If player and the House tie, it is a push and no one wins. Ace and 10 (Blackjack) on the first two cards dealt is an automatic player win at 1.5 to 1, unless the house ties. A player may stand at any time.

Playing blackjack

To win you need to beat the dealer without busting. You bust when your cards total more than 21 and then you lose automatically. The winner is whoever has closest to a total of 21. You reach 21 by adding up the values of the cards.

The blackjack table seats about 6 players. Either six or eight decks of cards are used and are shuffled together by the dealer and placed in a card dispensing box called the 'Shoe'.

Before receiving any cards, players must place a wager. Then the players are dealt two cards face up. The dealer gets one face up, one face down. Each player in turn either stays or takes more cards to try and get closer to 21 without busting. Players who do not bust wait for the dealer's turn. When all the players are done, the dealer turns up the down card. By rule, on counts of 17 or higher the dealer must stay; on counts of 16 or lower the dealer must draw.

If you make a total of 21 with the first two cards (a 10 or a face and an Ace), you win automatically. This is called 'Blackjack'. If you have Blackjack, you will win one and one-half times your bet unless the dealer also has Blackjack, in which case it is a Push or a Tie (or a Stand-off) and you get your bet back.

The remaining players with a higher count than the dealer win an amount equal to their bet. Players with a lower count than the dealer lose their bet. If the dealer busts, all the remaining players win. There are other betting options namely Insurance, Surrender, Double Down, Even Money and Split.

Insurance:
Side bet up to half the initial bet against the dealer having a natural 21 - allowed only when the dealer's showing card is an Ace. If the dealer has a 10 face down and makes a blackjack, insurance pays at 2-1 odds.

Surrender: giving up your hand and lose only half the bet.

Early Surrender: surrender allowed before the dealer checks for blackjack.

Late Surrender: the dealer first checks to see if he has blackjack. If he does, surrender is not permitted.

Double Down: double your initial bet following the initial two-card deal, but you can hit one card only. A good bet if the player is in a strong situation.

Even Money:
Cashing in your bet immediately at a 1:1 payout ratio when you are dealt a natural blackjack and the dealer's showing card is an Ace.

Split Hand: split the initial two-card hand into two and play them separately - allowed only when the two first cards are of equal value. Use each card as the start to a separate hand and place a second bet equal to the first.

House advantage (approximate, may vary with different rules)
Without basic strategy 7% average. With basic strategy 0.5% or less. Card counting can reverse the advantage up to 1% to the player.

Some blackjack variations
Using different number of decks: all other conditions being the same, as a general rule the fewer the decks, the better for the player.

Allowing the dealer to hit a soft 17: a disadvantage to the player. It gives the dealer a chance to improve. Allowing a double down after splitting pairs: can be advantageous to the player if used wisely. Allowing re-splitting of Aces: a clear advantage to the player.

Blackjack Strategies

(Click HERE to return to BLACKJACK RULES)

The object of the blackjack game is to accumulate cards with point totals as close to 21 without going over 21. Face cards (Jacks, Queens and Kings) are worth 10 points. Aces are worth 1 or 11, whichever is preferable. Other cards are represented by their number.

Blackjack strategy is a world made up of two halves. One half is comprised of those who believe that 'basic strategy' is all you need to know, while the other half believe it leaves something to be desired. Basic strategy is the standard name for the strategies that were discovered with a little computer help in the 1980's.

Computer programmers realised that once you know all of the variables governing game-play, the specific rules for a table, and the number of decks in a shoe, you could program a computer to play blackjack for you. Having the computer play for them allowed the researchers to assess every possible situation a player could be presented with (two card total vs. a specific dealer's up-card) and determine which would be more statistically profitable for the player in the long run. This information is usually provided in the form of a table or chart that allows you to look up your two-card hand against the dealer's up-card. The chart indicates whether you should hit, stand, double, or split.

It's rather difficult to dispute the reliability of a blackjack strategy that was built on pure mathematics. Playing perfect strategy, depending on the game you're up against, helps bring the house edge into check, possibly lowering it to the point where the house has less than half a percentage point edge on the player. Advocates of basic strategy know their best chance at the table is to follow the laws of basic strategy to the letter. While people play with the best of intentions, they often fail to follow the strategy suggestions exactly. The reason for this is rather simple, but deceptively destructive.

Imagine yourself at the table, with your basic blackjack strategy firmly in mind, and you are dealt two fives against a dealer up-card of 7. Imagine also, that you're near the end of your session and your bankroll isn't as high as it once was. A common mistake often takes place under these circumstances. Many players see that basic strategy in this situation recommends that you double down and hope your next card is a ten, for a nice strong total of 20. A player who is on a downswing for their bankroll though, is not as willing to bet big, unless they are chasing their losses, which is never a good idea. This is where a very common blackjack strategy mistake is made.

When basic strategy suggests one should double down, it's a mistake to think "that means I'll likely win anyway, so I don't truly need to double my bet, I'd rather risk less right now and be happy with my smaller winnings". While there is some inherent logic in this approach, because it's true that if basic strategy is suggesting you double down you have a better chance of winning than normal, actually holding back from doubling your bet limits the advantage that playing with basic strategy provides.

You've probably heard that playing perfect basic blackjack strategy may help lower the house edge to less than 1%, but this simply is not the case if you don't take full advantage of every instance where it is advantageous to double down.

Consider this logically. The approximate house edge for a session of play can be worked out by watching your bankroll, seeing how much you have left, and seeing how much the house has taken. Not maximising your wins on a double down situation will leave you winning just as often, but not winning as much. This has a direct effect on the house edge - it increases it. To keep the house edge at its lowest you always need to double down when it is suggested by basic blackjack strategy.

It doesn't matter if you just started playing black jack or if you have been playing it for years. It is always wise to refer to so called black jack charts to increase your chances of winning. These charts tell you which decision to make for every possible hand. Every strategy chart contains three separate charts. One for a Hard Total, one for a Soft Total and one for a Split.

The following charts will tell you exactly what to do when you are playing. Use the charts and match the hand you are currently holding. There are many different charts available but these three are the most common.

Hard Total Chart

H=Hit, S=Stand, D=Double

Soft Hand Total

H=Hit, S=Stand, D=Double

Split Total

H=Hit, S=Stand, D=Double, SP=Split

It is recommended you always use these charts unless you know them by heart or you are a card counting master.

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