How to Play Blackjack
Learning
how to play blackjack is both a fun and rewarding experience. This is a
quick how-to guide for the beginning player who has never played before but
is interested in learning how to play blackjack. If you've never played
blackjack before, be prepared for both a fun and rewarding experience that
you will never forget.
Object of Blackjack
The object of blackjack is to achieve a total that is greater than the dealer's without going over 21. If there are other players at the table, you are still only trying to beat the dealer (the casino).Card Values
You must learn the value of every card in the deck to successfully play blackjack. Each numbered card 10 and under, has a value equal to the number on the card. Jacks, Queens, and Kings (all of the face cards), have a value of 10. The 10 valued cards have the greatest abundance in the game of blackjack. The final card in the deck is the Ace. This card has a special value in the game of blackjack because it can count either as 1 or 11, depending on what helps your hand the most.How to Win at Blackjack
There are two ways to win at the game of blackjack. The first way to win at a blackjack table is to end up with a hand that has a total higher than the hand of the dealer, without going over 21. The second way of winning at a blackjack table is for the dealer to bust, by totalling over 21. Anytime the dealer exceeds the total of 21, any player still remaining in the hand that has not busted is a winner.The Blackjack Table
Most blackjack tables feature enough seating for around 6 blackjack players. You will generally see a sign at each blackjack table showing the general table information such as the limits and how many decks are being used in the game. You must scout out the blackjack tables and find a table that is within your limit. If the table limit says $2-$100, the minimum bet per hand is $2 and the maximum bet per hand is $100.The Initial Deal
After
you have selected a table and received chips, you are required to place your
bet on the table before the dealer will deal you a hand. This is how the
game begins. You simply place your bet in front of you, inside the bet
circle, and the dealer will begin dealing. In most basic forms of blackjack,
each player will receive two cards face up on the table and the dealer will
receive one card face up and one card face down.
Checking for Blackjack
Blackjack is when you have 2 cards totalling exactly 21 from the initial deal. This is the best hand in the game of blackjack and you hope to get blackjack often. It generally pays out 3-2 in most blackjack games, but check the table rules before assuming. This is also the hand you never hope to see the dealer with, because the it's an automatic loss for you unless you also have a blackjack.If the dealer is showing a 10 value card (10, J, Q, K) or an Ace, he will be forced to check his hole card (hidden card) to see if he has a blackjack. If the dealer discovers he has blackjack, an automatic win, he turns over his hand and removes all bets off the table and gets ready to deal the next hand. If a player is showing blackjack, the dealer will pay that player off immediately before continuing the rest of that hand with the other players at the table.
Player Options
After you have received your first two cards and any blackjacks at the table have been taken caren of, it's time to start the actual game play. The player closest to the left of the dealer is the first player to act. The most common player options in blackjack are:- Hit - Taking another card.
- Stand - Taking no more cards, your hand is set and finalized.
- Double Down - Doubling your wager, taking one hit (one more card), and then standing.
- Split - Doubling your wager and having each initial card be the first card in two new seperate hands.
- Surrender - Forfeiting half of your wager and giving up your hand right then.
