Blackjack is a card game played against a dealer, with the aim of getting a hand total as close to 21 as possible without exceeding it. To play, you need to understand card values, the game's flow, and player options.
Card values
- Cards 2 through 10 are worth their face value.
- Jacks, Queens, and Kings are each worth 10.
- An Ace can be 1 or 11; hands with an Ace valued at 11 are "soft" hands.
The objective
Beat the dealer by having a higher hand value without exceeding 21, by the dealer busting, or by getting a "blackjack" (an Ace and a 10-value card as your first two cards).
How to play
- Place your bet before the round starts.
- The deal: You receive two face-up cards, the dealer receives one face-up (upcard) and one face-down (hole card).
- Check for blackjack: If you have one, you win 3:2, unless the dealer also has one (a push).
- Decide your move: If no blackjack, players choose to Hit (take another card), Stand (keep current hand), Double Down (double bet, take one more card), Split (separate matching cards into two hands), or sometimes Surrender (forfeit half your bet). Hand signals are used for decisions.
- Dealer's turn: The dealer reveals their hole card and hits until their hand is 17 or higher.
- Resolve the bets: Payouts are based on comparing hands.
Basic strategy tips
Using basic strategy, based on probability, can lower the house edge.
- Understand "hard" (no Ace or Ace as 1) vs. "soft" (Ace as 1 or 11) hands.
- Always split Aces and 8s.
- Never split 10s or 5s.
- Double down on 11.
- Avoid the insurance bet.