HOW TO PLAY BLACKJACK

Blackjack is one of the most popular card games ever played. It has become so well-loved that every land-based and online casino makes sure to have at least a few blackjack tables in their collection. 

It is often regarded as a thrilling casino game with simple rules where enjoyment is guaranteed. The game is also known as blackjack 21, and there are numerous versions of the game available at any casino — online or otherwise. 

That said, while it had headlined many casinos around the world for as long as anyone can remember, the game only flourished when it made its way to online casinos, boosting gameplay to all-new levels of entertainment.

The thing is, now that more rules, gameplay options and side bets have entered the scene, the standard game of blackjack has become far more than what it once was. Nowadays, land-based casinos cannot keep up with the amount of cool mechanics, and unique features providers are bringing to the table. And while these new changes brought about a whole new gaming experience, they also left a lot of room for uncertainty. 

Traditional players may find it difficult to adjust to the new blackjack rules when they have come to know the standard set all too well. Similarly, new players may find themselves floored with all the features and mechanics they have to learn — but that’s where we come in.

If you’re all ready and prepped to hop onto the online blackjack train but have no idea which carriage to hop into, we’ll help guide you through general play blackjack and give you the full rundown of the rules of blackjack. With this helpful guide, you’ll never have to walk into a game of blackjack blind ever again.

HOW DOES A BLACKJACK GAME WORK?

Before we get into rule variations and strategies, let’s reel it in for a second and take a look at how a typical game of blackjack actually works — after all, you’ve got to know the basics before you’re ready to take your next steps toward becoming a blackjack crackerjack!

THE MAIN GOAL

First things first, let’s go through the main objective of the game; the end result you are working towards the moment you take a seat and collect your cards. 

The most basic rule of blackjack is to form a hand with a value that is as close to 21 as possible. In doing so, you must also make sure that your hand doesn’t surpass 21; otherwise, your hand will bust, and you’ll lose the round. On top of that, you must also get closer to 21 than the dealer. There are several ways to achieve this, so don’t worry; it is not as hard as it sounds, though it may be a little challenging.

For example, suppose you draw two cards that add up to a value of 13. This score is pretty far from 21, so you might be inclined to draw another card. However, you’d only be able to draw a card with a value of eight or less; otherwise, you’d risk going bust and losing to the dealer. You can also try drawing an eight to get 21 exactly, which is a very valuable hand, but the likelihood of this happening is quite slim. 

Similarly, you might end up in a situation where you draw two cards that add to 17 and think it’s close to enough to 21. Here you will risk standing too early and giving the dealer’s hand the advantage. 

While there are many possible hands you can form, there is actually one particular hand that’d grant you (or the dealer) an instant win — and this, non-coincidentally, is known as a blackjack hand. This valuable combo is formed out of an ace and a 10-value card, adding up to 21 exactly, which we’ll get into later. Although, a natural win is not the most common hand in blackjack, especially when playing multi-deck games. 

All of that said, many blackjack players often utilise a playing strategy to help them make smarter decisions, the basic strategy being the most commonly used and the most applicable. This technique helps any basic strategy player learn when to hit, stand, double down or split. The reason why the basic strategy has become so popularised is because it is based on mathematics rather than trial and error. But, there are many other playing methods you can use to help you decide on the best course of action.

STANDARD RULES

There are many ways to form a strong hand when playing at a blackjack table. But, most blackjack games also come with a few additional rules that you should keep in mind if you want to get as close to 21 as possible and beat the dealer. 

These rules may not always be the same and so may vary from one blackjack table to another. Some blackjack games feature additional blackjack side bets; others may feature a new set of rules or additional gameplay options, varied betting limits, etc — it all really depends. But, here are a few standard rules you’ll find at most casinos:

• Players are allowed to hit, stand, double down or split.
• Splitting is only possible when players have a hand of two cards with the same value, also known as a pair. Splitting will split the pair into two separate hands.
• Splitting pairs doubles the original bet. 
• Doubling down also doubles the inital bet.
• Players can only draw one additional card after doubling down.
• Players can only split or double down after drawing their first two cards.
• The dealer checks for blackjack. 
• The dealer stands on soft 17.
• Players cannot split aces.

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE ON HOW TO PLAY BLACKJACK ONLINE

Now that your foundation of blackjack rules has been laid let’s take things up a notch. You might be wondering how all of these rules, actions and wagers fit into the actual gameplay; well, allow us to break it all down:

STEPPING INTO THE BLACKJACK HALL AND SITTING AT THE TABLE:

No matter whether you’re playing this card game online or at a land-based casino, the first thing you do is take a seat at the table.

At a land-based blackjack game, you will find the dealer sitting behind the chip rack, shuffling the deck. Bear in mind that some blackjack casino games are double deck games or feature four or more decks in multi-shoe games. The dealer will always shuffle the cards at the beginning of every round, no matter whether you’re playing a single-deck game or a six-deck game.

A player will then be chosen to cut the deck with the cut card to indicate which cards need to be reshuffled — that chosen player will rotate every round. The rest of the cards will be placed back in the shoe. 

Once the cards have been shuffled, the dealer will begin to hand out cards. All bets can be placed in the betting box.

If you’re playing at an online casino, you’ll take a seat at a virtual table and be greeted by a live dealer. Since live tables are streamed in real time, 24/7, you might enter a game in the middle of the round. In this case, you can wait for the round to be over and begin betting once the dealer pays out all outstanding bets from the previous round.

To begin placing your bets, you can select one of the different-coloured casino chips found on the user interface. Each chip holds a different value, so be sure to have a good bankroll management strategy in mind.

You will be required to place your bets within a specific time frame, land-based or live, with First-Person tables being the only exception.

COLLECTING CARDS

Once the betting time has elapsed, the dealer deals two cards, face up, to each player. The dealer will also receive two cards — one will be a face-down card, and the other will be a face-up card. The dealer’s face-down card is also referred to as a hole card. 

When playing at tables where the dealer checks for blackjack, the casino rules would dictate that the dealer’s face-up card is dealt before players have acted, and the dealer’s face-down card is dealt after players have acted.

CHOOSING HOW TO ACT

Now that you’ve received your cards and know what hand value you’re dealing with, the next step is deciding whether to hit, stand, double down or split. 

Hitting implies that you are unhappy with the current state of your hand and wish to draw an additional card to potentially improve its total value and get closer to 21. Conversely, standing implies that you are happy with the current state of your hand and wish to remain with the two cards you were originally dealt. 

Doubling down, on the other hand, implies that you are very happy with the state of your hand a believe you have a good chance of winning. This option will double your original wager. Splitting, however, will separate your hand into separate ones (provided both cards were a pair), also doubling your original bet.

Some blackjack card games also offer the option to surrender your hand, place an insurance bet or place a side bet. However, placing a side bet is not always beneficial, especially when placing insurance bets and especially when using the basic strategy. This method does not condone placing an insurance wager since it is not a favourable move, so always glance at the rules before you play to make sure you know what gaming experience you’re getting into. That said, placing a side bet is a great way to turn up the heat.

If you’re betting at a Live Casino, you will be given a limited amount of time to decide what to do. Keeping a few basic strategy charts on hand may be helpful here. Bear in mind that there is no guarantee that you’ll beat blackjack even when using a good playing strategy due to the house edge.

ENDING THE ROUND

Once you have finalised your blackjack hand, it will be the dealer’s turn to act. The dealer will act once all players have made their choices and will act according to the casino rules, which is when one of a few things may happen:

1. The player loses by earning a hand with a lower value than the dealer’s hand.
2. Players’ hands bust and immediately lose the round. 
3. The player’s cards add up to a value that is closer to 21 than the value of the dealer’s cards. 
4. The player earns 21 exactly and earns blackjack. 
5. The dealer busts.
6. The dealer earns blackjack, and players lose.
7. The player and the dealer form a hand of equal value and push. Here, all bets are returned.

The round is resolved when the dealer pays all winning bets, and will then reshuffle the cards to begin the next round.

HOW DO YOU BEAT THE DEALER IN BLACKJACK?

One of the two main objectives of this card game is to try and win against the dealer. There are a few ways to achieve this, including:

1. Scoring a higher card value than the dealer, without exceeding 21.
2. The dealer’s card value goes over 21.
3. Hitting a blackjack by getting a card value of 21 on your first two cards, while the dealer doesn’t.

HOW DO YOU LOSE TO THE DEALER IN BLACKJACK?

Losing is part of the online gaming experience, and is partially what makes the game so fun — after all, why would you play if you know you’re going to win every time?  

There are two ways to lose from the dealer:

1. Your card value exceeds 21.
2. The dealer’s card value is greater than yours at the end of the round.

BEST STRATEGIES TO INCREASE THE ODDS

Once you learn how to play blackjack, the next step to earning a ‘pro’ status is to utilise a strategy to fine-tune your online casino play decisions. There are many strategies out there, and some are tailored to work best on specific blackjack variants, but you’ll have a wide selection of methods to choose from. 

While you can adopt betting systems like the Martingale method or the Fibonacci technique, the basic blackjack strategy is probably the easiest strategy to learn and arguably the most successful at boosting your chances of winning.

The basic blackjack strategy uses mathematical calculations to determine the best times to hit, stand, split, double down or surrender. This way, players can potentially slice the house edge in half and bring it down to as low as 0.20%.

However, this betting technique can be influenced by several factors, including rules set by different gambling houses. Some blackjack tables allow players to split aces, place an insurance bet, double down after splitting, etc. It is important that you check the rules of the blackjack table you’re playing at before you go ahead and place your initial bet.

BLACKJACK HANDS

Going off of what was discussed previously, the basic strategy will guide you on what to do depending on the state of your hand. There are a number of possibilities, but let’s take a look at a few of them. Bear in mind that you can form soft hands or hard hands. Aces count as both an 11 or a one, so soft hands feature an ace counted as 11, whereas hard hands feature an ace counted as one or do not contain an ace at all. 

• A-6 (also known as a soft 17)

• K-7

• 8-8

• 4-2

• A-10 (a blackjack hand)

• J-9

BLACKJACK CARD VALUES

To understand your hand and how to improve it, you need to know how each card is valued individually. After all, the total value of your hand is dependent on the sum card values that built it. How can you know whether to hit or stand if you don’t know how your current hand fairs? 

Cards ranging from two to 10 are taken at face value, which implies that the number of the card indicates the value of that card. Face cards (jack, queen and king) are valued at 10, otherwise known as 10-value cards. The ace is where things get interesting. Aces are valued at 11 until your hand’s value surpasses 21, at which point the ace is valued at one. For this reason, the ace is probably the most valuable card you can earn.

WHY IS LEARNING CARD VALUES IMPORTANT?

To put it simply, learning how each card is valued might actually be the key to potentially winning blackjack. Of course, winning is never a guarantee, but the value of your hand is the sole determining factor of whether you decide to hit, split, stand or double down. 

How? Well, suppose you have a hand with a value of 17. A value like this is pretty close to 21, but it might still not be close enough to 21 to outscore the dealer. Your card value knowledge is crucial here while also taking the dealer’s face-up card into account.

The BLACKJACK TABLES

Now that we’ve covered all the basics of how to play blackjack, allow us to give you a quick overview of what a table looks like — you’ve got to be prepped if you want to ace the game! 

A standard table is typically semi-circular, offering enough space for up to seven players at a time (when playing at land-based gambling houses). You’ll find several divisions that each have their own particular use. Some areas are solely occupied by the dealer, while others are dedicated to the players.

The dealer will sit on the inner arc of the table, while each player will take a seat on the outer arc. The shoe and discard tray will be located to the left of the dealer, and the chip rack will be located in front of the dealer. 

During an actual game, the dealer’s cards will be positioned right in front of the tray, while the players’ cards will be placed along the outer arc of the table in a dedicated bet box. 

Live and First-Person tables are pretty much the same as those found at most casinos, though they may vary in colour and style depending on the variant you play.

BLACKJACK RULES VARIATIONS

If bonuses and side bets vary from table to table, you can expect the game rules to vary too. It is no secret that modern blackjack games come in all shapes and sizes, which will ultimately affect how you play the game. Determining which table is the best one really comes down to what sort of gaming experience you’re after. Each game will come with a detailed list of rules, but here are a few rule variations you might want to look out for as you go along your blackjack journey:

• Doubling After Splitting (DAS): This rule allows players to double down on a hand even after they split it. This rule is not so commonly offered, however, due to it being very advantageous to the player since it lowers the house edge.

• Re-splitting Aces (RSA): Re-splitting aces implies that players would be allowed to separate another pair of aces after already splitting a pair. Some casinos even allow players to do this twice, having up to four hands containing an ace. The ace is one of the most powerful cards in blackjack, so this rule drastically reduces the house edge. For this reason, the RSA rule is not one you’ll stumble upon often.

• Deck/Shoe Penetration: Land-based games generally insert a cut card in the shoe, which tells the dealer that the shoe is running out of cards once the cut card is dealt. This would require the dealer to shuffle the cards and start a new shoe. Deck/shoe penetration refers to the percentage of cards that are actually dealt over the course of a shoe. This rule is mostly beneficial to card counters as the depth of penetration of the cut card limits profitability for a card counter. But, card counting is often forbidden at most casinos, so this rule has become quite obsolete.
• Six-Card Charlie Rule: The Six Card Charlie rule is probably one of the most common rules you’ll encounter. This rule awards an instant win to players that have a hand with a total of six cards that amount to 21 or less, even if the dealer has blackjack. On top of that, if the player decides to split their hand, the Six Card Charlie rule is applied to both pairs. 

• Reno Rule: With the Reno Rule, players can only double down on a hard nine, 10 or 11. 

• No-hole-card Blackjack: With No-hole-card Blackjack, one card is drawn face up, thus eliminating the dealer’s hole card. The dealer’s second card is only drawn once all players acted. 

• CSM Blackjack: CSM Blackjack utilises continuous shuffling machines to continually shuffle all the used cards instead of the dealer having to place cards in a discard tray. The dealer will use these machines, so that there will never be an end to the shoe.

• 6:5 Payout: The standard blackjack payout odds is 3:2. However, some casinos award a payout with 6:5 payout odds. Doing so puts the player at a disadvantage as it boosts the house edge while also preventing players from counting cards.

• Early Surrender Rule: This rule implies that players will be able to surrender before the croupier checks for blackjack or offers insurance. It is a very advantageous rule as it actually gives players a small edge on the house, but Early Surrender is considered a dead rule  as it hasn’t been part of the casino rules since the 70s, and so, is no longer in play. 

• Late Surrender Rule: The Late Surrender rule was created to contrast Early Surrender as it allows players to surrender after the dealer has checked for blackjack. If the dealer has a blackjack hand, however, they’ll lose. If not, half of a player’s original wager is returned.

PLAY BLACKJACK AT HOTSLOTS

We’ve broken down the gameplay, delved into the details and uncovered all the mysteries behind the infamous game of blackjack — the final step to becoming a fully-fledged blackjack player is to pick an online casino to play at! 

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