How to Play Blackjack?

Do you really know how to play Blackjack? This game s also famous as 21. It’s a table card game that people play on both onsite and online casino centers. It has won the heart of many gamblers because; it can accommodate many players and is not only a game of chance but also a game of strategy. 

Blackjack consist of a table, dealing with shoe, cards, discard tray, cut card, and chips for betting. For a player to win, he must aim to make the hand score as close to 21 as possible. Without going over 21, of course, or get a higher score than the dealer’s hand. Chance comes into play when a player wins because of the dealer’s hand going over 21. Hand here means the number of cards in one’s hands. 

The cards are in a pile on the table, and each player’s chips are also placed on the table. Blackjack is a thrilling game of strategy, calculation, luck, tricks, chances, and risks. If you want to learn about this game, you’ll get the full explanation on how to play Blackjack for beginners, understanding the rules and strategies to use. 

Table of content:

1. How to Play Blackjack?
2. Beginners Guide to Play Blackjack
3. Buying Chips
4. Betting limits
5. Blackjack Tables’ Layout
6. Order of play
7. Playing options
8. Payouts

Beginners Guide to Play Blackjack

To learn how to play Blackjack, you must first understand the cards and their respective points. Also, it is important to understand the hand signals, and how to place bets. Knowing the points on each card will give you an understanding of what to do next in a game of Blackjack. Knowing various hand signals will make you play like a professional.

It is important to note that in Blackjack, you are not playing against other players but the house/dealer. Your first aim is to get a total number of cards adding up to 21 and not anything over. The second aim is to assume the amount of handheld by the dealer and try to get a higher number. 

Let us start with the cards and their respective score

• Jack, King and Queen are 10 points each

• The cards with numbers ranging from 2 to 10 are worth those numbers on them. For instance, a card of 2 is worth 2 points.

• An Ace card is worth 1 or 11 depending on the player. The player could take it as one of the total numbers of cards he has is between 11 and 21. But, he could make it an 11 if he has 10 points or below. A hand with an ace of 1 or 11 points is a “soft hand”. A hand with no ace is a “hard hand”.
• If you get two cards, an Ace and a card worth 10 points, you automatically have a Blackjack; this is higher than any other play. You win the bet except if the dealer also has a Blackjack. This tie is a “push”. In cases like this, the player gets the stakes back. 

Buying Chips

One of the most important things you must know when wondering how to play Blackjack is that you can’t use cash to make bets in casinos. You’ll need to change your money for chips.

Most casinos represent their chips like this. White chip represents $1, red represents $5, green represents $25, black represents $100, purple represents $500, and orange represents $1,000. The amount is usually there on the chip for easy identification. You can buy your money’s worth chip.

To buy chips, choose a table you wish to play after a complete game ends. Put your money on the table in front of the dealer, and tell the dealer how much worth you want. He then converts your cash into chips. Place the chips carefully stacked in front of you according to their denominations.

History of Blackjack

Betting limits

Many people who want to learn how to play Blackjack are wondering about its betting limits. There are the minimum and maximum betting limits. The minimum and maximum bet vary with casinos and tables. Some table’s minimum bet can be $1. The maximum bet is $1000 while some table’s minimum bet is $25 and the maximum bet $2500.

Bets are made before the cards are dealt. Therefore, be sure to place your bet in your betting box before dealing the cards. It is advisable to play at a table with a low minimum and low maximum bet to minimize losses.

Blackjack Tables’ Layout

Blackjack is usually, but not always, played on a semi-circular table with a green felt surface, usually accommodating seven players or seven spots. But there are tables for five and even twelve players. 

The dealer stands behind the table. The straight side of the semi-circular table, chip rack in front, dealing shoe on the left, and the discard tray to the right. While the players sit on the curved side of the semi-circle where there are betting circles.

At a corner on the table, there are the rules of the table. For example, the notice might say, “BLACKJACK. $1 to $2,500. Split any pair two times. Double on any two cards.” That means the minimum bet on that table is $1, and the maximum is $2,500.

A hand with two identical cards is possible to split to two times for a total of three hands. If a player doubles the original bet (double down) he receives just one more card on any two-card total.

Order of play

Blackjack begins with placing bets. Players set a chip or stack of chips on the betting square in front of them. The dealer gives a hand signal. He indicates the end of the betting section by swiping his hand from his left side to his right side across the table. The dealer shuffles the 52 cards. A player gets picked at random to cut the card into equal or almost equal halves.

One half is there on the table, and the dealer deals the other half to the players. The dealer deals one card facing up or down to each player from his left and one card to himself facing down.

This card is the “hole card” or the downcard. The dealer, again, repeats the process. But, this time, the card dealt with himself will be facing up. This card is the ‘upcard’.

The Player’s card can either be on the table facing up or down. This depends on the source of the deal. If the cards are dealt from a dealing shoe the player’s card will be dealt facing up.

You cannot touch them. But if they are dealt from the hand, then the player’s card is dealt face down, and you are allowed to touch them with one hand which is placed on the table.

If the dealer’s upcard is a 10-valued card or an Ace, the dealer offers a side bet – the “insurance bet”. An insurance bet is betting on whether the dealer will make a Blackjack or not. To place an insurance bet a player has to put an extra bet that’s equal to half of his original bet beside his original bet.

After players have made the insurance bet

The dealer takes a peek at the “hole card”. If he makes a Blackjack, he immediately upturns the “hole card” concluding the round. All players lose except those with Blackjacks and those who voted yes. If a player has Blackjack and the dealer has Blackjack, this becomes a tie with the dealer. This is a famous ‘push’ and the player’s bet is returned.

Players get paid out Insurance bets at 2:1. Supposing the dealer’s card doesn’t make a Blackjack all insurance bets are lost. A player with Blackjack gets the money immediately. The game continues and players have to make their decisions starting with the furthest player sitting on the left-hand side of the dealer.

The dealer asks the players if they need one or more cards. If they are all satisfied with their cards, the dealer hits or stands depending on the cards in his hand. The dealer reveals his faced down card and players compare their total card scores with the dealer’s card.

Players whose cards are above the 21-score are said to be bust and have lost their bet. If the dealer’s card is over 21 (busts), all players that have cards below 21 have won their stakes.

Playing options

Stand:

When you are happy with the two cards you were dealt with, you stand by merely waving your hand or by putting out an open palm on the cards. Indicating a stand means that the dealer can move to other players.

Hit:

If you want more cards, then you hit by tapping the table with your finger or pointing to your cards. The dealer deals you with another card face up. When the round comes back to you, you can either stand or hit again depending on the hand you have.

If the total number of your cards is less than the 21-score, you can either stand or hit. But if it is 21 you stand compulsorily and if it is above 21, your hand is bust and you are out of the game. The game continues as the dealer takes the player’s bet. 

Live Online Casino Games: Full Guide

Double Down:

This is done when you have cards scores that are profitable to you, but you need to take an additional card. You must double your initial bet. After that, the dealer will deal you only one extra face-up card but you must stand after this. Hand signal – Just put up a stake, equal to your initial bet, and the dealer will give you one extra card.

Split:

Are the first two cards dealt with the same worth? You can decide to split the cards into two hands by placing a bet equal to your initial bet to the new hand. Additional cards are then dealt to both hands.

Hand signal: put the second bet on the table and then give a “peace sign”. If the second card is equal with the split card, the player could split again, although the casino determines this.

Surrender:

If the two cards dealt with you are not favorable, some casinos allow you to surrender the cards for half of your original bet. “Surrendering” must be your first and only action. Hand signal: draw a line across the table behind your bet.

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Payouts

If a player wins a double down bet, he will be paid double of his total stake. In a situation where a player places a bet of $5 and then doubled down placing another bet of $5 and won, he would be paid a total of $20.

The first bet will be added to the second bet. In this case, $10, which will be returned, and the bet will be doubled because of the winnings making another $10, giving a total of $20. 

If the player gets a Blackjack, they are paid at 1.5:1. For example, if a player places a bet of $5 and wins, the player would be paid $12.5, their bet of $5 plus $7.5 winnings. 

If a player places a bet of $10 and also placed an Insurance bet of $5. And if the dealer has Blackjack, the player’s hand loses his $10 but wins $15 since Insurance bet pays out at 2:1. The initial bet of $5 is returned and doubled making $10, giving a total of $15.

Now when you know how to play blackjack, enjoy this game to the fullest and don’t forget to have fun!

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