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Players can place bets by using any of the chip denominations available. The game begins when all players have placed their bets and chosen the “Deal” option. Bets may not be altered after the deal begins, but players have the opportunity to add to their bets by choosing options such as double down, splits, or insurance. Blackjack begins with each player receiving two cards, one face up and one face down. The object of the game is to reach 21, or to be closer to 21 than the dealer, who is also a player. Players can choose to receive as many cards as they want (“hit”), or they can choose to “stand” or receive no more cards. Blackjack itself is when a player is dealt a 10 or a face card with an ace, and this results in the player being paid 1.5 times the initial bet. It’s possible, though, for the dealer also to have Blackjack, and the tie between the player and the dealer becomes a “push,” and the player gets his money back. It is important to remember that dealers are required to hit when they have 16 or less, and will stop when they have 17 or more. If the dealer pushes, all players are paid. Double down: Doubling down allows you to double your bet during a game of Blackjack, but only after you’ve been dealt two cards. When you decide to double down, you’ll automatically be dealt one more card, but you cannot hit again after choosing to double down. Split: Splitting allows you to break one hand into two hands, and gives you the chance to win (or lose) twice in one game. If you are dealt any pair of cards, with the exception of aces, you may split the cards into two hands, which will automatically place a second bet equal in amount to the first and allow you to play both hands individually. After you have split, you may take as many hits on each hand as you want. If you are dealt a pair of aces, you make yourself ineligible for Blackjack and can only get a “normal” 21. If the dealer has Blackjack, he wins. If the dealer has 21, it’s a push. Insurance: In the event that the deal is showing an ace, you can choose to “insure yourself” in case the dealer has a 10 or a face card concealed. If the dealer’s card is in fact a 10 or a face card, you win your insurance bet and get paid at 2-1 odds. But if the dealer has a card that’s less than 10, you lose your insurance bet. The aim is to get as close to twenty-one as you possibly can without going above it, otherwise known as going bust. If you get higher than the dealer without going bust you win. The house has the advantage that if you both draw on the same hand the dealer wins. In blackjack, the players bet against the casino rather than against each other. The values of the cards in each hand are added with 2 through 10 having face value, Ace having value 1 or 11 (player's choice), and King, Jack, and Queen cards having the value 10. If the players and the dealers have the same point, this is known as a "push", and neither player nor dealer wins the hand. Blackjack is the best hand available in the game and consists of a picture card and an ace. This beats any other hand of twenty-one that the dealer has unless, of course, he also has a blackjack. After initial bets are placed, the dealer deals the cards: two cards to each player and to himself. One of the dealer two cards is able to be seen, the other hidden ("hole card"). The cards of the players are dealt face up or face down, depending on the casino system. If any player has a "natural" 21, often called a "Blackjack", he is immediately paid 3:2 for his bet, unless the dealer also has a natural, which is a push. If the dealer has a natural, all players without a natural lose immediately. If the dealer does not have a natural, then one by one the dealer gives each player the option of request for more cards ("hitting") or staying with his current cards ("standing" or "holding"). The player may continue to ask for more cards, until he has either gone over 21 ("a bust"), or he is pleased with the cards that he has. If the player busts (takes a hit that put him over 21), he immediately loses the bet.
After all the players have finished making their decisions, the dealer then reveals the hidden "hole" card and may or may not draw additional cards. The decision of whether to draw more cards is not up to the dealer; it depends only on the point total that the dealer holds. If the dealer has less than 17, he draws another card, and continues to draw more cards until reaching a value equal to or greater than 17. If the dealer busts, then all remaining players win. Bets are normally paid out at the odds of 1:1. |
