Blackjack Rules

The object of a game of blackjack is simple – a player plays against the dealer to obtain a hand with a total as close to 21 as possible without actually reaching 21. Aces are worth one or eleven, depending on which value the player wishes. Face cards – king, queen, jack – and the number ten are worth ten points. For example, a king of hearts and a three of hearts make a total of 13. All other number cards retain their numerical value for the purposes of blackjack. Hence seven of spades and seven of diamonds equal 14. Suit is irrelevant in blackjack. The player’s final score is determining by adding up the value of their cards.

A ‘hard hand’ in blackjack is one that does not contain an Ace, or when the Ace is valued as one. When an Ace is counted as eleven, this is referred to as a ‘soft hand.’

Blackjack is played at its own table with space for seven players plus the dealer. The dealer is positioned behind the table which is of a semicircular shape. The dealer’s responsibility is to deal the cards to each player and to take the bets, changing the money into playing chips. Each blackjack table in a casino has a minimum and maximum bet which is worth noting before you join a game.

Once the player has received his chips from the dealer he is ready to place a bet on the game. This is done by placing the chips in the betting square on the table in front of him. The dealer places the shuffled cards – up to two packs – in a ‘shoe’ or box. The shuffled cards are cut by a nominated interchangeable player who cuts the cards by placing a colored card in the pack at whichever point he wishes the dealer to cut from.

It is worth at this point discussing a few house rules concerning blackjack. Every casino has its own house rules but generally if a dealer has a total hand of 17 or more, he must stand. If he has a total of 16 or less he must draw another card.

The only way to achieve an instant win is to have a ‘blackjack’, that is to receive a total of 21 in the first cards that you are dealt with. Many casinos have bonuses for players fortunate enough to win outright in this way. Generally the payoff is three to two.

When dealing, the dealer discards or ‘burns’ the first card. He must then ensure that all players have finished placing their bets before dealing each a hand. The first player to receive cards is the one located immediately to the dealer’s left. Both the player’s two cards are dealt face down. When all players have been dealt their two cards, the dealer deals himself one card (face up) and a second card (face down.)

If a player has a total close to 21, he may stand. If not, he asks the dealer for a hit or a third card. If the third card pushes his total over 21, he has gone bust and is out of the game. If at the end of the game, the player’s total is closer to 21 than the dealer’s, he wins. If not, he loses. If the dealer does not go bust, he takes the loser’s chips and pays out the winners.

If both player and dealer are dealt a natural or blackjack hand, a tie occurs. In this instance, the player is not paid out immediately. In these cases, an insurance bet can be paid by the player to protect himself. An insurance bet involves the player betting half of his original bet again. Generally this isn’t a favourable bet to make (insurance against the dealer getting a blackjack hand) as the bet is lost when the dealer does not get a blackjack hand. If the dealer does get a blackjack hand, the player’s insurance bet is paid out at two to one but his original bet is lost.

A player is always able to increase his bets should he feel that the game is proceeding in his favor. To do so he can ‘double down’ which means making a second bet that is the same amount as his original bet. A player can only double down after checking both his cards. In exchange for this double down bet, the player has to take one more card.

The player indicates to the dealer that he wants to double down by placing a second bet equal in value to his original bet in the circle in front of him. The player then receives an extra card from the dealer. If the player wins he receives even money for both bets, therefore doubling his overall win. If a tie occurs, both bets are returned to the player but there is no payout.

‘Splitting’ is also another way in which a player can increase a bet. In this instance, a pair of cards are dealt, for example two of diamonds and two of clubs, which means that the player can split his hand and effectively play two hands of blackjack. The dealer will deal cards to the player’s first hand until he goes bust, and then to the second. All blackjack rules apply to each hand but views each hand as a separate, unique hand despite the fact that both are held by the same player. Again, the player’s second bet on the split hand must be equal in value to the original bet and placed beside it on the blackjack table.

Certain signs or gestures exist to help the blackjack game proceed in an orderly fashion. This is also because due to the security surrounding high profile games such as blackjack, no verbal communication is permitted to take place between the dealer and the players. To deal with this situation, the following signals have been developed to help players indicate the course of play they wish to follow. If a player is waving his hand palm towards the table, it means he wishes to stand. If he scratches the table with a finger, it means he wishes to hit or be dealt another card.