The Basic Rules of Blackjack
During your next visit to a casino, you might want to learn the basic rules of blackjack. Blackjack is a card game in which the goal is to beat the dealer’s hand. The best possible hand is blackjack, which is achieved by opening a deal with an ace and ten-value card. All other cards count at their index value.
Traditionally, the game is played with one deck of cards, although online casinos now offer larger deck sizes. Players are dealt two cards at the start of the game. The dealer then waits for the hand to finish. Players can increase their bet during favorable situations. If the player busts, he or she loses half their original wager. This is known as a “surrender.” Some casinos allow the player to make a side bet, called insurance, which pays two to one if the dealer has blackjack. This bet can be made on the dealer’s hand or the player’s.
Most casinos allow players to split same-value cards. Splitting pairs increases the wager and makes the hand more likely to be won. Some casinos also allow players to split ten value cards, excluding pairs of tens and ace. Splitting tens is a poor play, as they often have a high house advantage. Depending on the rules of the particular casino, players may only receive one additional card on each hand.
During the game, the dealer is also dealt two cards. The first is face down, and the second is slid under the first card. The dealer then checks to see if he or she has blackjack. If they do, they reveal the down card. Afterwards, they must stand.
When both players have blackjack, the winner is the player. When both players have the same hand, it is called a push. In some cases, the dealer will also have blackjack, and the winner is the dealer. If neither player has blackjack, the game ends in a tie. The dealer’s hole card is also exposed. If the dealer’s hole card is an ace, the dealer will draw more cards. If the dealer has blackjack, the dealer wins the insurance bet. If the dealer does not have blackjack, the insurance bet is forfeited.
Aside from the basic rules of blackjack, there are a few other variations that you should know. These variations increase the house edge, but do not alter the basic strategy. Besides, they are unlikely to change the outcome of the game.
One variation of blackjack is known as “Wonging.” This is when a player watches the cards being played and takes note of the pattern. Wonging is not without its problems, however. Besides reducing the spread, it also enables the player to make better decisions.
Another variation is known as “Elimination Blackjack,” which is a tournament format of blackjack. In this game, each player is dealt two cards and attempts to get closer to the total value of 21 than the dealer. If the player has a total of 12, then the player is a winner.