BlackJack Tips

The Objective of Blackjack

The sole objective of Black Jack is to end up with a hand of 21 or as near as you can get to 21 without exceeding this number (or going bust). The main aim of each hand is to end up with  ‘Black Jack’ itself ( which is 2 cards totalling 21) . To beat the house, the player should get a hand better than the dealer’s.

To start a game off, the player makes a  bet which is determined by the casino/online casino rules (wagering requirements for that particular table. After the player places his bet he gets two cards. The dealer also receives two cards except that one is facing down.  Aces count as either 1 or 11 and all face cards have a value of 10, while the other cards are taken by their number value. 

A Black Jack, or  21 dealt with the first 2 cards wins immediately, and the winner receives their bet back plus an extra 150% as a winning bonus. In other cases, the player has to take strategic steps:

• Hit: the player asks for another card in the attempt to score as near to 21 as possible. Bear in mind that the dealer is liable to hit when their hand is below 17. If the player’s hand appears to be closer to 21 than the dealer’s one, or the dealer busts, the bet is paid 1:1.
• Stand: the player refuses to take any more cards considering the hand favorable enough to secure the win.
• Double down: Only two cards dealt, the player asks for only one more card and doubling of your bet.
• Surrender: This option is not offered by some casinos, as it allows the gambler to give up their play right after the unfortunate hand is dealt and lose only half of the bet.
• Split: Another optional step which allows the player to split their hand in two if it consists of a pair. Upon splitting, the gambler has to produce one more bet equal to the initial one and play the two hands as usual.
• Insurance: This rarely chosen option provides the gambler with a chance to secure the bet by insuring it. The insurance bet amounts up to one half of the actual one and can be activated if the dealer’s face-up card is an ace. Thus, the player insures their bet against the dealer’s Black Jack. If the dealer scores a Black Jack, the insurance bet is paid 2:1, if not – the insurance is lost and the game continues as usual.
   

       You win if…

• You’ve get a Black Jack or 21 with the first 2 cards.
• Your hand is closer to 21 than the dealer’s is.
• Your hand doesn't total more than 21, but the dealer busts.

You lose if…

• You go bust.
• The dealer’s hand is better than yours.
• You surrender (losing 50% of your original bet.

Your bet is safe if…

• You push or 'draw', i.e. if your hand equals the dealer’s one.
• You had insured your bet against the dealer’s Black Jack before he/she scored it