How To Play Blackjack

Learn more about How To Play Blackjack. Blackjack is one of the most popular card games played online and in casinos. It is a relatively easy game to play and the odds are somewhat more in favor of the player than most other casino games.

At the outset there are 2 very important things to bear in mind. 3 if you want the mother Grundy admonition that you should never gamble with money you are afraid to lose.

The first is that the odds always favor the house, but if one follows a strategy and sticks rigorously to it, it is possible to beat the house more often than not.

Secondly, the game is between you (the small guy with limited resources) against a casino (Big guy, lots of resources and you are playing in his clubhouse so you have to play by his rules).

However, there will usually be others at your table so watch the cards that turn up and do some basic calculations. (More on this later)

The objective is to get 21 points and beat the casino who is also trying to get 21. An Ace counts 1 or 11, all picture cards plus the 10 count as 10 and the rest are face value. The best way to score 21 is to score a "Blackjack" where you get a 10 and an ace and you are immediately paid out at 3:2.

The first thing to do is find out how many decks of cards are in the shoe. Usually 6 or 8 decks so that means (in an 8 deck game) that there are 36 Aces 128 cards worth 10 and 36 cards each with the value of 9, 8, 7 and so on.

The Play goes as follows:- The dealer will deal a round of cards to each player who has placed a bet in the box and will deal himself a card face up. If his card is an ace he will offer you the chance of insurance. As a general rule this is a side bet with the odds hugely in the casino's favor. Odds paid are 2 to 1 on a 1:3 chance.

Then the dealer will deal each player a second round of cards and will proceed to the first player opposite him in a clockwise direction.

The rules are that the player must get more than the dealer and a maximum of 21. The general rule is that the house will draw to a face value of 17 once its cards are 17 or more it will pay out anyone more and stand off anyone who equals the score. All other bets are losses.

So when the first player plays he has to look at the value of his hand and follow his strategy. Generally if the cards amount to less than 10 he will call for a card with the sure knowledge that he cannot be broken. On 12 and upwards he can easily be broken. The worst 2 card value to hold is 16 where the odds of drawing a card less with a value if 5 or less are badly against.

If the player breaks 21 then the casino collects his bet and discards his cards. He loses even if the house later goes on to break.

And that basically is the way the game is played by learning the winning strategies which are when to draw, when to stand and sticks rigorously to them it is possible to consistently beat the house. If not it depends on luck in the turn of a card.