Blackjack is one of if not the most classical games inside casinos across the world. People have continuously been drawn to play Blackjack due to its possible high profits and excitement. The game not only involves the luck of drawing cards, but a sharp statistical mind that can make quick precise decisions. Blackjack is also a great game for beginners to learn card values and table etiquette.
Rules of Blackjack
The rules of blackjack are fairly simple, it is the strategy that complicates certain situations. The main objective in blackjack is to have a hand value closest to 21 without going over. Every card between 2-10 is valued exactly as the numerical value, therefore, a 7 has a value of 7. All facecards are valued at 10, and aces can be valued at 1 or 11 depending on which value will suit the player's hand better.
Beginning Play
Play begins when the dealer deals the initial two cards to each player along with him or herself. Every player's cards are face down or face up depending on the casino, but the dealer will have one of his or her cards face up for players to view. Before these cards are dealt each player will have made his or her initial bet. Because all players' cards may be viewed at the table, players should take the opportunity to view them just for reference of cards left, however, today within casinos, multiple decks are being used to make counting cards nearly impossible.
After each player has been dealt two cards, they will have the opportunity to receive more cards or stop at which the value their hands exists. If players would like to recieve another card simply say "hit me," this will indicate to the dealer that player wishes to have another card. Once the value of your hand is sufficient, players can stop the dealer by saying "I'll stand" aloud, but be careful not to exceed 21 or your hand automatically loses.
After all hands have been determined it is the dealer's turn to approach 21 the best he can. The casino completely dictates the dealer's moves, therefore, no decisions are ever left for him or her to personally make. These rules should be visible at the table before one sits down. Most dealers will be dictated to never stop "hitting" before they reach a value of 17 or "bust" which means having a value over 21. Some dealers will stop at a "soft" 17, which is discussed below. If your hand is closer to 21 than the dealer's hand, then you will win your initial bet, some casinos even have bonuses for hitting 21 or "Blackjack".
"Soft" is a term that refers to an ace within a hand. Because the ace can be valued at 1 or 11 it is possible for a player to switch that value from 11 to 1. Let's say you are dealt an ace and a 6 for a value of 17 with your first two cards. You could still "hit," and let's say you drew an 8 then a 5, that ace value would drop from 11 to 1, leaving you with a total end value of 20, an extremely strong hand.
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