The Complete Rules of Blackjack

Blackjack is a casino game that is played with anywhere from one to eight standard decks of cards. The objective of the game is to beat the dealer with a hand as close to 21 as possible without going over. Here are the rules associated with getting to that point.

Card Values

Before playing a game of blackjack and understanding how to get to 21 points, players must first understand how many points the individual cards in the deck are worth. Aces can be worth either one point or 11, face cards and 10s are worth 10 point, and all of the other cards in the deck are worth the number shown on their faces. The best possible hand in the game is known as a blackjack, or a two-card hand that equals 21. This is accomplished by getting an Ace and a card worth 10 points on the initial deal.

The Course of Gameplay

Before any bets are placed, players are required to place their bets; these will vary based upon the venue and the table limits. Next, two face-up cards are dealt to the player and two cards are dealt to the dealer, but one is face-up and the other is face-down. Players must review their cards as well as the dealer's up-card objectively and decide to hit or stand. Hitting means that the player will receive another card; the value of that card will be added to the value of the overall hand. Standing means that the player is satisfied with their current point total.

Winning

In order to win a hand of blackjack, players must successfully beat the dealer's score without going over 21, or busting. This means that players must make their decisions very carefully during the course of gameplay. In most casinos, the dealer is required to hit on 16 and stand on 17, making gameplay a bit more predictable. Players can use this to their advantage when they have a high score and the dealer is holding a low up-card.

Blackjack is a truly exciting game that provides a very low house edge when players know how to make use of the different strategies. These basic rules are a great starting point and should be added upon with basic strategies and betting systems for the best results.