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Blackjack Rules
Know what you’re doing before you play
Among other things, the rules of blackjack state that you shouldn’t sit down to play at a table if you’re dumb. The Hog thinks that this is rule #1. You don’t have to be smart to learn blackjack, just not dumb. If you’re not dumb, then it should be pretty easy for you to learn the following additional blackjack rules.
Basic Blackjack Rules
The main objective is to get as close to 21 as possible (without going over), in hopes of beating the dealer’s hand. Hands are scored by counting the value of the cards in the hand. Any card with a number of two through ten is scored at face value. Any face card is scored as 10, and an ace is valued at either 1 or 11, whichever the player chooses. A blackjack is an ace plus a face card or a ten. Three or more cards that total 21 is not a blackjack, and a two-card blackjack beats any other hand of 21 that is not a blackjack. Any blackjack rule discussed below is valid for both land-based casino blackjack and online blackjack.
Initial Wager
Before receiving any cards, each player at the blackjack table must place a wager. The minimum and maximum wager is always stipulated at the table.
Rules the Dealer Must Follow
Once the wagers are made, each player is dealt two cards face up. The dealer is also dealt two cards, one face up and one face down. The dealer’s “hole” card remains face down until the players have completed their hands. At this point the dealer flips over his hole card. If his hand scores 18 through 21 he must stand. At some casinos a dealer must stand on a soft 17 (an ace and six) and at others the dealer must hit. On any other 17, the dealer will always stand. If the dealer’s hand is 16 or under the dealer must continue to take cards until his hand is over 16 or bust (over 21). The dealer will always play a certain way in any given situation, but each player has many different options.
Hit
The players gets another card.
Stand
The player is satisfied with his current hand and does not want to risk another hit.
Double Down
If your first two cards equal 10 or 11, the player is given the option to double his initial wager. At some casinos you can double down on certain other hands, and others will let you double down on any hand. If the player doubles down, he is dealt a third card and no more.
Splitting Rules
If the player is dealt two cards with identical value, the player can split them and will play with two separate hands, each starting with one of the two split cards. The player will now be dealt a second card to one of the hands. After this hand is played out, the second hand will be dealt a second card and continued until that hand is played out. All regular rules apply to each hand with the ability to double down. Each casino will have a different rule on how many times a hand can be split, and whether or now you can double down on a split hand. For each split hand, the player’s wager is doubled. The blackjack rules state that a split hand blackjack pays out 1-1 rather than a normal 2-1. When splitting aces, the player can only usually receive one card on each hand. Again, the rules here differ from casino to casino.
Insurance
When the dealer’s exposed card is an ace, the player will be given the option to place an insurance wager. This wager will equal one half of the original bet and will be placed on the insurance line. If the dealer has blackjack, the player will get paid 2 to 1 on the insurance bet with the original bet being lost. If the dealer does not have a blackjack, the insurance bet is immediately lost.
Payoffs
Players win their wager if their total hand is scored higher than the dealer’s without going over 21. If the player busts, then the dealer wins automatically. All hands that score less than the dealer’s hand lose. Hands that are equal in value will be considered a tie, or a push. If a player get a blackjack, the payoff is usually 3:2 instead of 1:1.
Finally
Check out our blackjack basic strategy page, for the best way to play blackjack in any given situation. Another interesting article for blackjack strategy can be found at Where To Bet Online.
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