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Blackjack is a fairly simple game to
play. It is played with 1 to 8 decks of cards. Each deck used is an
ordinary deck of 52 card in which the jokers are removed. There are
4 suits: spades, diamonds, clubs and hearts; and there are 13 cards
in each suit. The suits have no intrinsic value. A King of Spades
has the same value as a King of Diamonds. Face cards (Kings, Queens,
Jacks) are worth 10. Other cards are worth their stated value,
except for the Ace, which can be counted either as a 1 or an 11 at
the players option.
Some games are hand-dealt but most
are dealt from a box called a shoe.
Before the dealer starts dealing out
the cards, you make a bet by placing your chips in a round circle on
the table in front of your seat. Once you have made your bet, you
cannot take it back off the table. You can bet any amount between
the minimum and the maximum bets allowed.
First, you are dealt a card face up,
then the Dealer deals himself a card face down (this is known as the
dealer's hole card). Next you get another card face up, and
the Dealer also gets another card, this time it is turned face up
(this is known as the dealer's up-card). So, you each have
two cards, both of yours exposed for all to see, and the dealer with
one exposed card and one card which is face down so you don't know
what it is.
Next, you make a decision based upon
your two cards and the Dealer's up-card as to what player option you
want to make:
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Hit - if you are
not satisfied with your card total you can draw another card.
You communicate your intention to draw a card to the dealer by
either pointing to your cards or making a beckoning or light
scratching motion with you fingers. You can draw as many
additional cards as you wish as long as you total does not
exceed 21. If your total exceeds 21, you automatically lose that
hand, even if the dealer subsequently bust (or get a
total over 21). You hit a hand in an attempt to improve the
point total.
-
Stand - if you are
satisfied with your hand and do not wish to draw additional
cards you signal the dealer by waving your hand in a left-right
motion over your cards. You stand on a hand for either of two
reasons: you already have a strong hand that drawing another
card increases the likelihood of busting that hand or both you
and the dealer have weak hands but knowing that if you draw and
bust you automatically lose so you give the dealer the
opportunity to bust instead)
-
Double-Down - if
you believe that you will beat the dealer with just one more
card you signal the dealer by placing more chips on the table
equal to your original bet alongside you original wager. The
dealer will then deal you one more card (and only one more card
-- you can't ask for more cards). While most casinos will allow
you to double-down on any initial 2 cards of a hand, some only
allows you to do so on totals of 10 or 11.
-
Split - when the
first 2 cards you receive are of equal value, you may chose to
split them and play each as a separate hand, drawing until you
are satisfied or bust. You indicate your choice by making an
additional wager equal to the original bet but separate and away
from it and saying "split" at the same time. You first play the
card on your right then the card on you left. Most casinos with
the exception of those in Atlantic City will allow you to
re-split pairs. When the pair being split are aces, only one
card is given for each ace.
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Take Insurance -
When the dealer shows an ace as his up-card, you will be asked
if you want "insurance." This is a side bet that the dealer is
holding a blackjack (i.e., his hole card is a 10 or a face
card). You take insurance by sliding a bet equal to half of your
original bet. Insurance is generally a lousy bet (a.k.a. a
"Sucker Bet") .
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Surrender - some
casinos will allow you to "surrender" after both you and the
dealer have been dealt two cards. This means that you do not
wish to play the hand that you received. The dealer will take
half of your original bet and return the other half to you. To
take this option you simply say "surrender" to the dealer.
-
Early Surrender -
with this option the you are allowed to surrender half your
bet and give up your cards before the dealer
checks to see if he has a blackjack when he is holding an ace
of an 10 as his up-card.
-
Late Surrender -
with this option you are only allowed to surrender after the
dealer had verified that he is not holding a blackjack.
After you hand completed your play,
then the Dealer flips over the face down card, exposing its value.
If the total of the dealer's two cards does not reach 17, then the
Dealer must take another card (and another and so forth) until the
Dealer either reaches at least 17 or goes Bust by exceeding 21.
If you lose, the Dealer simply takes
all the chips you have bet, and then you bet again and another hand
is played. If you win, the Dealer returns to you your original bet
plus an equal amount, i.e., if you bet $10 then you get $20 back,
for a $10 profit to you.
Blackjack, 21 or
Natural
If your first 2 cards are an ace
and a face card or a ten (and thus equal 21), then you have what
is called a "Blackjack" or a "Natural". If the Dealer doesn't also
have a Blackjack, then the Dealer will return to you your original
bet plus 1 and 1/2 times your original bet (a 3-to-2 pay out),
i.e., if you bet $10 then you get $25 back, for a $15 profit.
If the dealer draws a Blackjack in
two cards, then you automatically lose unless you too have a
Blackjack (in which case you have a "Push", see below).
Push
If after the dealer had drawn (and
not busted), and your card total equals that of the dealer's hand
(for example, you both have 17), then the situation is known as a
"Push" (essentially a tied or drawn game). In a Push, you simply
get your original bet back, and neither you nor the dealer wins.
Variations in
Rules
Every casino has slightly
different Blackjack rules. Before you play Blackjack at any
casino, you should first ask one of the Blackjack supervisors or
pit bosses for the Blackjack rules (they are positively glad
to provide these to gamblers as they help prevent later
misunderstandings about the rules).
Note that the variations in the
rules can substantially impact your long term gambling
return. A casino which allows you to double down after splitting
is giving you slightly better odds than a casino which doesn't --
and that "slightly better" can be very important over the long
haul.
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