How to Play Your Best Blackjack Game
As the most popular of all casino games, blackjack is still very misunderstood, and mistakes can cost your bankroll, your confidence, and ultimately, your game.
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Before you get started with blackjack, you need to know how to play. In this quick blackjack guide, we’ll tell you the basics of how to do just that!
- The aim of blackjack is to beat the dealer’s hand without going over 21. If you go over 21, you go ‘bust’ and you’ve lost.
- If the dealer reaches 21 before you, you’ve lost.
- If the dealer goes bust and you’ve gotten closer to 21 than they have, you win!
- Picture cards (King, Queen, Jack) count as ‘10’, while Aces can either be 1 or 11, depending on what makes better sense for your hand.
- Cards 2-10 count at face value.
- A ‘hard’ hand is when you have a set of cards without an Ace — there’s no flexibility in what your hand is worth.
- A ‘soft’ hand is one with an Ace since the Ace can count as either 1 or 11.
- Tell the dealer to ‘hit’ if you want another card.
- Tell the dealer to ‘stand’ if you’re happy with your cards and don’t want to be given another one.
There are several other rules, and even some blackjack strategy you should learn before playing, but this is the easiest and quickest way to get started with playing blackjack.
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Understanding the Game of Blackjack
If done with a high level of precision, gambling on real money blackjack can be a good source of extra income – you just need to be good at statistics. Once you strike the right balance, there is no doubt that casino gambling can be your gold mine. However, many players make the mistake of gambling without any knowledge of how it works – and the end result can be disastrous. If you want to understand online blackjack, keep on reading to learn more about this exciting game.
A blackjack is a lucrative form of gambling where you play against the house or dealer rather than against other players. Amateur gamblers sometimes see online blackjack as a game of sheer luck, but if you take the time to understand the rules of the game, the value of the cards, and how you can statistically work out which cards will be dealt, your chances of mastering the game of blackjack can be very high.
The History of Blackjack
The exact year when blackjack was invented remains a huge mystery. All we have today are theories attempting to explain the origins of the game. One of the most popular theories is that blackjack was invented by the Romans a few centuries ago. Another popular theory is that blackjack was invented in France during the 18th century, where it was known as “Vingt-et-Un’ — the French words for “twenty and one”.
How to Play Blackjack
Blackjack is a card game available both online and in most brick-and-mortar casinos around the world. Over the last few years, many variations of this game have emerged yet the aim of the game is always the same. That is, the total sum of all the cards dealt with a player must be as near as possible to 21 or ideally, at 21, and should also be closer to 21 than the dealer’s cards. Technically, a hand that’s over 21 is considered a bust and will cause a player to lose their bet.
Card Values in Blackjack
To understand how card values are worked out in blackjack, you first should know that all cards in a pack have an equivalent mathematical number.
For example, all the picture cards (including the Kings, Queens, and Jacks) have a value of 10 each.
The Ace has a higher mathematical equivalent of 11; however, sometimes, the Ace can be valued at 1 and the player can decide which value it will represent based on the other cards dealt in their hand. All other cards are valued at their face value – for example, the value of a 6 is 6 whether the value of a 3 is 3 and so on.
Casino Blackjack
To get a basic understanding of blackjack, let us look at a simple example. When playing the game of blackjack, once you have placed your bet the dealer will deal you two cards plus two cards for himself, of which only one is turned up.
Blackjack Basics: Hit and Stand
At this stage, you can then decide if you would like an additional card (Hit) or you can choose to remain with your existing cards (Stand).
Other options include Split, Double Down or Insurance, but for now we will focus on the basics.
In this example, the dealer deals you a 4 and a 5 which gives you a total of 9 (4+5). The dealer’s face up card is a 6. In this case, we decide to Hit and we are given a King. Our total is now 19 (4+5+10) and we decide to Stand.
The dealer is now required to draw cards and they must draw more cards to any total of 16 or less and must stand on any total of 17 or more.
In this example, the dealer turns over their second card and reveals a Queen. The dealer’s total is now 16 (6+10) and in this case, the dealer must draw again. The third card is a Jack and so the dealer has a Bust – that is, their card total has exceeded 21 (6+10+10=26).
You then win the hand and will be paid out 1:1. That is, if you bet $100, you will receive your $100 bet back plus an additional $100.
Online Blackjack
Blackjack is an exciting game available at most online casinos. With the wide choice of blackjack variations available, there is something to suit the styles and preferences of gamblers worldwide.
Take the time to familiarize yourself with the rules of blackjack before you race to 21!
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FAQ
The Most Frequently Asked Questions About Blackjack Guides
It depends. If it’s a hard 16, you should stay (stand). If the dealer has a low card (2-6), you should hit when there’s a high card (7-10 or Ace).
It’s up to you, but the general rules say that if you have a total of 8, hit. That’s because there are still several high-value cards in the decks, and you might be lucky enough to get one!
In a nutshell — stand when you have 12-16 and the dealer has 2-6, and always try out free play blackjack to really understand how the different combinations work in the game.
Blackjack has some very interesting odds! There’s a house edge of around 1% in most blackjack games because you’re only playing against the dealer, not other players (or experts, as in poker).
That depends on you, but you can read up and choose a strategy from our blackjack strategy page. Then get practicing it to your heart’s content when you play blackjack in freeplay mode!
It’s mostly a game of luck (which cards you get), but it’s also a game of skill, as it’s up to you to decide when to hit or stand.
Not at all. Both in online blackjack, where you play against the computer, and in live blackjack, where you play against a live dealer there’s no way to cheat in the game.
You definitely can, and it’s something we think every player should experience! Both online blackjack (playing against the computer) and live blackjack (playing against a live dealer) are available to be played on your mobile device.
Doubling down is when you’re dealt your first two cards and they’re the exact same (e.g. two 10s). You can then play two separate hands of blackjack (in some variants) at the same time.
Definitely! Since these are two very versatile cards, you’re giving yourself more chances to win during the game.
