Blackjack is one of the most popular international casino games. Unlike many other games, Blackjack allows the player to influence their chances of winning and, by considering various strategies, can reduce the casino advantage to as little as 1%.
We have put together a clear explanation of the card game with its rules and strategies for you. Anyone can learn Blackjack!
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The Blackjack Game
Online blackjack is actually played the same way as it is at the casino. Most online casinos offer free online blackjack and roulette gaming tables where beginners can get a taste of it. Blackjack is played with six packs of playing cards, each containing 52 sheets, i.e., 312 cards. The grouper (also known as the dealer) sits on one side of the table, with up to seven players sitting across from him. The aim of this game is to get closer to 21 points than the grouper with two or more cards, but without exceeding this number of points.
The values of the cards are:
Aces are worth either 1 or 11 points, at will.
Cards 2 through 10 counts according to their faces.
Jack, Queen, and King are always worth 10 points.
Blackjack Basics
The following terms are used in the casino as well as in online blackjack and should be well memorized.
Hit: Ask for another Card
Status: ask for no more cards
Double: If you have received two cards, you can double your bet. After that, however, you only get one card (when doubling makes sense is explained in more detail elsewhere)
Split: You can split a hand (two cards) if it makes sense, placing the same bet on the second hand at real money online casinos. You then continue playing with two hands and can draw cards for both again (which will be explained in more detail later).
Insurance: If the croupier’s first card shows an ace and you suspect that the face card or 10 could be the face card, you can, if the possibility exists at the gaming table, place an appropriate bet as insurance against a blackjack. If the grouper actually has a blackjack, this insurance bet is paid out at a ratio of 2:1; if he does not have a blackjack, the bet is gone.
Blackjack Game Play
Before the game starts, players must place their bets, which can vary depending on the table, but most often range from 1bucks to 500 bucks. The minimum and maximum bets are usually always very clearly displayed at the tables.
Once the stakes have been placed and confirmed with “Deal”, the croupier distributes the cards. The players, as well as the grouper, first receive an open card, then all players apart from the grouper receive another open card (or depending on the table rules, this can also be face down at first). The player to the left of the croupier now begins his game; he can request further cards (hit) until he is of the opinion that he has come close enough to 21 and does not want any more cards. However, if he has exceeded 21 (bust), his bet and the cards are withdrawn immediately and he has thus lost.
When all players have played their game, it is the grouper’s turn, and draws his second card. Unlike the player, he is bound by rules. If he has 17 or more points he must stand still, if he has 16 or fewer points, he must draw another card. If the grouper exceeds 21, all remaining players at the table automatically win, otherwise, the players who came closer to 21 than the grouper win.
You have a blackjack when you have an ace and a ten or an ace and a face card. The player then gets paid one and a half times their stake unless the croupier also has a blackjack (or generally a tie with the croupier). In this case, the player gets his stake back, but he wins nothing. If the player wins against the dealer with a different hand (no blackjack), he gets a win equal to his stake.