The Basics of Blackjack

Blackjack is a card game that involves betting on the value of cards. It is played using one or more decks of 52 cards. The game’s objective is to collect cards that total as close to 21 as possible without going over. It is a popular casino game and has a number of strategies that can help players increase their chances of winning.

Getting a blackjack

In order to win a hand of blackjack (also known as natural or simply “blackjack”), a player must have two cards totaling 21. These cards must be an ace and one or more ten-valued cards. This is not a hard game to learn, but it does require some knowledge of the card values.

The dealer also gets two cards and must decide whether to stand or draw based on the rules of the game. The dealer is usually required to hit on soft 17 – in other words, he must hit when his hand shows a total of 17 with one or more cards counted as a value of 11.

Basic strategy

In a game of blackjack, basic strategy determines which hands should be hit and which should be standed. The basic strategy varies from casino to casino, but it is typically based on the dealer’s visible card and the point total of the player’s hand.

The house edge in blackjack is low compared to other casino games, and players can reduce this advantage by following basic strategy. However, deviations from the strategy can cause the house advantage to increase by up to 1.4%, depending on the specific rules of the casino.

If a player has a natural blackjack, the dealer pays him one and a half times the amount of the original bet, but this is not adjusted if the player has another natural or a stand-off (“push” or “standoff”). The dealer pays all the other players who do not have a natural a small sum of money.

Insurance

In some games, a player may be offered the chance to take insurance on a blackjack. This pays 2 to 1 if the dealer’s face-up card is an ace, but in the long run it loses money because the dealer has a blackjack less than one-third of the time.

Early surrender

In many casinos, a player may be allowed to forfeit half of their original wager before the dealer checks for blackjack. This is a useful tactic when a player has a hand that is so unlikely to win that it’s better to just let the dealer keep their money and wait until the next hand is dealt.

Resplitting aces

Some casinos allow a player to split aces, which can greatly reduce the number of cards in the hand. This can be beneficial if the dealer has a high card, because it will force the dealer to make a bad decision about hitting.

Double down

Some casinos have a rule that allows players to double their original wager after splitting, but it is not always legal. The maximum amount that a player can increase his bet by is typically two times the initial wager, and this depends on the rules of the game at the casino. This strategy is a great way to boost your odds of winning, but be careful not to overdo it!