How to Play Blackjack

Blackjack is among the few games cherished by professional casino players. While, like most casino games, blackjack is a game of chance, professional players love it for being one of the most lucrative casino games, thanks to its impressive odds. Additionally, the game also features its fair share of strategies, allowing players to significantly enhance their chances of winning.

Casino beginners eager to adopt blackjack as their game of choice and, consequently, benefit from its remarkably low house edge simply need to spare a few moments to go through this article. This article outlines all the game’s basics, thereby providing a detailed exposition on how to play blackjack like a pro.

Table of Contents

What is Blackjack and the Objective Behind the Game

In simple terms, blackjack is a card-comparing game that fuses chance as well as skill elements.

Things get more technical when it comes to the objective behind the game. The objective when playing the game is to beat the dealer by creating a hand that betters that of the dealer. To achieve the objective, players need to create a hand which equals 21 or is nearest to 21. When players go over 21, they bust resulting in the loss of the game and their wager. Owing to the fact that 21 is the golden number when playing blackjack, some people interchangeably use 21 or blackjack when referring to the same game.

Blackjack is a multiplayer game that can be played by up to 7 players. However, while this is the case, players don’t compete against each other. Rather, each player on the table competes against the dealer. In addition to being an active participant in the game, the dealer is also the one responsible for dealing the cards that is, distributing cards to all the players as well as him or herself. In doing this, the dealer follows the general blackjack guidelines.

Step-by-Step Guide on How to Play Blackjack

Now that the question of what is blackjack and the objective behind the game is out of the way, let’s get to see how you can start playing blackjack.

The first step entails picking the blackjack game you want to play at the best online casino you desire. In doing this, be guided by the fact that each blackjack game (table) has specific minimum and maximum bets allowed. Always settle at a table with betting limits that allow you to stick to your bankroll management plan.
The next step is to place your bets. When playing in land-based casinos, you do this using chips. If playing at an online casino, then you simply need to pick the appropriate bet option from those offered. Usually, they are found on the betting layout at the bottom of the screen
From a 52-card deck that doesn’t include Jokers, the dealer will start dealing the cards. First, all players receive 1 card face up and then the dealer’s card is placed face down. Afterwards, the dealer deals another set of cards – one card each to each player face up as well as 1 face-up card to the dealer
The player to the left side of the dealer will start the gaming session. From there, the game continues in a clockwise direction. On the turn of each player, players have to make a decision. The decisions that players make are dependent upon the hand they are holding. The decisions that players may make include:
– Stay (Stand): Refuse another card from the dealer that increases your hand
– Hit: Request another card from the dealer that increases your hand
– Double Down: This action forces players to double their initial bet but once done, they commit to stand once they receive one card
– Split: This action can only be taken if the first two cards the player receives are of the same value. It entails separating the two cards, thereby creating a second hand. To operationalize the new hand, a new bet equal to the initial bet will be needed.
– Surrender: This entails giving up half of your bet and exiting the game if you believe you can no longer win. This action however is not available in all blackjack variants.
Once all players have had their chance to play, and the cycle completes, the dealer will reveal his or her second card, and the winners will emerge. If the dealer’s hand equals 16 or lower, s/he will hit to get another card. If the hand is over 16, the dealer stands. Hands will be compared thereafter to determine winners. Note that if the dealer has a blackjack (a hand worth 21), all players lose unless they also have a blackjack, in which case they push (get their original bet back).

How to Master and Play the Game Like a Pro

The above guide illustrates how players can play blackjack. However, those aiming to master the game and play like pros will need to follow the tips outlined in the WikiHow tables below:

Calculating Your Blackjack Hand

As you have learned from this blackjack guide, succeeding when playing the game is all about creating a valuable hand. To create such a hand, you need to know the value of each card that you receive. Below is a detailed outline of the values of each card in the Blackjack 52 card deck.

All face cards that is 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are worth their face value
Kings, Queens, and Jacks are worth 10
Aces are worth either 1 or 11 depending on what’s advantageous to the player.

Round Up

Blackjack has one of the lowest if not the overall lowest house edge amongst all top casino games. This in essence makes it an enterprising game to play. Players looking for more than just fun when playing casino games will thus not go wrong when playing blackjack. More impressive when it comes to the game is that it has skill elements hence players have the chance of significantly enhancing their chances of winning big.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. Is blackjack the same game as 21?

Yes, blackjack is just the same game with 21. The rules for the games are the same.

Q2. What’s the objective when playing blackjack?

The objective when playing blackjack is to beat the dealer by creating a hand that is better than the dealer’s. However, the player’s hand must not exceed 21, as that is called busting, which will result in the player forfeiting his or her bet.