Blackjack Basic Rules Explained

According to many studies, blackjack is among the most popular online casino games in the world. This is one of the casino games that everyone knows even people who have never played casino games. 21 is the other term for blackjack that some people use. If you are interested in playing blackjack on the Internet, it is highly recommended to spend some time learning the rules of this interesting and profitable game. We have gathered all the basic rules of blackjack in one place, so keep reading.

Before we go into details, let’s mention that blackjack is a casino game that provides the best chances of winning. That’s why it’s a smart move to learn the basic rules and start making money!

blackjack rules

Starting with Blackjack Game

When you play blackjack, you are playing against the dealer. There is usually more than one player at the blackjack table, but it is possible to play alone against the dealer too. In addition to the classic blackjack game, players can find different versions of this popular game. Blackjack switch, five-hand blackjack, and crazy blackjack are some popular variants of blackjack. Don’t forget that each variant comes with a different set of rules. The good news is that these differences are not drastic.

The Blackjack Table

In order to start your profitable journey in the world of online blackjack games , you should first choose a suitable table. Every blackjack table comes with a certain limit, but the game rules are not different. Choose a blackjack table that meets your requirements and needs. In case you are prepared to invest more, you can choose an online blackjack table that requires $30-$500 bets. In case you have a small budget you can easily find tables that allow between $1 and $40 bets. There are online casinos that have multiplayer blackjack tables in their offer. Perform some research before choosing a table. Once you enter the room, put a bet by choosing the number of chips.

Upon putting a bet on the table and when this activity is completed, the dealer will provide two cards for you and two cards for himself. One of the dealer’s cards will be visible. However, your both cards will be visible to the dealer and to you. At this moment, you’ll need to make a decision (you have multiple options). The decision must be based on the number of points the players has at hand and to reach 21 or as close as possible to this number without going over 21.

Here a Great “Basic Blackjack rules” video for you:

Blackjack – Time to take Action

As we said before, blackjack is a game that requires great decision-making skills and the players must make these decisions quickly:

  • Hit – when you are using this option, you are actually asking for an additional card from the dealer because you believe that the two cards you have are not good enough to win the hand. Obviously, when you are requesting a hit you are taking a risk because you can go over 21 and lose the hand automatically.
  • Stand – now here’s an option that you will use frequently. You can choose to stand in case you are satisfied with the two cards you have. In this way, you won’t receive a new card and you will get a chance to check the dealer’s hand.
  • Double down – this is a decision that players choose when they believe that their hand is simply too strong for the dealer. So, by requesting double down, the player doubles the initial bet and they can also get one additional card if needed.
  • Split – whenever a player gets two cards with the same denomination (two 5s, two Aces etc.) they can choose to split these cars and make two brand new, independent hands. So, you will also have two equal bets that match the original bet. There are some blackjack variants that don’t allow splitting.
  • Surrender – when you feel that your hand is simply too weak, you can call surrender. But, half of your initial bet will be given to the house because you’ve left the game early. Once again, some online casinos may have special rules when it comes to surrendering, so read the rules before getting involved.

Blackjack Cards

So, when the cards are dealt, the player has two options – to ask for an additional car or additional cards so they can get closer to 21 or to stand on their existing cards. The number of cards you can ask for is virtually limitless, as long as the total is under 21.

An Ace has two values – one or eleven and the value depends on the total – as long as it doesn’t cause bust it’s okay to have one or few Aces. Every picture card has the same value – 10. A starting hand with two cards that make 21 is known as Blackjacks – a card that has a value of 10 and an Ace.

The Blackjack Dealer

In case the dealer gets exactly the same score as you, the hand will be drawn and you will get the bet back. If the score of 21 is reached with more than two cards or with splitting, you can still lose if the dealer has a Blackjack. But, a player and dealer will tie in case they both have an initial Blackjack.

Even though blackjack rules may be different from one online casino to another, it is a general rule that dealers draw a card in case the total of their cards is less than 17 and they must stand in case the total is 17 or more. Every casino has a set of predetermined rules and the dealer must follow these rules. In other words, they cannot make decisions independently. Obviously, players can benefit greatly by learning everything about dealer’s requirements and blackjack rules at the casino.

Finally, there are a few additional blackjack terms that people should know. For instance, soft and hard are two frequently used terms. Hands that have a definite value are known as hard. On the other hand, because of the nature of Aces in blackjack (they can be considered as 11 or 1), the hands that have an Ace are called soft.