How to Play Blackjack?

Do you want to play a round of “BlackJack”? To play and possibly win in this classic card game, you must know the Blackjack rules. We have summarized them for you and explained them in detail so that everything runs smoothly while you play.

Blackjack Quick Overview

In the casino world, Blackjack (also known as Bk or Black Jack) is the most played card game. Card games, in general, are ancient and can be traced back to ancient China and Egypt. In Europe, card games with 52 cards have existed since the 14th century. These had symbols similar to tarot and also already had different valences.

The modern Blackjack game rules of the casinos are a descendant of the French “Trente et Un”, but the 31-point mark was decisive. In the 17th century, one can find the first trace of today’s Blackjack game called “Vingt et Un”, where the 21-point mark is the deciding factor.

The early forms of today’s Blackjack at that time played only two players against each other. It was not until the French gambling houses added multiple players and the game against the bank became popular.

Blackjack Rules

The basic rule of Blackjack is to get no more than 21 as the total number of points on the cards played.

Blackjack is usually played at a special table called the Blackjack table. This is semi-circular, and on its straight side sits the croupier or dealer (also banker, dealer). Up to seven players can sit at the rounded side of the table. However, Blackjack is not a team sport. Everyone plays alone against the bank.

The other players at the table nevertheless have a certain influence on the individual game because it is about the cards already played and the restriction of the probability of which card is likely to come next.

The game is played with six packs of French playing cards, each with 52 hands, for 312 cards. A typical blackjack card has the bridge format and carries extra large index characters with the English designations for the individual images: K (king) for the king, Q (queen) for the queen, and J (jack) for the jack.

The players are not allowed to touch these cards because the Blackjack dealer always plays and collects the cards. The players’ cards are usually placed slightly offset from each other so that the value of each card can still be easily recognized.

The game’s object is to get two or more cards closer to 21 points than the dealer or to score exactly 21 points. However, it must be at most the value of 21, which is why it is particularly important to know and remember the values of the individual cards.

Gameplay

Before starting each game round, you place your bet in the designated field on the table according to the Blackjack game rules. In different Blackjack online casinos, there is usually a fixed maximum bet.

If you want to watch Blackjack in a casino, you may be allowed to place a bet on the field of a certain player. However, you have no say in the game, but you can enjoy the little extra kick of this game of chance – unless that player has already placed a maximum bet.

All players and the croupier receive one card face up. After that, only the players receive a second card face up, starting with the player to the croupier’s left.

The idea of requesting cards is to get as close to or exactly on the 21 points as possible without exceeding them. If you exceed 21 points, you are a “bust”, so to speak, you have overbought and lost to the bank, and the croupier withdraws your bet.

Only when all players have completed their game does the dealer draw another card for his game.

He must stay on the card stand if he has 17 points or more. If he has 16 points or less, he must draw another card. If the dealer overbids, that is, if he has more than 21 points, all players still in the game win. Otherwise, only the players with higher card values win.

Blackjack Card Values

Aces can have a value of one or eleven points, depending on the context. The value of the ace is determined only when the player: does not buy any more cards.

The croupier then counts the ace in the most favorable way to the player. This means that an ace must always count for eleven points unless the value of 21 is exceeded in this way. In this case, the ace counts as one point.

Deuces to tens have points according to the value shown on the card. All face cards, i.e., Jacks, Queens, and Kings, count for ten points each.

Blackjack Winning Values

If a player wins, they usually receive a 1 to 1 win in their bet amount. Only the bet is returned if the player: in and the croupier has the same card value. However, according to the Blackjack game rules, there are variants of the game where a double payout of winnings is possible, as in the following cases.

Triple Seven

If a player scores 21 points with three sevens, he immediately wins at a ratio of 3 to 2, regardless of the croupier’s card.

Blackjack

21 points in the combination of the first two cards – for example, Ace and Ten or Ace and Picture – the best result and is called Blackjack.

If a player has a Blackjack, but the dealer does not, the player has a 3 to 2 win. If the croupier also has a Blackjack, the game is a draw.

However, if the croupier cracks the Blackjack, all players lose – even those who scored 21 points – except those who also have a Blackjack.

Dealer Busts or Bust

Some casinos allow a bet for the players before the cards are dealt that the dealer will bust in this round. If the dealer gets 22 or more, this side bet pays out at a ratio of 5 to 2. Otherwise, the bank will forfeit the wager on this bet.

Technical Terms

The following technical terms are used in Blackjack, which can also help to develop game strategies.

Draw or Stand

This is the game’s basic strategy, whether to draw another card (draw) or not (stand).

Hard Hands

Card combinations without an ace and a hand with an ace if it is counted with only one point are considered hard hands. This means, for example, that a combination of A-5-7 is a Hard 13.

Soft Hands

Card combinations with an ace counted with eleven points are soft hands. So an ace and a six can be counted as 17 points. For example, a soft hand with two Aces is a reason to split or double down.

Split

A player can split his hand and play with separate bets if the first two cards are of equal value and he receives any number of cards in each split hand. However, if two aces are split, the player: can only receive one more card. In this case, the combination of an ace and a picture or an ace and a ten no longer counts as Blackjack but as an ordinary 21 points.

This card combination was not obtained with the first two cards. Usually, it is always advisable to split with two aces. The exception is when the dealer also has an ace – in this case, the hand with two aces is considered “soft,” and another card is required.

Double Down

A player may double down after receiving the first two cards, regardless of the value of the cards. If a player doubles down, he receives only one card. Double down can be divided into soft hand doubles and hard hand doubles.

Insurance

If the croupier’s first card is an ace, the player(s) can insure themselves against the croupier’s Blackjack as a side bet. To do this, they place an appropriate bet on the insurance line.

If the croupier hits a Blackjack with the second card, the insurance is paid out at a ratio of 2 to 1. However, the insurance premium is collected if the croupier does not have a Blackjack.

Blackjack Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

The basic Blackjack game rules are easily explained. The rules of the game are the same in every casino worldwide. With some strategy and luck, good winnings can be made playing this popular card game.

Disadvantages

It takes time and practice to see through all the possible card and point combinations and develop a game strategy.

If the croupier scores more than 21 points and one of the players also scores more than 21 points, this is not considered a draw, and the player loses the bet in this case.