Blackjack Rules - Learn and Play

Once one decides to play blackjack, the wide open mysterious gambling world is opened in front. How not to get lost?

Preparing to Play

Although, the player is always interested in winning, it all starts when one enters a casino, or opens the internet gambling site.

Then, the first essential point is to choose a table, where one would like to play, and find out, whether there's a free place at it (each table generally comprises 6 - 8 seats). After that, the player buys chips, which will be bet in the game.

The Game - General Rules and Notions

1. Objective. Once one decided to gamble, no matter what game is chosen, it's absolutely necessary to be aware of the objective - that is what has to be done to win. In all blackjack variations, the objective is to reach a total of 21, or as close to it as possible without going over this number ("busting").

2. The cards. Blackjack is usually played with from 6 to 8 packs, each being composed of 52 cards (no Jokers are included), which depends on what variant of the game one has chosen. As for the card value: - Jacks, Queens, Kings and 10's have a value of 10;

• 2's -9's have a value according to the nominal values;
• Aces have a value of either 11, or one (the choice is usually made in favour of the better hand (a total sum of the card values a player has is as closer to 21, as possible, or 21)).

3. First step in a game. As soon as the game starts, the player has to make his bet, which isn't, actually, limited by blackjack rules. Then, he/she receives an initial hand of 2 cards, the dealer's hand being half-opened in the beginning. Having chosen a certain blackjack strategy, one makes the next moves, until the game ends.

4. Hands, Bets and Moves - Better, or Worse

• The best variant for the player is to receive an initial pair of an Ace and a 10 (Natural Blackjack), as in this case he\she definitely wins. Still, if the dealer also has Blackjack as well, the player's bet will simply returned back.
• The worst variant for the player is when he busts, although even if one doesn't bust, there still remains a chance of losing, in case a dealer has a stronger hand. If the dealer busts - every player, sitting at the table, wins.
• The player will also win, if he/she has a higher count, than a dealer and, vice versa, if the dealer's count is higher, the player loses.
• If the player and the dealer have the same counts - the bank is split between them equally.
• The player can protect his bet, being afraid that the dealer has Blackjack (usually if dealer's open card is Ace) - he/she can buy Insurance. Then, if the dealer has Blackjack - the player receives half of his bet back, if not, he/she loses his insurance and continues the game.
• The player can surrender, if his/her initial cards are bad, and the dealer's open card is not. Then, half of the bet is returned.
• The player can double his bet, if the initial hand is promising. Then, both the dealer and the player receive an option of taking only one card more, though neither of them can refuse to take this card. Such option is called Double Down.
• If the player's initial cards are of the same value (e.g. 7 and 7, for instance), he/she can split them into 2 hands, which will be played differently, and make 1 more bet. Still, it's necessary to remember, that if Aces are split, the player loses a chance to get Blackjack, as even if he gets 10, the cards will be counted as simply "total 21".

5. Who are we playing against?

All the people and the table are playing against the casino in the face of the dealer, who always follows blackjack rules and can't decide themselves, whether to take the next card, or not. Generally, the blackjack online rules also presuppose his obligation to take cards, until he receives 17 points, or more, though there might be variations, depending on what blackjack variant is played.