Casino Blackjack Guide

Blackjack is one of the most popular casino betting games in the world. It is very simple to play with the main idea being to beat the dealer by having a hand that totals 21 (without going over) or is closer to 21 than the dealer's hand.

The Rules

If you are just starting out it will be useful to understand the following rules:

  • Dealer must draw to 16
  • Dealer stands on soft 17
  • Blackjack pays 3:2
  • Insurance pays 2:1
  • Even Money pays 1:1
  • Double Down on any first two cards
  • Double Down on Splits
  • No re-splits

Blackjack Cards Values

Very important to understanding your hand and that of the dealer is the value of the cards which are, Aces can be used as either 1 or 11. Any hand that includes an ace has two values a soft value and a hard value - i.e. if the hand is an ace-8, the hard value is 9, the soft value is 19. This hand would be able to play as 9 or 19.

The King, Queen, Jack and Ten are 10 points each; all other cards are worth their face values. If the player's first two cards total 21 it's a natural Blackjack. Blackjack is the highest hand.