Blackjack: A Player’s Guide to Rules, Instructions and Winning Strategy Tips
Introduction
Blackjack is a game I’ve played a lot at casinos, featured in many a casino scene in films and is overall one of the ‘coolest’ casino games. It’s a card game where you try to get cards that add up to 21, but not more. It’s been around for a long time, and some say it started in France in the 1700s.
The game was called “Vingt-et-Un” back then, which means “Twenty-One.” It got super popular in the United States, and that’s where it got the name Blackjack. The name comes from when players got a bonus if they had an ace of spades and a black jack. Now, it’s one of the most played games in casinos all over the world.
Quick Tip for Blackjack
Always assume the dealer’s hidden card is a 10. It helps you make better choices.
Rules for playing Blackjack
So, you want to know how to play Blackjack? Cool, let’s get into it. First, you need to know the card values. Cards 2 through 10 are worth their face value. Jacks, Queens, and Kings are worth 10, and Aces can be 1 or 11, whatever works best for your hand.
The game starts with everyone getting two cards. The dealer gets two as well, but one of them is face down. You can hit, which means you get another card, or stand, which means you’re good with what you have. If you get more than 21, you bust, and that’s not good because you lose.
If you get 21 with your first two cards, that’s a Blackjack, and you usually win more. But if the dealer also has Blackjack, it’s a tie, and you just get your bet back. After everyone’s done making their moves, the dealer shows their hidden card. The dealer has to hit until they get at least 17. If the dealer busts, everyone who didn’t bust wins.
There are also options like splitting and doubling down. Splitting is when you get two of the same card and you can split them into two hands. Doubling down is when you double your bet and get one more card. There’s also insurance, but I don’t really recommend it. It’s a bet you can make when the dealer’s face-up card is an ace, and it’s a bet that the dealer has Blackjack.
Equipment and Setup for Blackjack
Blackjack is usually played with one to eight decks of cards. You play on a special table that has a spot for the dealer and spots for the players. Each player has a circle or box to place bets in. There’s also a spot for the dealer’s cards, and sometimes a tray for the chips and a shoe for the cards.
How to Play Blackjack
Here’s how you play the game:
- Everyone bets by putting chips in their betting box.
- The dealer gives everyone two cards, including themselves. One of the dealer’s cards is face down.
- Players decide to hit, stand, split, or double down.
- After all players are done, the dealer shows their hidden card and might hit or stand.
- If your cards are closer to 21 than the dealer’s, you win!
How to Win at Blackjack
Winning at Blackjack means you need to play smart. You should know when to hit or stand based on your cards and the dealer’s face-up card. There are charts that show the best moves to make in different situations. The house always has an edge, but if you play with the right strategy, you can lower it a lot.
The odds of winning change with every card that’s played. If you’re good at keeping track of what cards have been played, that can help you guess what might come next. This is called card counting, but it’s hard to do and in my experience not allowed in most casinos.
This table I’ve shared below provides a basic strategy to maximize your odds of winning based on mathematical probabilities. However, it’s important to note that there are variations in strategy depending on specific rules of the game, the number of decks being used, and other factors. For more precise strategies, players often refer to strategy charts tailored to their specific game conditions.
Explanation of actions:
- Hit: Request another card to be dealt.
- Stand: Keep the current hand and end the turn.
- Double: Double the initial bet, take one more card, and then stand.
- Split: If you have a pair, you may have the option to split your hand into two separate hands, each with its own bet, and continue to play each hand separately. However, splitting is not included in this simplified table.
Blackjack Strategy Table
| Player’s Hand Total | Dealer’s Upcard | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 5-8 | Any | Hit |
| 9 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | Double |
| 9 | 7, 8, 9, 10, A | Hit |
| 10 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | Double |
| 10 | 7, 8, 9, 10, A | Hit |
| 11 | Any | Double |
| 12 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | Stand |
| 12 | 7, 8, 9, 10, A | Hit |
| 13-16 | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | Stand |
| 13-16 | 7, 8, 9, 10, A | Hit |
| 17 or higher | Any | Stand |
| Soft 13-15 | 4, 5, 6 | Double |
| Soft 13-18 | 2, 3 | Hit |
| Soft 16-18 | 7, 8 | Hit |
| Soft 17 | Any | Hit |
| Soft 19 or higher | Any | Stand |
Best Strategies for playing Blackjack
Good strategies for Blackjack, in brief, include always splitting aces and eights. Don’t split tens because that’s already a strong hand. If you have a hard 17 or higher, it’s usually best to stand. If the dealer has a bad card like a 5 or 6 showing, you might want to stand on a lower total because the dealer has a higher chance of busting.
One of the best strategies for playing blackjack involves mastering basic strategy, which is a mathematically optimal way to play each hand dealt to you. This approach dictates whether you should hit, stand, double down, split, or surrender based on your hand’s total and the dealer’s upcard, reducing the house edge to as low as possible.
Additionally, card counting can be an effective strategy for experienced players. By keeping a running tally of high and low cards dealt, players can adjust their bets and actions to take advantage of the odds when they are in their favor. Effective bankroll management is also crucial; setting limits for wins and losses can help maintain a healthy balance and avoid impulsive decisions. It’s important to stay disciplined, avoiding the temptation of side bets or insurance which typically carry a higher house edge. Finally, taking advantage of casino comps and playing in games with the most favorable rules, like 3:2 payouts for blackjack and dealer standing on soft 17, can also increase your chances of coming out ahead.
Variations
There are different versions of Blackjack around the world. Some have different rules about splitting or doubling down. There’s also a version called Spanish 21 that uses fewer tens in the deck, which changes the strategy a bit.
Scenarios
Good scenarios are when you have a strong hand like 20, and the dealer has a bad card showing. Bad scenarios are when you have 16 and the dealer has a 10 showing. In that case, it’s a tough call whether to hit or stand.
Frequently Asked Questions about playing Blackjack
- Q: How do you know when to hit or stand?
A: It depends on your cards and the dealer’s face-up card. There are strategy charts that can help you decide. - Q: Is card counting illegal?
A: It’s not illegal, but casinos don’t like it and can ask you to leave if they think you’re doing it. - Q: Can you win at Blackjack in the long run?
A: The house always has an edge, but with good strategy, you can lower it and have better chances to win.
External Links
Live Blackjack Las Vegas [Video]
Eve Brownlee was a gamer before gaming communities on the internet were a thing. Eve grew up playing traditional, standard deck card games like Rummy and Bezique, taking an interest in the classics Backgammon and Chess. Parlor card games like Bridge continue to keep Eve active in the community. After a long career, primarily in horticulture for USDA in Maryland, Eve now travels and writes on The Pineapple (pineapples.info) and contributes to Quora/Pinterest topics. Contact Eve via email.
