A Guide on How to Play Blackjack

This article aims to act as an informative guide for players who wish to learn how to play blackjack.

It will not only teach you the basic rules, but also how to use blackjack strategy to your advantage as you continue to play.

Blackjack is also known as “21” as the best winning hand (that also provides the best returns) is worth 21 points and is formed of a picture card or a 10 and an Ace.

Each playing card carries a numeric value. For example, Aces can be worth either 1 or 11 while royals (N.B., Jacks, Queens, and Kings) are all worth 10. Cards from 2 to 10 are worth their face value.

The aim of the game is to get closer to 21 than the dealer without going bust.

Rules of Blackjack

When you’re learning how to play blackjack, one of the most important things that you need to know is how the rules work.

Some of the terms may be familiar to you such as hit or stand, but there are also other options which are worth knowing about as you continue to hone your skills. For example, insurance is favoured by many players.

Below, we’ve listed the main blackjack rules along with explanations of what they mean. We’ve also included their respective hand signals, where applicable, as these allow you indicate to the dealer what your preferences are without having to interrupt the game by talking.

Stand

If you wish to retain your existing total hand without taking any further cards which will end your turn, you should request to “stand”. You can indicate your decision to the dealer by waving your hand horizontally.

Opting to stand should also take the dealer’s hand into consideration. For example, if the dealer has a hand worth 10, standing if your hand is worth 17 or more is considered the standard play. You could also stand if the dealer holds a 7, 8 or 9 if your hand totals 17 or more as they will be unable to create a blackjack.

If the dealer has a 4, 5 or 6 in their hand, you may stand if you hold 12 points or higher. However, if they have a 2 or 3, it’s worth standing on 13+ points.

You could consider standing whenever your hand is worth at least 17 as there are fewer cards in the deck that can get you to 21 than there are that can bust your hand.

Hit

Depending on your current hand total, you can request an extra card from the dealer. This is referred to as a “hit”, and you can either say it verbally or perform it visually by tapping the table.

According to basic blackjack rules, there are different situations in which you should hit.

If the dealer has a card worth 10 points, common strategy suggests that you might opt to hit if your hand is worth 10 or between 12 and 16 as there is a greater chance that the dealer will have a hand worth 16+.

Similarly, if the dealer holds a 7, 8 or 9, you could hit when holding 9 or less or between 12 and 16.

For times when the dealer’s card is a 4, 5 or 6, it’s common practice to hit if you have 8 or less, and if they have a 3, you may opt to hit on 12 or less.

Finally, you may want to hit on 12 if the dealer has a 2 as cards 1-9 improve your hand and only cards 10, J, Q, K will cause you to bust.

Split

Splitting is a term that’s used to describe splitting your cards into two separate hands, and it requires you to match your original bet with a second bet. Splitting makes it possible to double your winnings (as well as your losses).

You can only split if the first two cards that you’re dealt are a pair, and most players suggest that you split if you hold a pair of Aces or 8s.

You can indicate to the dealer your wish to split by placing more chips next to your original bet, making sure you do so from outside the bet zone.

Double

In blackjack rules, you “double” or “double down” in order to double your bet after receiving your initial cards. When you double, you must also take an additional card. It’s advised that you double if your hand is worth 10 or 11 as there’s a greater chance of drawing a card worth 10 points.

To let the dealer know that you wish to double, put your extra chips next to your initial bet.

Surrender

Although “surrender” sounds a rather dramatic action to take in a card game, when it comes to general blackjack strategy, it’s the best option to choose if you’re not confident with your hand as it means that you only lose half your original bet. However, you can only surrender after the dealer has checked their cards.

You can let the dealer know that you wish to surrender by drawing your finger from left-to-right across the betting area.

Insurance

You can let the dealer know that you wish to surrender by drawing your finger from left-to-right across the betting area.

Betting on Blackjack

Knowing how betting works is an essential part of learning how to play blackjack, and depending on where you choose to play, there’ll usually be a minimum and maximum betting amount.

The basic blackjack rules for betting require you to place your chosen amount of chips (once you’ve received them) in the circle in front of your seat. Next, the dealer shuffles the cards and places them in a box called a “shoe”. The cards are then distributed to each player from the top of the deck, starting with the player who’s sat furthest away on the dealer’s left.

Whether you win or lose your bet depends on the game’s outcome. For example, if you were to bet £10 and you win, you’d get your original £10 back as well as £10 extra. However, if you win with a blackjack, you get £15 extra instead of just £10 as you receive 1.5 times your bet for a blackjack. If you draw (i.e. tie), you keep your bet, and if you lose, the dealer gets your £10 bet.

This guide relates, in the main, to the most popular and widely played variation of blackjack, Classic Blackjack, but at many casinos, you’ll find other variations to explore such as European, Atlantic City, Spanish 21, Vegas Strip, Pontoon, and Blackjack Switch.

Terminology

As you begin learning how to play blackjack, you’re likely to encounter certain terminology. We’ve listed the meanings of some of the most common words and phrases below.

Bankroll – the money that you’re using to play with.
Bust – when your hand exceeds 21 points.
Buy-in – to exchange money for chips.
Chips – the tokens that are used to place a wager.
Deck – a standard 52-deck of playing cards.
Draw – the act of being dealt a hand.
Hand – the cards that are dealt to either the dealer or a player.
Hard hand – a hand without an Ace or a hand with an Ace that is counted as 1 and not 11.
House edge – the mathematical advantage that the casino has over its players.
Soft hand – a hand with an Ace that is counted as 11.
Push – a player’s final hand that’s worth the same as the dealer’s final hand.

Blackjack Strategy

There are a variety of blackjack strategy tips that are employed by players, and although they can’t guarantee that you’ll win, they can help to give you a better understanding of the odds.

For example, knowing when to double can reduce the house edge by 1.6%, and if you also split pairs, the house edge reduces by a further 0.4%. Hitting and standing at the right time can cut the house edge to 2.2%.

We’ve already mentioned several strategies as to when you might want to hit, stand, double down and split. However, some players would say that the best strategy is card counting, although many casinos frown on this. Card counting involves keeping a running tally of what high and low-value cards have been drawn, which means that you can be more confident when placing bets as you’ll be more aware of which cards have yet to be dealt.

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