Blackjack Rules – Your Ultimate Guide

Blackjack is one of the most popular card games of all time. It is heavily featured in every casino, and enjoyed by millions of players. If you want to start playing this awesome game, you need to know the ropes, so to say. This article will cover the basic rules of blackjack as it is played almost everywhere in the world. Of course, there are a lot of variations of the original game, so make sure you know exactly what you are playing before wagering real money on it.

Basic Rules – How Do You Play Blackjack?

In the game of blackjack, your main objective is to beat the dealer. Even though many players might play at the same time, there is no cooperation between them – your only focus should be the dealer. You have to accumulate a higher total of points than the dealer, but without going over 21. The score is formed by adding the values of the cards that were dealt to you. Face cards have a value of 10, Aces can be either 1 or 11, and all other cards have a value corresponding to their number.

The Deal

When a round starts each player is dealt two cards – including the dealer. The players’ hands are usually visible for all, with the cards being placed face up on the table. The dealer puts one of his cards face up, and the other – face down. The latter one is known as a ‘hole’ card.

The best possible opening hand you can get is an Ace and any 10-valued card. This combination is called a ‘blackjack’, and automatically wins you the game, as it amounts to exactly 21 points. If the dealer happens to have a blackjack too, this results in a Push for the player – their wager is returned and the round ends for them. If the dealer has a blackjack, all players who don’t have one automatically lose.

The Player’s Turn

After the deal phase is over, each players gets a chance to take an action. Your first decision will be whether or not to use any of the side rules (which we will explain later). After that, if you are satisfied with your hand, you can simply Stand, and pass the turn to the dealer. Alternatively, you can ask for one more card, which is called a Hit. You can Hit until you are satisfied with your hand, as long as you don’t go over 21. If you do, it’s called a Bust, and you automatically lose the game.

The Dealer’s Turn

When all players are done with their turns, the dealer reveals the hole card. If the dealer has a blackjack, all players lose, except the ones who also have a blackjack. In case the dealer doesn’t have 21, they will either Hit or Stand, depending on their point total. The dealer must Hit until their points are equal or more than 17. Then they are allowed to Stand.

End of a Round

If the dealer goes over 21 (a ‘Bust’), all players who are still in the game win. If not, the players who have a higher point total than the dealer win, and those who have a lower point total lose. Players who have the same points as the dealer will get a Push as a result.

It is important to know that a blackjack is the strongest hand you can possibly have. It even beats other combinations that total to 21, as long as they consist of more than two cards.

This is how a typical game of blackjack goes. Now, let’s take a look at the side rules we mentioned earlier. They add several new dimensions to the game, making it much more fun and exciting.

Side Rules – Additional Player Actions

Those additional actions can be performed only once, and only after the initial deal. For example, you cannot double down after you have taken a third card. The side rules we will show you are the most common ones, and can be found at almost all blackjack games.

Surrender

If your opening hand is really bad, you might want to consider a Surrender. You simply stop playing, and get half your wager back. This action is almost never profitable – you need to be facing terrible odds in order for a Surrender to be the only option. Depending on the casino, you might not be allowed to surrender if the dealer has a blackjack.

Double Down

In case you are feeling confident in your abilities, you can Double Down – which means doubling your original bet and taking only one more card from the dealer. Some casinos allow doubling down on any hand, while others put some restrictions. The most common practice we have seen is where the casino allows you to double down only if your opening hand totals 9, 10, or 11.

Split

If your opening hand consists of cards of the same value, you have the option to Split your hand in two. You just need to place a second bet equal to the original one, and you will end up playing with two hands. The dealer will immediately deal a second card to both hands – if you end up having another pair, some casinos will allow you to split again, while others won’t.

The two hands are played separately, and you can Hit or Stand on them both. One difference occurs when you split Aces – you get a second card for each hand, but you cannot ask for more. Hands from split Aces remain composed from two cards for the duration of the round.

Insurance

If the dealer’s face-up card happens to be an Ace, each player gets the chance to bet whether or not the dealer has a blackjack. This must be performed before any other actions in the round. The Insurance bet equals your initial bet – the idea is to not lose any money in case the dealer really has a blackjack. If you win the Insurance bet, you will get twice the amount you wagered. Considering the fact that you lose your original bet to the dealer’s blackjack, you will eventually break even.

Prepare for Real Money Blackjack Action!

This concludes the basic rules of classic blackjack. Of course, there are many unique variations available at online casinos. Those feature twists on the original rules, or even entirely new ones. You must make sure you are familiar with the specifics of the game you are playing before you start.

Now that you’ve learned the basics, go to one of our recommended blackjack casinos, sign up, and start playing. Have fun!

Written by: Alexander Birch