Not many games are as exciting as casino card games. Very few games are also as interesting and easy to understand as Blackjack. Blackjack has grown to become the world’s most favorite casino game since it was introduced in the twentieth century in land-based casinos. Before a player hits the table, he tries very hard to win big. To play this game well, a player needs to understand the rules associated with the game. The rules are however not hard and can be learned in minutes. The speed at which the player follows the rules is dependent on the variant of the game he is playing.
There are different Blackjack game types that players can play in either Single Player or Multi-Player tables. However, the rules are general and applicable to any setting. In every round of Blackjack, players seated around a table begin by placing bets into their respective betting positions. Each table has minimum and maximum stakes that the players can bet. The size of the bet is chosen when the player clicks on a chip icon with the correct bet value. After all bets are placed, players are dealt two cards in front of the boxes while the dealer receives one or two cards with one facing up and the other down depending on the type of Blackjack being played.
The goal for any player is to beat the dealer. For a player to do this, he is supposed to have a hand that has a higher score than the dealers’ and which does not exceed 21 in value. The player can also win by having a score lower than 22 in the event that the dealer’s hand is higher than 21. When the total value of a player’s hand is 22 or more, the player automatically loses money that has been wagered. The player is also given the authority to draw cards to increase the total value.
When the player finishes drawing cards, the dealer completes their hand. However, there are strict rules depending on the variant the dealer is playing. The player is needed to understand each variant’s rules because this is a very significant contributing factor in winning the game, and it allows one to make strategic decisions.
When playing Blackjack, the best hand is Blackjack. The game’s best hand can pay more than any other combination. It is made up of an ace, and any card valued at ten including queens, kings, any jack and ten. Blackjack can be tied if the dealer’s hand is also Blackjack. When playing Blackjack, jacks, tens, kings and queens have a value of ten each. Aces, however, have two different values of either one or eleven depending on the one the player chooses.
When a player combines an ace and four, the hand will be valued at either five or 15. When an ace is valued at 11, the higher total is referred to as the ‘soft’ total that gives a player the chance to request an extra card to ‘hit’. A soft card is not guaranteed to improve after the player has hit.
In Blackjack, winning hands often play on-to-one. This means that if a player wagers $20 in his hand, he will receive the same amount of profit over the original wager. When playing a variant of 3:2, the player wins $30 on top of the initial bet when the dealer does not get the blackjack. When the player’s hand ties with the dealer’s, the player has his wager returned. There is no additional money given, and if the player loses a hand, he will forfeit his wager to the house.
In normal circumstances, the player is awarded his payout after the dealer has completed their hand. To be on the safe side always, it is important for the player to read rules accompanying every variant of the game. The player’s actions in Blackjack are not limited to drawing cards or sticking with what he is initially dealt. In some circumstances, a player can be presented with some additional options which are dependent on the first two cards that are dealt.
Splitting
This is where the player turns one hand into two therefore getting more chances to win. Whenever a player splits a hand, he can place an additional wager on the new second hand, of equal value to the initial wager. Typically, splitting occurs in the following situations:
1. When the player has two cards of equal rank.
2. In some Blackjack variants, the player may split equal cards more than once.
When dealing with aces, splitting has some restrictions. When the player splits two aces, almost all variants of Blackjack allow a card to be drawn to each hand, restricting the player to hit, split or double down to improve his hand.
Doubling down
Doubling down allows the player to double his initial wager in certain conditions.
1. When the first two cards are dealt, the player can add a wager equal to the starting bet and then receive an extra card so as to improve his hand.
2. The player is allowed by all Poker Games to double on any of the first two cards.
Surrendering
In some Blackjack games, surrendering is allowed if the player feels like he is certainly going to lose to the dealer. However, only 50% of the bet is returned.
Game Play Options
During each round of Blackjack, the player is presented with some decisions to make. The decisions are open to the player and they depend on the cards he is dealt and the variant he is playing. Below are some traditional options given to players for Blackjack.
Hit
The player can request additional cards so as to improve his hands. Cards can be drawn one after another until the total hand value reaches 21 or more.
Stand
When the total value of the player’s position is 21 or lower, the player can choose to stand and avoid risking his hands exceeding 21.
Split
In some variants, when the player’s first two cards have equal value, the player can make additional wagers that are of the same value as the starting bet so as to create a second hand to play against the dealer.
