Meta Description – Explore the basic Blackjack rules to understand how to make moves such as when to hit, stand, split and double down during the Blackjack gaming action.
About Blackjack
Blackjack is a card game providing great fun and quite popular at casinos. Blackjack rules are also easy to learn which adds to the game’s fame. As a casino game, it is played against the house with an objective of getting a hand value more than the dealer and close to 21 without exceeding it.
Blackjack Play
Blackjack is played with a single or multiple decks of standard 52-cards. The game of Blackjack begins with the dealer dealing two cards to each player and himself. While both the cards are dealt face up to the players, one of the dealer’s card is face down.
Players at the Blackjack table get the option of playing more than one hand at a time. The minimum, as well as maximum bet size, varies from casino to casino. The house advantage which is derived from several rules of the game favours the dealer.
Blackjack Rules
After the dealing of the initial two cards, the players are offered an option of placing an insurance bet if the dealer has a 10 or an Ace face up card. Players who choose to take insurance will place an additional bet equal to half of their original bet. This insurance bet wins if the dealer has Blackjack.
When the dealer has a Blackjack, as per Blackjack rules all the players without a Blackjack lose their original bet. However, in the case of both the dealer and player having a Blackjack, the player’s bet is returned while insurance bets will be paid at 2:1.
The players get to make their next move in turns if there is no Blackjack. The actions available are Stand, Hit, Double Down, Split and Surrender.
Hit – The player can opt for taking another card using this action. On signalling the players get a single face-up card, upon which the player stands if the hand value if 21 and can choose to hit or stand if the value is less than 21.
Stand – If the players are satisfied with the total value on their hand after being dealt the cards, can stand and not draw any cards.
Double Down – A player can opt to double down when they feel they have a favourable hand with value 9, 10 or 11. Doing so they can place a second wager equal to their first one.
Split – This action is chosen, when the player would like to split their cards into two separate hands-on getting the first two cards of matching rank. While splitting the players can place an additional bet that is equal to their original bet. On splitting the players get an additional card on each hand.
Surrender – The players are allowed to give up their hand and take back half their bet through this action. This action must be the player’s first and only action on the hand.
Payouts
Payouts are based on the outcome of the game and generally paid evenly when the player wins on a normal hand.
