Blackjack! It’s so simple, they all say. It’s super easy to win, they all say. But if you sit down at a table to play you might wonder what exactly is going on, what with all the “hit me” talk, and multiple players winning a round. What the?!
The aim of Blackjack is simply to score higher than the dealer (so more than one person can win at one game), without the total of your cards going over 21. It’s played in rounds with two cards dealt to everyone in the first round, including the dealer, and the ability to receive another card with each round. The game can be played with up to eight decks of cards at once to prevent card counting by players, which can lead to getting an edge over the house and also getting banned from a casino faster than smoking because it’s against the rules.
According to nodeposit365.co.uk, for the online variation of blackjack pretty much the same game rules apply, and this article will be focusing mainly on this kind of game. There are quite a few considerations to keep in mind if you intend on bagging a win whether it’s your first or tenth game. So be sure to read through the following tips, so you can base your gameplay on solid foundations.
The Terminology
- Hit – Deal another card this turn
- Stand – Don’t deal another card this turn
- Bust – Total of cards is over 21, a losing hand
- Blackjack – Total of cards is 21, a winning hand with an Ace and a card to the value of 10
Cards to the value of 10
In Blackjack, each of the number cards have a value of their number itself. However the face cards (i.e. Jack, Queen, King) each have a value of 10. The Ace, of course, is a bit different. The Ace can be either a value of 1 or 11, depending on what you, the player, wants it to be.
Total of 11 or less? Hit me!
The simplest method of knowing when to take another card to add to your pile – or hit – is to see whether the cards you have currently add up to 11 or less. If you think of it this way, the highest value card you could possibly receive would be a 10. While the Ace has the ability to be played as a value of 11, even if you get dealt an Ace, you could say that you want its value to be one.
Total of 17 or more? Stand
Sure, you want to get as close to 21 as possible, but there are only so many low value cards in the game. If you have 17, you could only possibly draw a 2, 3, or 4 before you bust. Considering there are 10 other cards in each suit that will bust you, that’s a risky play – unless the dealer is already higher than you.
Watch that dealer hand
A blackjack dealer is an ace at the game, who’s had full training for their job, and you’re just another player sitting at the table. But that doesn’t mean that you won’t have a chance to beat them at it!
In the first round of blackjack, bets are placed to buy into the game, with each player dealt two hands face up, with the dealer being dealt one face down (the Hole Card) and one face up (the Upcard). After all the players have received both cards, they decide whether to hit or stand. It’s then that the dealer flips over their face-down card to reveal their two-card hand. Any players who have chosen to stand and now have a lower total than the dealer lose the game. The dealer then decides whether they themselves will hit or stand. If the total of their cards is 16 or less, they must always hit and if it is 17 or more they must stand.
Yes, you can have a tie
In Blackjack, it’s possible to tie with the dealer, rather than either of you having an outright win. This is true whether both of you reach 17, 18, 19, 20, or 21. If this is the case, your bet will be returned to you and no one wins. This is what’s known as a ‘Push’.
Be mindful of Blackjack variations
Not all Blackjack is the same! While we have outlined easy tips for your standard game of Blackjack, you need to be aware that there are plenty of other versions out there in the wild. If you’re playing Double Exposure Blackjack, the dealer also has two cards dealt face up (rather than getting a Hole Card), whereas if you’re playing Super Fun 21 with Diamond blackjack then if your hand wins with 21 of all diamonds then you receive a 2-1 payout.
You need to be mindful that you’re playing the version of Blackjack that you think you’re playing! We recommend starting out with mastering standard Blackjack before moving on to more advanced versions that adds on extra or slightly different rules over the top.
