Rules

The game Blackjack can be found at almost any casino, online or at Las Vegas, which people play around the world. It is a simple game that uses cards and places players against the dealer, and not against one another. Your goal is to get as close to 21 points without going over. If you can successfully have a higher score than the dealer, you win.

How Blackjack is Played

Everyone at the table places their bets and the dealer begins to hand out cards. One of the cards will be face up while the other will be lying face down. The player is given the option to either get another card or keep what they have.

The dealer has a set of rules that they must abide by, but these can also change from casino to casino. In most cases, the dealer must keep taking cards until they reach or exceed 16. Some places raise the requirement to 17 points for the dealer, but that will play to your disadvantage.

Other disadvantages that the player has include the fact that they play before the dealer, meaning they have the opportunity to go over first. Also, a tie or draw will still result in a win for the dealer. The only way a player is able to win is to beat the dealer.

Advantages for the Player

Even though things may look bad for a person who plays Blackjack, there are things that are beneficial to the player. First, if the player is able to achieve a natural 21, they are paid for three to two odds instead of the standard bet. A natural 21 consists of an Ace card and a face card, which is valued at 10 points. The combination of these cards results in an immediate win along with the higher payout.

Players also have the choice to take cards or keep what they have while the dealer does not. The player can take as many cards as they want, letting them play the way they please. Another advantage for the player is the ability to split cards. If the cards you are given are both the same point value, they can be split apart so that two hands can be played. For example, two 4 cards can be separated into two hands with 4 cards in them.

Depending on the casino you are at, there can be rules on splitting certain cards, like Aces. On the other hand, they may even allow you to split your cards even further, which are known as re-splitting. No matter where you play Blackjack, make sure you know the rules so you don't get caught off guard.