Learn Blackjack Rules & Strategy
If you want to look and sound cool when talking about your casino exploits, then there’s no cooler game right now than blackjack. With the recent release of a motion picture written entirely around the tension of this timeless game, blackjack is even more popular than ever before, which is saying something when you consider that it was already one of the most popular card games in the world. For years both casual and professional casino-goers have crowded around the blackjack tables. Now judi bola online casinos ensure that there’s always a seat for you.
So what exactly is blackjack? You probably know that it uses the same old 52-card deck as poker and a whole slew of other classic card games, and you’ve probably guessed it’s got something to do with a jack. The first point is of course dead on and the second is the original basis for the game’s objective (in other words it’s how you win).
The game of blackjack revolves around the standard 52-card deck. Each card in the deck is assigned a value. Number cards are worth the number displayed on their face while face cards are all worth ten. The ace on the other hand breaks the mold by being worth either one or 11 depending on which is more advantageous to the player. While originally a blackjack and ace were the highest possible hand (hence the game’s name), suits no longer hold any relevance in the game so a red jack and blackjack are interchangeable in value.
The game begins with two cards being dealt with by every player and the dealer. In this way, the highest possible starting hand you can have is a 21 (with a face card and the ace), and this consequently is also the best hand you can have in the game. A hand with a value of more than 21 is called “going bust” and results in the automatic loss of your bet. A hand of anything less than 15 is weak. It is important to note that by house rules most dealers will stand on a hand of either 16 or 17. You should use the dealer’s standing point to determine your own strategy. With this in mind, it is also important to note that only one of the dealer’s first two cards is visible to you. The common strategy is to assume the unrevealed card is a ten and to build your own hand around the assumption.
In case you haven’t guessed yet, blackjack differs from poker in several ways but most notably in who you’re competing against. Your job is not to build a better hand than the other players but to build a better hand than the dealers. All other cards on the table are irrelevant. Once you’ve been dealt your first two cards, you must make your next move. This decision could make or break your hand. If you are satisfied with your first two cards, then you will stand. To stand is to play your current hand. If you want to try for a better hand, then you will hit. To hit is to request an additional card. A player can hit as many times as they like as long as they don’t go bust. In special circumstances, you may also choose to split or double down. Players with two cards of the same value can split by separating those cards to form two hands. You will repeat your original bet to support the second hand, and the dealer will add a new card to each of the original cards. Doubling down is when a player doubles their bet and agrees to take only one additional card.
