Blackjack attracts players worldwide because it’s easy to learn how to play, and you can use strategy to enhance your chances of winning.
If you’re new to the game and want to get to grips with the basics, read this post, and by the end of it, you’ll have everything you need to play confidently.
First, here’s an overview of the game, followed by the blackjack rules.
What’s Blackjack?
In a nutshell, the focus of blackjack is for you, the player, to draw a hand closer to or reach the value of 21, without going over this number.
Blackjack is an extraordinarily popular card game. It is available for all to play. Your three options for playing include online blackjack, visiting the casino in person, or simply buying a pack of cards and playing at home with friends and family.
To familiarize yourself with the rules, read on for more.
Blackjack Rules
In blackjack, you play against the dealer and any other opponents present.
To win, the value of the cards you’re dealt must be higher than the dealer’s cards, but not exceed 21. If the value of your cards goes over 21, you automatically lose the game.
At the start of the game, the dealer distributes two cards to each player. Studying the value of the cards, each player can decide whether to stick (which is referred to as “stand” in blackjack) with the cards they have or “hit”, which is a phrase used to encompass requesting an additional card. Players can continue until they achieve a hand they’re satisfied with.
Dealers will also have two cards to play with, but only one card is face up, and they don’t “hit” or “stand” until the other players have landed on a hand they’d like to play with, or otherwise go over 21 and lose.
Moreover, if the dealer’s hand exceeds 21, they lose, and the player with the highest hand wins.
How to Play
With the rules explained, let’s explore the game further by running through how you’ll play your opponents and the dealer.
- If you’re playing a friendly game, for example, with family at home, you may want to place bets, but it’s not compulsory. However, beyond demo games and free trials, casinos require players to place a bet, with the minimum and maximum bets often posted on a visible table.
- With all bets placed, the dealer issues two cards to each player, facing up for all to see.
- Once each player quantifies their card’s value, they decide to “hit” and receive an extra card or “stand” and play the hand they’re dealt.
- Now it’s the dealer’s turn to play, by first revealing the card faced down, and then deciding whether to request new cards to increase their hand’s value, or play with what they have.
- Lastly, the winner is determined by who has a hand totaling 21, or the nearest to that number. Where bets are involved, the winner takes the pot.
As you can see, blackjack has just a few rules and steps to follow to play, which are easy to grasp. But to increase your chances of winning, covering basic blackjack strategy is essential. Move on to the next section for methods you can use to win.
Strategize to Win
While never guaranteed, using tried and tested strategies in a blackjack game can increase a player’s chances of winning. See the tips below for tactics you can use to play.
Look at the dealer’s card – Check the dealer’s card facing up before deciding whether to hit or stand with your cards, and assume the card facing down is the highest value, worth 10. This will allow you to calculate a rough estimate of the hand you’ll need to win the game. It will also help you decide when to ask for another card or stick with what you have.
Hit if your hand is 12-16 – Check the value of your cards against the dealer’s revealed card, and take a chance on asking for another card if theirs is seven or higher to edge your chances of beating the dealer’s hand.
Opt to stand with a high-value hand – usually 17 or higher – and you’ll reduce the risk of going over 21, which is more likely when you already have a good hand. You can take a chance to edge closer towards 21, but you may risk going bust.
When to split cards – When you have two cards with the same value, you can split them and play them as separate hands, to double your chances of winning. General blackjack advice suggests splitting 8s because a hand of 16 is considered weak. Also, consider splitting aces because the values can be adjusted to either 1 or 11, allowing two options when you request a hit to create a hand without going bust.
With the basics covered, you’re ready to seize the day and test your skills. If you’re still hesitant, look for free blackjack games to play first to boost your confidence before venturing to the casino.
