer: The logic behind the game of blackjack is simple, players just have to beat the dealer.

How do players beat the dealer?

  • Being dealt or drawing a hand with a value that is higher than the dealer’s hand value
  • The dealer drawing a hand value that goes over 21
  • Being dealt a hand value of 21 on your first two cards, if the dealer also does not have a hand value of 21

How do players lose to the dealer?

  • A players hand value exceeds 21
  • The dealers hand has a greater value than the players at the end of the game
How Do You Find a Hand’s Total Value?
Blackjack is played with a deck of 52 standard playing cards (suits don’t matter).
 
  • Cards 2 through 10 count at face value (2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10)
  • Face cards count as 10 (J, Q, K)
  • Aces can count as a 1 or an 11 depending on which value helps the hand the most (1,11)

The Layout of a Blackjack Table

Blackjack is played on a table that contains a various number of players. Most tables accommodate between 5 and 10 players at once. The dealer stands behind the table and chip tray. Players sit on the opposite to the dealer on the other side of the table.

 

Playing The Game of Blackjack

Standard blackjack games have multiple rule variations and a various number of decks. The most common game of blackjack is dealt out of a shoe that contains 6 or 8 decks . Single and double deck games still exist but not at every casino and have higher table minimums because the odds are improved for the player. This is how to play a round 6-deck blackjack at a casino:

1. Buy Chips

Before placing a wager at the table a player needs to purchase chips. It’s a simple process of exchanging cash for casino chips. Upon sitting down at the table a player sets their cash down on the table. Players can’t hand the money directly to the dealer because security won’t allow a hand to hand transaction. After a player lays money down on the table the dealer with organize the money so the cameras and pit boss can see it and verify the amount. Once verified the dealer will drop it in the cash box and give the player an equal amount of chips back. A player can now touch the chips and organize them.

2. Place A Wager
When the round begins the player starts by placing chips into the betting area of the felt. The betting area can be a circle, square, design, or the casino’s logo. There will always be a minimum and maximum bet that is displayed on the side of the table next to the dealer, if there are any questions players can ask the dealer. Most casinos in the United States will require a minimum of a $5 wager but it could be as high as $50 in locations such as the Strip in Las Vegas.
 

3. Get Dealt Cards

Once bets are placed the dealer will start dealing out cards, at this point all action is closed and additional bets can’t be placed. Cards are dealt clockwise one at a time starting with the player and ending with the dealer. Each player receives two cards face up and the dealer receives one card face up and one face down.
 

4. Deciding How To Play A Hand

There will be two cards face up in front of a player’s bet. The first player to act is directly left of the dealer or the player who received their cards first. All players have to wait until the players in front of them play their hand. Players then add up the values of the first two cards dealt, the total will be from 4 to 21. If the first two cards a player is dealt contain a card with a value of 10 and an ace that’s a blackjack. A blackjack automatically pays 3 to 2 or 6 to 5 on a bet unless the dealer also has a blackjack then the bet pushes or ties. If a player does not have blackjack and the dealer does then the dealer automatically wins. If the player does not have blackjack and the dealer also does not have blackjack the dealer signals the player directly to their left to make a decision on how to play the hand using hand signals. Dealers need to see hand signals for the cameras. These are the hand signals and ways to play a hand:
 
  • Stand – If the first two cards are adequate, a player can stand and the dealer will move on to the next player without dealing any extra cards. Hand signal: A hand wave or an open palm over the table.
  • Hit – If a player would like more cards to improve the hand total, the dealer will deal more cards, one at a time, until a player goes over 21 and busts, or chooses to stand. There is not limit to the number of cards a player can take and can continue until the total exceeds 21. Hand Signal: Tapping the table with fingers or a hand.
  • Double Down – If a player has a hand total that is sufficient but needs to take an additional card, players can double an initial wager and the dealer will deal 1 additional card. Players may not take another card after this. Hand signal: First put down an additional wager, equal or lesser to the initial wager to the left of the original bet and the dealer will give an additional card, turned sideways to indicate no additional cards will be dealt. This card can be dealt face up or face down depending on the casino’s rules.
  • Split – If a player is dealt a pair there is an option to place a second wager and the dealer will split the two cards. Each card will become the first card of two separate hands. Players can also split two face cards even if they are not a pair because they both have a value of 10. Hand signal: Put down an additional wager equal to the original bet. Split two fingers to convey a split and not double down.
  • Surrender – If a player does not find the initial hand dealt desirable it can be given up in exchange for half of the original bet back. Hand signal: Draw a line across the table behind the bet, signaling a cut in half. Verbalize the surrender to the dealer to not be mistaken for a hit or other hand signal.

5. The Dealer’s Hand

There are a lot of options and ways to play a hand. A combination of the dealer’s up card and a player’s first two cards factor into the decision. There is a optimal way a player should play a hand.
 
Basic Strategy
 
Basic strategy is mathematically the most advantageous way to play a hand based on every possible combination of dealer and player cards. It’s the gold standard strategy with the numbers to support it.
 
VIEW OUR BLACKJACK BASIC STRATEGY CHART HERE
 
Player Hand Decisions
 
When a player uses basic strategy using any of the five hand decisions listed it will have one of three actions.
 
  • A Player Stands Immediately – The player receives two cards and does not take any extra cards.
  • A Player Makes A Hand – The player takes extra cards are attained a hand with a total of 21 or less.
  • A Player Doesn’t Make A Hand – The player hits the hand and busts or surrenders the hand. If a player’s hand busts the full bet is immediately lost. If a hand is surrendered half of the bet is lost. A player must act first and even if the dealer busts the wager is already lost.
Dealer’s Hand
 
If a player’s hand isn’t busted or surrendered the dealer plays. The dealer will flip over the face down card. If the hand total is 17 or more the dealer automatically stands. If the dealer’s hand total is 16 or less additional cards are drawn. Unlink a player the dealer can not split, double, or surrender only hit. The dealer plays the hand the same every time. The only variation is if the cards add up to 17 consisting of an ace and six which in some casinos means the dealer still has to hit even though the hand total is 17 or more.
 

6. Payouts

Once the player and the dealer are both done playing hands there are two outcomes:
 
  • The dealer busts and pays even money to all hands still in play
  • The dealer makes a hand between 17 and 21 and will pay all players who have a higher total. All wagers lower than the dealer’s hand will be collected. If a player and dealer’s hand both have the same total then the bet ties and the player is not paid out but also does not lose.
 

Specific Situations

These are a few situations that have not been covered above.
 
  • Insurance – When the dealer is showing an ace face up, players are offered the option to insure a hand in the event the dealer has a Blackjack. A player bets a wager that is equal to half of the original bet that pays 2 to 1 if the dealer does have a Blackjack. If the dealer does not then the additional wager is taken and the hand continues.
  • Even Money – If a player has a Blackjack and the dealer is showing an ace face up the player has the option to take even money. If a player opts to take even money the bet will be paid out immediately at 1 to 1 instead of the 3 to 2 a normal Blackjack would pay regardless if the dealer has a Blackjack or not. If a player has a Blackjack and does not take even money the hand will tie if the dealer has a Blackjack too.
  • Dead hand – If all players bust before the action comes back to the dealer then the dealer will show the hole card but not draw. There is no point in the dealer playing because the dealer has already won against all of the players.
 

Different Rule Variations

Almost every casino has a different set of rules for Blackjack. These are a couple of common variations:
 
Double Down After Splitting – Players can double down after splitting a hand.
 
Re-Splitting – Players can split a pair again after splitting them once.
 
Re-Splitting Aces – Players can split aces again after splitting them once. Usually only one card be taken after splitting aces.
 
Continuous Shuffling Machine Blackjack – A variation of Blackjack that uses a machine instead of a traditional shoe to hold cards and frequently shuffle them between rounds effectively creating an endless shoe.
 
Single Deck – A variation of Blackjack played with one deck.
 
Double Deck – A variation of Blackjack played with two decks.
 
Multi Deck – A variation of Blackjack played with 6 to 10 decks.