INTRODUCTION TO BLACKJACK

Blackjack is arguably the most popular card game in the world, due mostly to the fact that it offers players the best odds against the house of any online casino game. Blackjack is also a great game to play in order to clear wagering requirements associated with an online casino bonus. But in order to win at Blackjack you must know the details of good game strategy.

Blackjack, also known as Twenty-One, Vingt-et-Un or Pontoon, always involves 1 dealer and 1-5 players at a table. Players make their bets with chips prior to receiving their cards. Minimum and maximum bet amounts are determined by the table and the goal is to get as close to 21 with your cards as possible in order to beat the dealer’s cards.

Blackjack Screenshot

HOW TO PLAY BLACKJACK

In Blackjack players compete only against the dealer, not against each other. As mentioned above, you want to get as close to 21 as possible without going over (in which case you would lose your hand/bet) in order to beat the dealers hand.

The round begins with the dealer dealing out 2 cards to each player and two to himself, leaving one face-up and one face-down (called the hole card). Players can then choose to ‘hit’ (take another card) or ‘stand’ (stay with the two cards dealt) before the dealer turns over his second card. Players can hit as many times as they like. Card values are as follows: cards 2-9 are worth their face value, 10’s, jacks, queens and kings are worth 10 and Aces are worth either 1 or 11.

A Blackjack refers to a hand comprised of a 10 (or other face card) and an Ace – this hand pays 3:2 and is an automatic win unless the dealer pulls also pulls a Blackjack, which would result in a tie (also called a push) in which case the player would retain their original bet. It is not considered a Blackjack if a player choose to split Aces and receives a 10 or face card (see ‘Player Decisions’ section). A Blackjack always beats out a hand comprised of more than 2 cards that total 21.

Dealer’s must always hit on a hand of 17 or less and a dealer’s ace always counts as an 11. The player may choose to stand (or hit) on any hand, regardless of its value however if the player bust’s it is an automatic loss, regardless if the dealer busts as well. The dealer always holds the advantage because he draws after all other players.

Another advantage the dealer has is in American Blackjack. If the dealer’s face up card is an ace or 10 he will check his whole card to see if he’s got a Blackjack, in which case all players automatically lose (unless they’ve already received a Blackjack).

THE PLAYER'S DECISIONS IN BLACKJACK

In Blackjack there are many decisions a player might need to make, the most obvious being to hit or stand. However there are still further options in Blackjack which make the game still more entertaining!

Hit – The decision to request an additional card from the dealer.

Stand – The decision to indicate you do not want any more cards. This ends your hand until the dealer shows his cards.

Double Down – The decision to double your bet after receiving your first two cards. When you make this decision you are only allowed to draw one more card and are required to place an additional bet on the table (i.e. if you bet $5 you need to bet an additional $5). Doubling down is favourable when your cards show a 9, 10 or 11 against a dealers 5 or 6. In this case you are more likely to draw a face card whereas the dealer has a higher chance of busting.

Split – A player can choose to split the cards dealt if they are of identical value (i.e. 10-10 or 5-5) but must also add an additional bet of the same value. A split, in essence means you are splitting your hand in two and are now playing two hands for the round. A general rule of thumb is to always split aces and 8’s regardless of what the dealer is holding. You should never split 10’s or 5’s.

Depending on the version of Blackjack, sometimes players can split hands further if they receive an identical card after the first split. Players may also double down on split hands. This means you could potentially split up to 4 hands and increase your bet by 8x’s. You are not allowed to draw more than one card if splitting aces and in general casino rules will not allow you to split more than 4 times.

NB: As previously indicated, splitting aces and receiving a 10 on either is not considered a Blackjack.

Insurance – Insurance is exactly what it claims to be – a chance for you to take out an insurance policy on your hand. If the dealer deals himself an ace or face card he will then stop the game and allow players to make a wager of half their original bet as insurance. Insurance is paid out 2:1 on the side if the dealer does in fact have a Blackjack. Insurance is never a good bet to take as the chances of a Blackjack are less than 2:1 (which equates to about a 4 in 13 chance of having a Blackjack).

Surrender – You can either choose to surrender your hand early or late. An early surrender is offered to players before the dealer checks his hand for a Blackjack/21. Online casinos don’t offer this feature. Late surrender is offered to players after the dealer checks his hand (and does not have a Blackjack). This strategy is used best when a player’s chances of winning are low (for example a 15 vs. the dealers 9 showing). If the cards show a 16 vs. the dealers 10 a late surrender is strongly advised.

NB: Keep in mind that Blackjack varies throughout the world (there are about 100 variations) with slight differences to rules of play so make sure you read them before beginning.

TERMS & TIPS IN BLACKJACK

Hard hand – A hard hand consists of any hand not containing an ace that can be counted as an 11. For example a 6 and 7 is considered a hard 13. An ace, a 5 and a 10 is considered a hard 16, because if the ace were counted as an 11 the total would be 26 and you would ‘bust’. A hard hand only has one possible outcome.

Soft hand – A soft hand consists of any hand that contains an ace that can be counted as an 11, say an ace and a 7 which could be either a 7 or a 17. Essentially, soft hands have two possible totals.

Stiff hand – A stiff hand consists of two cards totalling between 12-16 and no ace.

Pat hand – A pat hand consists of two cards that total 17 or more. It is strongly advised that you stand on a pat hand, although there are always some exceptions.

A good rule of thumb when playing Blackjack is to always assume the dealer’s face-down card (hole card) is a 10. This allows you to easily compare his hand to your hand. For example, if you have a 14 and the dealer has a 6, you would assume he would have a 16 and is likely to bust. In this case it is advised to stand. In comparison, if the dealer shows a 10 and you’ve got 15, you would assume the dealer had 20 and would hit.
 

BASIC BLACKJACK STRATEGY

•    Players should stand on a hard 16, but only if the card the dealer is showing is a 6 or lower. If the dealer’s face-up card is a 7 through to ace, you should hit.
•    If the dealer is showing a 4, 5 or 6, you should stand on a hard 12. However, if the dealer is showing a 2, 3, or 7+, you should hit with a hard 12.
•    If the dealer is showing a 10, continue to hit until you reach 17. However, if you’re holding a soft 17 and the dealer’s face-up card is 10 you should hit again.