Quick Blackjack Guide

• Table and Casino Rules
• Basic Blackjack Rules
• Player's Betting Options

Once you are in a casino you will see that there are a lot of blackjack tables from which to choose. All the blackjack tables have different betting limits and a different number of participants. The most crowded tables are the ones with low betting limits. Not all the players want or can afford to lose 20$ on one bet. Also you will see tables where is only one gambler playing with the dealer. If you want to play at that table you should better ask first polite if you can join in because some players like to play one on one with the dealer. After you found a table where you want to play, if you haven't already changed your cash money in chips from the cashier you can change your cash at the dealer. Just lay the cash on the table and the dealer will exchange it for an assortment of chips that matches the amount. The most common colors for various amounts are as follows:

You can stack your chips in front of you on the table. A blackjack round can start only after all the players at the table will make their bets. So you can make a bet you just need to place your desired bet in the circle/box in front of you. So you can get familiar with the blackjack table layout, visit the blackjack tables section. Once the dealer dealt the cards to the players you will cannot change or touch your bet placed on the felt table. After the hand is over, lost bets are collected and winning bets will be paid off (added to your stack of chips in the circle or box that you placed them in). When you're done playing, you'll have to take the chips to the cashier in order to get your cash.

Basic Blackjack Rules
The main goal of the blackjack game is to beat the dealers hand without (busting) going over a total of 21. The dealer starts to deal the cards from left to right and each player will receive two cards face up. The dealers cards are one face up and one face down also known as the hole card. The values of the cards are as follows:

After you was dealt the two cards, based on their values and on the dealers face up card, you will need to make a decision on your game. You have the option either to hit, stand, double down or split.

Bust: A hand with a total that exceed 21.

Soft Total: A hand that contains an Ace, which can be counted as a 1 or 11. For example if a player has an Ace and a 5, it is a soft 16 (or a soft 6).

Hard Total: A hand that contains an Ace, but which has to be counted as a 1. For example if a player has an Ace and a 5, if he hits for another card and the third card received is a 9, the Ace will have to be counted as 1 for the total to be under 21, so his hand will be a hard 15 (Ace, 5, 9).

The most common casino rule is that the dealer stands on all 17s. If his total hand is lower than 17, he must continue to hit until the total is greater than or equal to 17. If part of the hand is an Ace, it is always counted as 11. The substitute rule, which also increases the house edge, is that the dealer hits soft 17s (stands on hard 17s or higher and soft 18s or higher). As the blackjack rules dictate, these would be totals where the Ace can be counted as 1 or 11.

Player's Betting Options

Hit or Stand
To hit or to stand it means that you want to be dealt an additional card (hit) or you like the prospects of your hand and you don't want to draw another card (stand). The decision can be made fairly easily with the help of a strategy chart, which offers the best odds in each case.

Split
If you receive as your first two cards a pair you can choose to split those two cards and to play each hand individually. For the second hand you will need to make an additional bet with an equal amount of chips as the original one. So if you choose to split a pair of cards the dealer will put the two cards on the felt table a few inches apart and you will play first the hand on the left until you win or bust and then the second hand until you win or you bust.

Double Down

Doubling down means that you are doubling your bet when you think that if you will add only one card to the first two cards dealt you will beat the dealer. After you will double your bet you will be dealt only one card (good or bad). There are different opportunities where the double down options can be very profitable. To find out more, consult the strategy chart.

Surrender

This is the least common options and is rarely part of the blackjack rules enforced at most casinos. The surrender option gives the player the opportunity to fold your hand, only losing half of the original bet. If this option is offered at the table, it must be used before any other (ie. hitting, splitting, or doubling down automatically takes away the option of surrendering).