BLACKJACK Selective Casinos

If the first two cards dealt to you or the dealer are an Ace and a ten-count card
(10, Jack, Queen or King), that is “blackjack”. If you have blackjack,
you win automatically, unless the dealer also has blackjack, in which case it
is a push (tie). Blackjack pays higher than an ordinary win, which pays even money.
Blackjack pays 3 to 2, meaning you win 3 dollars for every 2 you bet. Blackjack
is sometimes called “a natural”.

Doubling Down

After you receive your first two cards, you may have the option to “double
down”. This means you can double your original bet. Most casino only allow
you to double down when the value of the first 2 cards is 9, 10 or 11. If you
double down, the dealer will give you only one more card and then draw the cards
needed to complete his own hand.

Splitting Pairs

When your first two cards have the same value (for example, a pair of sevens),
you have the option to “split”. To split, you have to place another
bet equal to your original bet. Then the two cards are split and you play them
as separate hands. Some casinos allow you to “resplit” if you get another
same-value card.

Special rules
apply when you choose to split Aces. When you split Aces, you only receive one
more card on each hand and if you get 21, it is not considered blackjack.

Insurance

When the dealer’s face-up card is an Ace, some casinos will ask if you want “insurance”.
The cost of insurance is half your original bet. Your insurance bet pays 2 to
1 if the dealer gets blackjack, which will equal the amount you lose on the original
bet. For example, say your original bet was $10. The dealer has an Ace showing
and you decide to place an insurance bet for $5. If the dealer gets blackjack,
you lose your original $10 bet but win $10 on the insurance bet so you are even.
If the dealer does not have blackjack you lose your $5 insurance bet and play
the hand by normal rules.

Number
of Decks

Casinos deal blackjack from a single deck or from multiple decks. It’s traditional
for the dealer to “burn” or discard the top card after shuffling.

Rules variations

Blackjack rules may vary from casino to casino. Here are a few rules variations
you may encounter:

* Dealer stands on soft 17.

* Player may double down on any first two cards.

* Player may double down on any number of cards.

* Player may double down on split pairs.

* Player may “surrender” his hand after the first two cards and lose
half his bet.

Mathematicians and blackjack experts have used computer simulations and statistical
analyses to try to find a way to beat the house at blackjack. Through their studies,
they have determined a basic strategy that gives the player the best odds against
the house.

This basic strategy
helps the player make decisions about when to hit and when to stand. By playing
this basic strategy, the player can play on nearly even terms with the house.
This basic strategy is the starting point for more-advanced card-counting strategies
professional blackjack players use to gain an advantage on the house.

Basic strategy

Below is the basic blackjack strategy for the typical rules found at online casinos.
While you can’t beat the house in the long term using this strategy alone, it
does reduce the house’s advantage considerably. You may want to print a copy of
the strategy and try it out on our free play-for-fun blackjack game.

Your Hand Dealer’s
Up Card

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A

5,6,7,8 H H H H H H H H H H

9 H D D D D H H H H H

10 D D D D D D D D H H

11 D D D D D D D D D H

12 H H S S S H H H H H

13,14 S S S S S H H H H H

15,16 S S S S S H H H H H

17,18,19,20 S S S S S S S S S S

Soft 13,14 H H H D D H H H H H

Soft 15,16 H H D D D H H H H H

Soft 17 H D D D D H H H H H

Soft 18 S D D D D S S H H H

Soft 19,20 S S S S S S S S S S

A-A SP SP SP SP SP SP SP SP SP SP

2-2,3-3 SP SP SP SP SP SP H H H H

4-4 H H H SP SP H H H H H

5-5 D D D D D D D D H H

6-6 SP SP SP SP SP H H H H H

7-7 SP SP SP SP SP SP H H H H

8-8 SP SP SP SP SP SP SP SP SP SP

9-9 SP SP SP SP SP SP SP SP S S

10-10 S S S S S S S S S S

H=Hit, S=Stand,
D=Double down, SP=Split

Card counting
systems

A number of blackjack players have enjoyed success at beating the house by using
card-counting systems. Card-counting systems are based on the principle that the
make-up of a deck of cards changes as cards are played. Analysis has shown that
a deck is in the player’s favor when it has more ten-count cards in it. The reason
the deck favors the player is because the player has a better chance of getting
blackjack which pays 3 to 2, more money than an average win.

By assigning a simple value such as +1 for high cards and -1 for low cards, a
card counter can roughly determine the ratio of high cards to low cards remaining
in the deck at anytime during play. When the deck contains more high cards and
the odds are in his favor, he increases the amount he bets so he can win more.
When the deck isn’t favorable, he bets the minimum so he loses less. The count
also affects his decisions on when to hit, stand, double and split.