Blackjack

Standard Blackjack + Blackjack will continue to change as long as casinos add the number of decks in a game and tack on various house rules.  The strategy I offer you here is for standard, unadulterated, four-deck blackjack, the traditional style played in Las Vegas Casinos.  The objective of Standard Blackjack:  beat the dealer with a total adding up to 21 or less.  Any total greater than 21 is a bust.  A bust, as the name indicates, is not a good thing. Learn more about blackjack.

Card Values

-The Ace can equal either 11 or 1, depending on what best aids the player.
-King, Queen, and Jack, also know as “face cards”, equal 10 each.  
-All other cards equal their face value.

Blackjack Rules  + To begin a round of blackjack, a player will place a wager on the table before any cards are dealt.  Wagers are placed by putting a bet in the assigned space on the table.  Once the wagers are in place, the dealer deals two cards to each player.  When the dealer deals his own hand, he leaves one of his cards face up for the benefit of the players.

Blackjack + If the first two cards a player is dealt is a combination of either an ace and a 10 or an ace and a face card (21), that player is the winner.  If the dealer turns up with a blackjack as well, as with all pushes or ties, it is called a standoff.  Players are paid 3 to 2 for a winning blackjack. 

Hit or Stand + Sure it sounds violent but it has nothing to do with a fist fight.  A hit is simply a request to draw another card.  The standard signal for a hit is scraping the table with your cards.  Stand means no more cards.  A stand is signaled by either swiping the hand horizontally or by placing your cards under you wager. 

If a player makes the unfortunate, but common mistake of hitting and the card total breaks 21, that is a bust.  The player must then reveal his cards and the wager is lost. 
 
Surrender + Players are occasionally allowed to “surrender” their initial cards and only part with ˝ of their starting bet. 

The dealer must either stand at 17 or draw on 16.  Many casinos require the dealer to draw on soft 17. 

Insurance + Players are allowed to take insurance, or place a bet below ˝ the original bet, should the dealers up turned card be an ace.  If it turns out the dealers down turned card is a face card or a 10, the player wins 2 to 1.  However, if the down turn card is any other value, the dealer wins.  

Double Down + A player is permitted to double the bet on his initial cards and receive one more card for the purpose of strengthening his hand.   

Splitting Pairs + Here is where the game gets interesting.  If a players first two cards are a pair, the pair can be split, played, and wagered on as if they are two separate hands.  It is up to the player, this can either double their luck or misfortune.

A pair of aces can only receive one additional card each.  Once split, an Ace and a 10 only counts as 21, it is not a blackjack.  21 is still very good, it’s just a little lower on the food chain than blackjack.

_{Check This Out + Study the chart below.  It will help you build an odds based strategy for Traditional Blackjack.}