Blackjack Rules

The basics of blackjack are simple, but the game as a whole is the subject of controversies about strategies and playing styles. However, before playing the game, you will have to learn the basic and blackjack strategy.

Basic Blackjack Principles

In blackjack, your aim is to have the total value of your cards possibly closest to 21, without getting over. The cards 2 to 10 are valued accordingly, while the Royal Cards (J, Q, and K) are considered 10. The Ace is valued at 1 or 11, it depends on the player's needs.

Busting is the fear of every blackjack player. If the total of your cards is greater than 21, it means you have a bust; therefore you will lose the game. The player (or dealer) that has the closest total to 21 without busting is the winner of the game. You can request as many cards as you like, but usually the game stops with the players holding 2 or 3 cards in their hands.

You will also need to be familiar with blackjack table. Fortunately, it is the same for real and online blackjack. It can host up to 6 players, but the game can begin with only one player at the table. The number of decks is set by the dealer, but you will have the possibility to choose your table, considering the number of decks also. As a beginner, you will play with fewer decks of cards, as you will have more chances to win.

Betting and Playing Blackjack

So, what is blackjack? Every blackjack game begins with the betting round. The players would receive two cards faced up, while the dealer hides one of his cards. This is called the house edge, as the player would have to bet by guessing the hidden card of the dealer. If the player decides he has a good hand, he will remain into the game by wagering. The minimum bet is set by the house, and you must also take this aspect into consideration before engaging into a certain blackjack game.

The ideal combination is a Royal card (or a 10) with an Ace. This is a Blackjack, as the name of the game says and it is the dream of every player of this game. You will also win 1.5 of your initial stake, unless the dealer has a blackjack also. In this case, you could go for another round or you could call the game off (in this case, the bets are returned to the players).

The game won't stop if one player wins. The remaining players would also have to look for winning combinations, and they could use several options to do that: Split, Even, or even Surrender. Depending on the complexity of a certain blackjack game, you can also have an access to some other options.