Here You Will Learn All of the Most Important Blackjack Rules

Blackjack online is a popular game due to how easy it is to play. However, if you have never played it before then you will obviously not know anything about blackjack rules. Thankfully, we are about to reveal all when it comes to casino blackjack rules.

How to Play Blackjack?

In a game of blackjack, a 52-card deck is used, but in many varieties of blackjack, at online or land-based casinos, a number of decks are used.

When playing a game of blackjack at a land-based casino, the dealer will have a blank plastic card that is used to indicate when he will shuffle the cards next.

If the game is using a number of decks, you will see a box in front of the dealer. This is known as a shoe and allows the dealer to remove a single card without having to worry about spilling or knocking over all of the other cards.

Basic Blackjack Rules

The main Blackjack card game rules are that you must get as close to 21 as possible without going above it. If you go above 21, you go bust and are out of that round.

Keep in Mind

One thing that you should always keep in mind when you are playing at a blackjack table, be it online or at a land-based casino, is that you are only trying to beat what the dealer has. Everyone else at the table could have a better hand than you, but if your hand is better than the dealer’s that is all that matters.

Step #1

When you decide to join a table, the first move that you have to do is place down a wager. Once everyone who is playing has put down their stake, the dealer will deal everyone two cards each.

He will then proceed to give himself two cards, with one of them face up.

Step #2

You will then look at your cards to see whether you have a good hand or not. If you think that you do, you can stand. This means that the dealer will not give you another card. If you think you could do better, you should ask the dealer for a hit – he will give you one more card. If you don’t go above 21, you must then decide whether you will stand or take another hit.

Step #3

Once each player blackjack has taken their turn, the dealer will reveal his remaining card. If his cards total 17 or above, he must stand. However, if his cards total 16 or lower, he has to hit.

If the Dealer

If the dealer goes bust, everyone that is still playing will win. If the dealer does not happen to go bust, all hands are compared and whoever has a better hand than the dealer will win a pay-out of 1:1. If you happen to have blackjack, a pay-out of 3:2 will be received. These are the quick blackjack rules.

Value of Cards and Some Important Terms of the Blackjack Rules

Now that we know the rules blackjack card game, we will take a quick look at the cards’ value as well as some of the important terms of this game.

Cards’ Value in Blackjack

When playing blackjack, the cards with numbers on are worth what the numbers are.

The Jack, Queen, and King are all worth ten, while the Ace card can count as a 1 or a 11, depending on what is best for your hand. For example, if you have an Ace and a nine, it is best to make the Ace an eleven, so that you have a hand totalling twenty.

However, if you have a five and a seven and you ask for a hit and you get an Ace, you will need to make it a one or you will go bust.

What is Insurance in Blackjack?

If the dealer has an Ace as their face up card, then you can purchase yourself a bit of insurance.

If you are doing this, you are basically saying that you think they will have blackjack. If they go on to reveal that they do, you will be given a 2:1 pay-out.

What is a Split in Blackjack?

If the dealer gives you two cards of the same value, you will have the option of splitting them up and forming two hands instead of one. If you decide to do this, then the dealer will give you two new cards and you will be playing with two hands instead of one. When splitting, you must place a wager on the second hand that is identical to the one you placed on the original hand.

Splitting is a great option as it allows you to double your chances of beating the dealer.

You should always split when you get a pair of Aces. Using two aces as one hand is not a good strategy because, as we mentioned above, Aces can be 1 or 11. So, 12 is the highest value that you can have, which is not the best total to hit with. On the other hand, with two hands with one Ace, you have a very good chance of getting a blackjack.

You should never split when you have 9s or 10s as 18 or 20, they are already strong enough hands to beat the dealer. If you split them, you are counting on getting a ten or an Ace to make your hand slightly stronger. You should also never split when you have a pair of 4s as 8 is a great starting hand to get 18. If you split them, the best you can get is 15 (if you get an Ace), which is tricky to work with.

What is a Double in Blackjack?

When every player at the table has received two cards, you can decide to double your bet if you so wish. However, if you decide to double down, you must take an extra card. This is obviously quite a risky strategy, but it is one that can help you win when playing blackjack.

When you receive two cards that equal 9, 10, or 11 you should always consider doubling down if the dealer’s face up card isn’t a 10, Jack, Queen, King, or Ace.

You should not consider doubling down if you have two cards that make a low total – if you have a 3 and a 2, the best you can get is an Ace that would give you a hand of 16, which is not that great.

Winning Chance – Blackjack Winning Rules

Like we said, the aim of blackjack is to beat the dealer and get as close to 21 as possible. Apart from the fact that it is easy to learn and play, another reason why blackjack is so popular at online casinos is the fact that at the majority of casinos it has a house edge of 1%.

When playing a game of blackjack, the probability of getting a win is around 42.42%, getting a tie is around 8.48%, while the probability of losing is 49.10%.

One thing that you should keep in mind while playing blackjack (or gambling on anything for that matter) is that you should never place a stake thinking that you are now owed a win. The cards do not know and do not care when you are in the middle of a losing streak. You should take each round as if it is your first round of the day.