Blackjack being the most popular card game in the casino is often one of the first card games that people want to learn how to play. Most casinos will play the game of Blackjack with 6-8 decks of cards, although Blackjack can also be played with as little as one deck of cards. Blackjack rules are simple to follow. A Blackjack player must have a hand higher in value than that of the dealer’s hand. While players are free to hit or stand as they see fit, the Blackjack dealer has very specific rules that determine whether he hits or stands.
Objective in Blackjack
The goal in Blackjack is to beat the dealer’s hand. In order to do so, you need to be closer to 21 then them without going over 21. If you go over 21 then it is known as busting and results in the loss of your wager. If the Blackjack dealer busts, they automatically lose and all remaining players will be paid out on their wager. However, if a player has busted prior to the dealer’s actions, Blackjack rules dictate the busting players are not paid in the instance of the dealer bust.
Blackjack Rules on Play
Play moves individually, beginning from the Blackjack dealer’s left. Each player will have several options that they can use when playing Blackjack. When a Blackjack player has his turn, he may choose one of the following courses of action:
Hit – The term “hit” in Blackjack means that you want another card.
Stand – The term “stand” in Blackjack means that you do not want any more cards.
Double Down – The term “double down” means you want to double your bet and take only one more card.
Splitting Pairs – The term “splitting pairs” means you want to split your pair and play two hands.
The Blackjack player may play his hand accordingly, choosing when to hit, as well as when to stand. Should a player hit to a hand value of over 21, he goes bust. Thus, Blackjack rules require the dealer to remove the player’s cards from the playing area and collect the busted player’s bet.
Card Values in Blackjack
The next thing you need to learn about Blackjack is the value of the cards. If you do not know the value of the cards then you are not going to know whether to hit or stand. As per the Blackjack rules, numbered cards (two through ten) are valued at their face value. For example, a nine of hearts has a value of nine. Face cards, which are Jacks, Queens and Kings, possess a value of ten, according to Blackjack rules. Aces are worth either one or eleven in Blackjack.
Blackjack Rules for the Dealer
While the Blackjack player may hit and stand freely, the Blackjack dealer must play their hand by a certain set of rules. The Blackjack rules presiding over dealer’s actions are very specific. The dealer will always stand on 17 and hit if they have lower then 17. Additionally, the dealer is also always the last to act in every hand. Once the dealer has completed their hand (by either busting, or achieving an amount greater than seventeen but less than 21), the winners are paid out. Upon payout and collection of the used cards, a new hand will start.
