Blackjack Basics, Rules, and Tricks

No matter if you are playing at an online casino or in a real casino, the rules are the same, and the objective also: to beat the dealer by obtaining a better combination than him without ever going over 21. After receiving two cards, the player draws cards to approach the value of 21 without going over.

The objective of the player is to beat the dealer by obtaining a total of points higher than him or by seeing him go over 21. Gambles play against the dealer, who represents the casino, and not against the other players. Each card numbered from 2 to 10 has its face value (equal to the number on the card), the jacks, the queens and the kings (the figures), have a value of 10 points, the Ace is worth 1 point or 11 points, at the player's choice.

This game can be played with one deck (which is called single deck blackjack) to 8 decks of 52 cards. Most blackjack tables have room for 7 seated players. Each player bets by placing value chips on the square in front of him. Each table will also advertise the bets limits, stating the minimum and maximum a player can bet.



Basic blackjack guide

The dealer deals the first two cards to every player. The player furthest to the left of the dealer is the first to speak. The dealer asks the player if he or she wants an additional card, then, the player can draw (ask for a card) as many times as he or she wishes, as long as it does not exceed 21.

When the player is satisfied with the total cards obtained, he or she asks to stand; and the dealer will continue with the other player next to that one and Play Blackjack Online for Free. There are other actions the player can request, such as:

Double the bet: This means the player will receive just one card and double his / hers bet. However, this rule may vary from casino to casino, in most of them, the player is allowed to “double down” when getting 9, 10 or 11.

Split: If the player was dealt a pair, he or she has the possibility to split them apart into two different hands, being able to bet the same amount in each one, and to play them separately. However, if the player gets a 21 after a split, it does not count as a blackjack (since it was not formed with the two source cards). Therefore, when the player wins with a total of 21 after splitting, it will never get a blackjack payout, but the same amount of the committed bet. Some advice: never split two figures, and always split aces and eights.

Insurance: When the dealer's face card is an Ace, the player can "take insurance" to protect himself or herself from blackjack. This means that if the dealer's hole card is a 10 or a face card, the player wins 2 against 2, but, if the dealer's second card is not worth 10, the insurance bet is lost. It is recommended for players who don't count cards to never take insurance, because the odds favor the house.

Surrender: This means to abandon and lose half of the initial bet. This option is not offered in many casinos.



The blackjack basic strategy single deck

There are many types of strategies that reduce the advantage of the casino and improve your options. With basic strategy, it is possible to estimate the probabilities of going well or badly on a specific play. Players can learn to manage the risk in their favor by mastering a strategy. But just because it is called “basic” doesn't mean it is simple.

However, gamblers don't have to learn complex statistical equations, since basic strategy has been converted into comfortable boards or charts you can find on the internet.

Each strategy chart depends on the number of decks involved in the game. The single deck blackjack odds are the best for players, since it has the lowest house edge.

To use them, just check which hand you have on the left side and see which card the dealer shows on the top bar. The square in which the two intersect will indicate which move is the most appropriate at that moment.