Learn How to Play Blackjack

How to play Blackjack

The objective of Blackjack is to end the hand end with a higher numerical value than the dealer's. The hand with the highest that does not exceed a total of 21 wins the round. However, if a hand exceeds 21, it said to be bust or too many.

Card values of Blackjack

Cards 2 to 10 are worth their face value.
Face cards (Jack, Queen, King) are worth 10.
Aces are worth 11, unless they cause the player's hand to go bust, in which case it is worth 1.
A Blackjack occurs when the first two cards are a value of ‘21', meaning an Ace with a ten-value card.

Player Decision in Blackjack

Hit - take another card
Stand - Stay or take no more cards
Double Down - Double the original bet amount and take ONLY 1 more card.
Split - Splits the two cards into two different hands. Thus doubling the original amount wagered. This is only available when initial pair of cards are similar value.
Surrender - Forfeit half the original bet and give up the hand.

The player's objective is to beat the dealer's hand by having the higher value, without going over 21. Do take note that: since the player draws extra cards first, if his hands goes bust - he automatically loses the round (even if the dealer goes bust). If a hand is similar value to the dealer's hand, it is called a push. That Means a draw where the amount wagered is refunded.

A minimum bet of Blackjack varies from Casino to casino and table to table. Usually, the minimum amount to be wagered is displayed prominently near the blackjack table. After a bet is placed, the dealer deals the cards from a ‘shoe' which usually contains four or more decks of cards.

The dealers deals a pair of cards to each player, including himself. One of the cards would be faced up, and the other faced down. The faced-down card is known as the ‘hole card'. If the dealer's faced-up card is an Ace, all players would be given the chance to ‘buy' insurance(see insurance table below). If the dealer has a Blackjack, all players lose their bets. The only exceptions are players who have blackjack too. In this case, it is a ‘push'.

However, if the dealer did not achieve a blackjack and the player achieves a ‘Blackjack' or also known as a ‘natural' on his first pair of cards, the player wins immediately. The payout for the player in such a case is usually 3:2.

Blackjack Insurance Table

Score	Player buys insurance	Player does not buy insurance
Dealer: blackjack Player: no blackjack	Player loses the original bet, but wins 2:1 on his insurance bet, which was 1:2 of the original bet. Losses and gains even out to 0.	Player loses 1:1.
Dealer: no blackjack Player: wins	Player wins the original bet, but loses the insurance money. The player wins 1:2 of the original bet.	Player wins 1:1.
Dealer: no blackjack Player: same as the dealer	Player loses the insurance money. The player loses 1:2 of the original bet.	Player pushes. No loss or gain: 0.
Dealer: no blackjack Player: loses	Player loses the original bet, and loses the insurance money. The player loses 3:2 of the original bet.	Player loses 1:1.
Even money
Dealer: blackjack Player: blackjack	Blackjacks even out, but the player wins 2:1 on the 1:2 of the insurance money. The player wins 1:1 of the original bet.	Player pushes. No loss or gain: 0.
Dealer: no blackjack Player: blackjack	Player wins the original bet at 3:2, but loses the insurance bet of 1:2. The player wins 1:1 of the original bet.	Player wins 3:2 of the original bet.