Blackjack is a game of chance in which the player attempts to beat the dealer. In order to win, the player must have a total hand that is higher than the dealer’s, but no higher than 21.
The number of cards in a blackjack table depends on the rules of the casino and the specific rules of the game being played. Usually, a single deck of cards is used; however, some casinos use two or even more decks. The number of decks increases the house edge, but the increase is smallest with a two-deck game and can be larger when playing with multiple decks.
Card counting is an effective strategy that reduces the house advantage to 0.5 to 1.5% in some cases. Counting cards allows a player to know which cards have been played by the dealer and which cards are left in the deck. This helps the player know when to make bigger bets and increase the odds of winning.
A hand that consists of an ace and a card with a value of 10 is called a blackjack. This hand is worth 3:2 in most casinos, and can be a good play if the player can draw another card without busting.
Players can also wager an amount up to half of their original bet on a special area of the table known as Insurance, which pays 2:1 if the dealer’s upcard is a ’10’, Jack, Queen or King. This bet is a good option for players who have a good idea of the dealer’s ‘hole card’, but it is bad for players who do not.
Basic strategy is the optimal way to play any blackjack situation. It is based on millions of hands played over the long term and has a much lower house edge than other strategies.
There are four standard ways to play the game: Hit, Stand, Double Down and Surrender. Each of these ways varies slightly from casino to casino.
Hit – A player may ask for another card, which is done by scratching the felt beside the hand or by pointing to the face up hand. The player may also stick with the current hand and continue hitting until the total is 21, which is considered to be a stand.
Stand – A player may not ask for another card and can continue playing their hand until it is 21, or the total is busted. If the total is busted, the player loses their bet.
Early surrender – A player can choose to forfeit their bet if they have a weak hand before the dealer checks for blackjack. This is a useful strategy because some hands are so unlikely to win that it’s better to surrender than risk losing.
Resplitting aces – A player can split aces, but must receive only one additional card per hand. This is beneficial because it prevents a player from drawing a high total when the dealer’s upcard is a 9 or an Ace.