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The official rules for Blackjack. A beginners guide to the basics of blackjack. The following outline explains the basic rules of standard blackjack (21), along with the house rules most commonly featured in casinos. Players should bear in mind, though, that blackjack rules vary from casino to casino, and check for local variations before playing.
- Overview
- Blackjack Objective
- Blackjack Rules
- Special Gameplay Techniques
- Common Blackjack Strategies
- Proper Casino Etiquette
Master the gameplay techniques and strategies of this popular casino game
Blackjack, known by some as “21,” is a beloved card game where players aim to beat the dealer with a hand that most closely totals 21 points. While it’s mainly a game of luck and chance, Blackjack has its fair share of strategies that can help you get the most out of your bets and payouts. We’ll teach you everything you need to know, including how to set up your game, how to play, and how to maximize your chances of success in a round.
In Blackjack, every player is betting against the dealer. The individual non-dealer players aren’t playing against one another.
The goal of the game is to get a higher hand than the dealer without going over 21. Going over 21 is called busting.
The goal of Blackjack is to beat the dealer’s hand without going over 21.
In Blackjack, every player is competing against the dealer—not each other. In a given round, the player’s ultimate goal is to get a hand that’s higher than the dealer’s (without being higher than 21, or "busting"). Only by beating the dealer can a player win their bet. Players determine the value of their hand by tallying up the point values of their cards:
The number listed on the card (e.g., 2 is worth 2 points)
1 or 11 points (the player gets to choose)
All the players make a bet with their chips.
Using whatever betting materials they have on hand, each player wagers a certain amount of currency (before they even get their cards). All players must submit their bets before the round officially starts.
This is also known as a "buy-in" or minimum bet.
If you have poker chips on hand, divide them among the players so everyone can make their bets. If you aren’t playing for cash, feel free to use anything you have a lot of lying around your home (like matches).
The dealer gives a card to each player as well as themselves.
The dealer hands a card face-up to each player and then places a card face-down in front of themselves. It’s okay if the players can see each others’ hands—all that matters is that they can’t see the dealer’s first card.
If your second card is identical to your first (e.g., two 8 cards), you have the option to “split” your hand into 2 separate ones. Place the same number of chips down for your split bet, and then ask for the dealer to “hit” each of your hands. Think of splitting as just giving yourself an extra turn for the round—each hand is separate from the other. Even if one hand busts, you still continue playing with your other hand.
If you split 2 Aces, the player can only hit each hand one time. If you end up getting a point total of 21 on one of your hands, this isn’t considered a Blackjack (in terms of payout), but it still pushes if the dealer gets a Blackjack.
Any 2 cards with the same point value can split, like a Queen and a Jack (which are both worth 10 points).
This rule varies by casino, though, so double-check with your dealer before you try this maneuver.
Stay if your hand is 17 or higher.
While there’s always the chance that you could receive an Ace, 2, 3, or 4 if you ask the dealer to hit, the odds aren’t in your favor. It’s always safer to stay and hope that your hand won’t be lower than the dealer’s—the chances of busting and knocking yourself out at this point are much higher!
Assume that the dealer's face-down card is a 10.
In a given deck of cards, 16 of the 52 cards have a value of 10 points (the 10s, Jacks, Queens, and Kings). While it's definitely not a guarantee that the dealer's hidden card is a 10, the odds for 10 specifically are better than any other individual card value—so, it's a pretty reasonable strategy to take as a beginner.
More advanced players don't use this strategy and instead opt for more sophisticated methods, but it's a good strategy for beginners.
Assume that the dealer will bust if their face-up card is 6 or lower.
Place your money on the table instead of handing it to the dealer.
For security purposes, most casinos require all money to be laid out on the table, so it’s clear how much the player is betting. The dealer will then count the money, accept the funds, and distribute the proper amount of chips based on how much you paid.
Leave your cards on the table and don’t touch them.
In Blackjack, you aren’t supposed to pick up your hand—after all, you don’t have any reason to hide it from the dealer or your fellow players. Instead, leave your cards untouched on the table after the dealer puts them down.
Some casinos may allow you to handle the cards, but only you to do so with one hand.
Use hand signals to call your plays.
- 3 min
- 1.1M
- Janice Tieperman
21 Card Game Explained. The most important blackjack rule is simple: beat the dealer’s hand without going over 21. If you get 21 points exactly on the deal, that is called a “blackjack.”. When you’re dealt a blackjack 21, it’s customary to pay out 3:2 or 2:1.
In blackjack, it’s absolutely essential that you know the card values. K, Q, J – 10 points. 2 to 10 – Number listed on the card, meaning a 2 of clubs is worth 2 points. A – 1 or 11 points, depending on what the player wants. Another important thing to note is that an ace and a 10 point card, such as a K, Q, J, or 10, is called a ...
- Mia Kim
Blackjack Dealer Rules. Blackjack dealers follow the same basic rules and objective as players in 21. Number and face cards have the same values, and Aces are still worth one or 11 for the dealer. Where dealer rules differ in blackjack though is when it comes to bets.
- Blackjack (or 21) is one of the most popular casino games in the world. It uses 1-8 decks of cards and sees players take turns competing against th...
- Classic Blackjack uses a single deck, but many casinos and online gambling sites use 6-8 decks in their blackjack games.
- In blackjack with two people, one person becomes the dealer and the other the player. The dealer deals two face-up cards; one for the player, the o...
- When a player doubles down in blackjack, they double their bet in the middle of the hand in exchange for one card only. This wager is risky as it c...
- Players make their wagers at the start of the round before any cards are dealt. Starting to their left, the dealer works their way around the black...
- When the dealer and a player have the same hand value in blackjack, that is a push. When this happens, the dealer returns the player's bet. This me...
- Blackjack rules state that when a player or dealer reaches 21 in their first two cards they get blackjack. If a player gets blackjack, this beats a...
- Face cards refer to Jack, Queen, or King cards of any suit in blackjack. Each face card has a value of 10, which makes them particularly valuable t...
- Ace cards are worth either 11 or one in blackjack — it depends on the player's choice. Paired with a face card (Jack, Queen, or King) an Ace can ma...
- A King card has a value of 10, regardless of suit. Besides Ace cards, which can be worth 11, Kings have the highest value in blackjack, alongside Q...
The rules of blackjack are to get as close to 21 as possible and beat the dealer. The cards 2 through 10 are worth their face value, and face cards (Jack, Queen, and King) are also worth 10. Head ...
People also ask
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Sep 2, 2020 · The cards from 2 through 9 are valued at their face value. The 10, Jack, Queen, and King are all valued at 10. The suits of the cards do not have any meaning in the game. The value of a hand is simply the sum of the point counts of each card in the hand. Some examples: 5 + 7 + 9 = 21, so this hand has a value of 21.
