Blackjack is a card game that involves players betting against the dealer. The objective is to acquire a hand that totals 21 points or close to it without going over. A player may draw cards to his or her hand until he or she is happy with it, then decide to stand (continue to draw no more cards), hit (ask for a card) or double (double the bet and receive only one additional card). Suits are irrelevant. The first two cards a player receives are called the dealer’s up and down cards.
The game has numerous variations, but most involve using one or more standard 52-card decks. In most games, each player and the dealer are dealt two cards each. An ace counts as either 1 or 11, face cards as 10, and the remaining cards are valued at their index value. The dealer’s up card is usually exposed. In some blackjack games, the dealer may offer a side bet known as insurance, which pays 2-1 if the dealer has a blackjack.
To play a hand of blackjack, a player must place his or her bet in the appropriate circle on the table. Typically, there are spots for five to seven players at a blackjack table. A player may join a blackjack table in progress, although some casinos have a No-Midshoe Entry policy and will not allow players to sit at a table until the dealer has finished dealing all the cards.
When a player has a total of 21 on the dealer’s up and down cards, he or she wins immediately. In the event of a tie, or push, bets are returned to the players.
A player’s total of 21 beats any other hand except a dealer’s blackjack, which ties the hand. When the dealer has a blackjack, all other hands lose.
Some dealers will recommend that players take insurance when they have a high point total, such as a hand of 12. This is a bad percentage play, since the only way to avoid losing to the dealer’s blackjack is for the player to bust, and this is less likely with a ten in the hand.
Many blackjack games allow a player to split pairs of identical cards. Each split hand then becomes a separate game with its own bet and rules. In some casinos, a player can also “double down” after splitting a pair, which increases the bet size but allows only one additional card to be drawn for each hand. Games in which doubling after splitting is permitted reduce the house edge by about 0.13 percent.
A blackjack table will often feature a sign that indicates the minimum and maximum bets for the game. Generally, a minimum bet of $5 is required to play. A maximum bet is usually $10 or more, depending on the casino and its rules. Some casinos may have a table limit of $25, while others will allow players to bet much higher amounts.