Blackjack, also known by many as Twenty-one, is the most widely played casino banking game in the world.
The basic aim of the game is to add value to an initial two-card hand to reach a card value of 21. If a card value of less than 21 is dealt, the player may choose to be dealt single cards until they either: reach a value of 21, reach a value they feel comfortable to play, or reach a value that exceeds 21.
The winner must hold a hand with a value of, or nearest to, 21 without exceeding it.
Much of Blackjack’s popularity is due to its mix of chance, skill, and the publicity that surrounds card counting (calculating the probability of advantages based on the ratio of high cards to low cards).
HOW TO PLAY:
In casino blackjack, the dealer faces one to seven players. Each player plays his hand independently against the dealer. At the beginning of each round, the player places a bet in the “betting box” and receives an initial hand of two cards. The object of the game is to get a higher card total than the dealer, but without going over 21 which is called “busting” or “breaking”. The card values are as follows: spot cards count two to nine; the 10, jack, queen, and king count as 10; and an ace can be either one or 11 at the player’s choice.
The player goes first and plays his hand by taking additional cards if he desires. If he busts, he loses. Then the dealer plays his or her hand. If the dealer busts, he loses to all remaining players. If neither busts, the higher hand total wins. In case of a tie, no-one wins – the hand is a “push” and all bets are returned. It is possible for the dealer to lose to some players but still beat other players in the same round.
Cards are dealt in three ways, either from one or two hand-held decks, from a box containing four to eight decks called a “shoe,” or from a shuffling machine. When dealt by hand, the player’s two initial cards are face-down, while the dealer has one face-up card called the “upcard” and one face-down card called the “hole card”. When dealt from a shoe, all player cards are normally dealt face-up, with minor exceptions.
It shouldn’t matter to the player whether their cards are dealt face-down or face-up, since the dealer must play according to predetermined rules. If the dealer has less than 17, they must hit. If the dealer has 17 or more, they must stand (take no more cards), unless it is a “soft 17″ (a hand that includes an ace valued as 11).With a soft 17, the dealer follows the casino rules printed on the blackjack table, either to “hit soft 17″ or to “stand on all 17s.”
The highest possible hand is a “blackjack” or “natural,” meaning an initial two-card total of 21 (an ace and a ten-value card). A player blackjack is an automatic winner unless the dealer also has blackjack, in which case the hand is a “push” (a tie). When the dealer upcard is an ace, the player is allowed to make a side bet called “insurance,” supposedly to guard against the risk that the dealer has a blackjack (i.e., a ten-value card as his hole card). The insurance bet pays 2-to-1 if the dealer has a blackjack. Whenever the dealer has a blackjack, he wins against all player hands except those that also have a blackjack (which are a “push”).
TIPS:
- Find a table whose minimum is no more than five per cent of you total stash. In picking a table, consider rule variations that help the player like the option of doubling down on any two cards, or the dealer having to stand on soft 17. Even if you don’t completely understand them, these rule variations can work to your advantage.
- Start with the basics: Since the dealer has to hit (take a card) on any hand 16 or lower, you’ll never win with less than 17 unless the dealer busts. Take a hit on any hand below 17 when the dealer shows ace, K, Q, J, 10, nine, or eight, cards that are unlikely to make the dealer bust. Stand on any hand above 11 when the dealer shows a four, five, or six, cards that will lead the dealer to bust more than 40 per cent of the time.
- “Doubling down” involves doubling your bet and receiving one additional card when you suspect strongly that you will beat the dealer by doing so. This is the player’s chief advantage, so don’t ignore this option. Doubling with 10 against a nine or lower and with any hand of 11. Rules permitting, double with nine, or with “soft” hands (hands that count an ace as 11) of 13 to 17 against a four, five, or six.
- If you are dealt two cards of the same value, you may “split” them, doubling your bet and playing two hands. Never split 10s or fives. Always split eights or sevens against a dealer’s card of equal or lower value. Always split two or threes against a four, five, or six. Always split aces. Never split face cards, 10s, or fives.
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