Blackjack

How To Play Blackjack

Get Started Now: Online Blackjack for Money

Blackjack is a popular casino card game that is played between you and the dealer. It is played with 1-8 decks of 52 cards dealt from a special box, called “shoe” . Most of the time, the decks are re-shuffled after each game.

Playing blackjack is simple, beat the dealer. To win, you must hold a stronger hand than the dealer with going over 21. You have to know the card values in order to learn how to play blackjack. The numbered cards have values corresponding to their number, while the face cards have a value of 10. The Ace, on the other hand, can either have a value of 1 or 11, depending on how much you will need to make a winning hand.

When the dealer goes from one player to another and they choose whether to “Hit” or “Stand”. Moreover, you can choose to “Double Down” or “Split”.

After all the players have either busted or stayed with their hands, the dealer turns over his face-down card to reveal his point total. If the dealer's hand has a total point value of 17 or better, he must stay; if his hand has a total point value of sixteen or lower, he must hit until his score exceeds 17 points.

If you win, the dealer pays out even money. Blackjack pays 3 to 2. Remember, not to play blackjack in the 6:5 rule payout. When the dealer wins the player loses all the bets made on this hand. If you understand the basic blackjack strategy then you can win frequently when playing blackjack.

• Hit – You are asking for another cards. Players are allowed to hit as many times as he wants until he busts or has a hand of 21.
• Stand – You are asking for no more cards. The player that stands does not play his hand anymore and this hand is then compared to the dealer’s hand.
• Double Down – You have to ask to be dealt only one extra card and doubling the original bet. After the player Doubles down he stands automatically.
• Split - In case first 2 cards dealt were a pair of cards of the same value, the player may choose to split them forming two hands and thus doubling the bet.

There are also advanced blackjack betting options players should get familiar with not only to learn how to play blackjack online but to maximize your chance of winning. Google offers a useful blackjack directory that we suggest as required reading. (Update: As of 7/31/2011 - Google has removed their web directory) In light of these events we recommend using Wikipedia which offers excellent information about blackjack.

Insurance

This is the extra bet to be given when the dealer shows an Ace. This is the cost half of your original bet and also protects you not to bust in case the dealer has a natural hand. Once you select the insurance, the dealer checks his hole card.

If the dealer has a Natural, the players loses the original bet and the insurance bets win 2-to-1. If the dealer does not have a Natural, the Insurance bets are lost and the players keep on playing their hands.

Surrender

You can select it if you don't like the first 2 cards. This option provides a chance to surrender half of the original bet in cases where consider you have a losing hand. This bet is made before any decisions like Hit or Stand and allows you to save half of the original bet.