Blackjack has become by now such a popular game that you can find it being played by people all around the world, from being played among friends just for fun up to being played in real casinos for high sums of money. Perhaps the game has gained such popularity because of its simplicity. The main rule of blackjack is that you have to keep your cards’ sum under 21 especially when you are playing at a casino against a dealer. When you exceed 21, that is called busting- it has to be mentioned here that the ace is considered “the card” in this game, and it can equal 1 or 11; then, the queen, king and the jack each equals 10 points- and from here on you can make your calculations. If you ask yourself who is considered the winner in a multiplayer game which involves a dealer, the answer is the person who gathers a score nearest to 21.
Certainly there is much more to blackjack than the above mentioned main rule of the game. In order to raise the excitement, and to make it a little bit more complicated, there are several rule variations that you might meet in casinos, be it online or land based ones. Now, especially if you are a beginner, when you first step into a casino you might see on the online blackjack tabletop the following: “Dealer stands on all 17s”. This simply means, that if the dealer draws cards with their total value less than 17, he has to continuously pick up until he reaches or exceeds 17. To exemplify it, if the dealer draws Ace and 7, that totals 18, so in this case the dealer stops; while if he draws Ace and 2, that equals 13, so he must continue up until he hits 17.
It may happen that you are so lucky that from the very first two cards you are dealt, you hit the 21; if so, this is called blackjack, and depending on the house rules (always!), you might earn some nice money. It is also very important the number of decks used in online blackjack; this is again a rule set by the house. Normally you would say that playing blackjack with a single deck of cards is the most common and the best option because it is easy to make calculations and assumptions, while playing with four decks would complicate the whole game. Generally, as the number of decks used in blackjack raises, so the rules of the game are much “softer”; but this variation of blackjack with multiple decks of cards is certainly more suitable for experienced players, and not for beginners who are used to counting.
Another rule you can make use of is what is known as “late surrender’; this is a rule which simply means if you have a bad hand, you may surrender and skip your turn. But because everything costs, if you call surrender then you will lose as much as half of your bet. This rule is called ‘late’ because the dealer first looks at his own hand to see whether he has a blackjack, and only lets you surrender afterwards. Surely this is a rule, better called an option for you which if exploited wisely, it may work in your favor, but if not it may work in your disadvantage. So, don’t rely on it too often, just have it there as a quick rescue solution. What is known as ‘hit’ or ‘stand’ are commands you may make use of during the game. The hit means you wish to have another card, while the stand means you don’t wish to draw anymore; according to what value your hand is, you decide for yourself which is the best move. Also, as already noted each casino has its own rules, and while in some casinos it is enough if you call ‘hit’ or ‘stand’, in others you have to also make the sign with your hand: move your hand above your cards if you wish to stand and slightly tap the table if you wish to hit. Moreover, rules are differing in some ways if you are playing a face-up or a face-down game, and this is why it is important that you make acquaintance with rules and regulations of the game in general, even before deciding to have an actual game at a casino. If you are a total beginner, than it would be advisable that you find an online version of blackjack which allows you to play for free, a sort of a trial version. This way you will get used to the cards, to counting, you will familiarize with the rules and everything else that is needed before proceeding to the actual game. Another choice of yours when playing at the blackjack table is the “double down” option. In plain words, this means you might put the steak higher by raising your bet while asking for a card. To exemplify this, in the case you hold two cards which sum up 11, there is a great chance that with your next draw you’ll have 21. Surely, as just in any other game here luck plays an important role, but also strategic thinking may add to your chances. Beyond these rules, which are set by the house and you must obey, there are the unwritten rules which you build for yourself, and hereby meaning that experience plays a very important role, so following your pure instincts many times can prove useful.
Then, learning your opponents, trying to read their faces is again something which may help you along your game. Some other terms you should be familiar with pertaining to the rules of blackjack, is the re-split of the aces, which means that if by the first hand you are dealt two aces you might split and switch for another card; however this is a one time opportunity in most of the cases, as this doesn’t mean that if it happens that you hold two aces you might again split them. You may be allowed to split not only aces, but also other pairs, as in the case if you are dealt two nines, which totals eighteen and you don’t wish to try anymore of your luck. So, if the house lets you to split the pair, which simply means, where until now you dealt with only one hand, now you’ll play two hands. As seen, there are many rules of blackjack which can be called more properly choices, because all the above rules constitute options for you which help making your game better. It is important that you make the right step at the right time, and you don’t play hazardously; learn the rules, and when time comes you know how to exploit them, so that it will be beneficial to you.