How to Play Online Blackjack

Winning at Blackjack requires a player to build a set of cards that totals nearer to 21 (but not more than 21) than the dealer is able to put together.  It is vital to be aware of this; players simply need to beat the dealers hand, don’t try to get as close to 21 as you can.  If you possess a high-quality set of cards and you have a better than average chance that the dealer is unable to better it, stop; don’t continue to take playing cards and chance busting (exceeding 21).

Playing cards displaying 2 to 9 possess the worth that is displayed on the playing card.  The cards displaying ten, Jack, Queen and King are assigned a value of ten.  An Ace is the most significant card and is able to  have a value of either one or eleven depending on what the participant wants.  A Blackjack is whenever a player is holding two cards that total 21 (an Ace and one more playing card of worth ten) and is a sure win for the player in possession of it.

Playing Blackjack

Casinos in their attempt to stop cheating do not allow the players to touch the playing cards; also to suppress card counting they employ multiple decks of cards.  The action begins with the dealer dealing a single playing card, face up, to everyone at the table (including the dealer).  After this the dealer gives one more card face up to everyone else at the table and finally gives another card to her/himself, however this card is dealt face down.

Remember that Blackjack is not a group contest.  Even though the table is populated by a few players they are not competing against each other.  Each player is playing by themselves against the dealer, when you turn comes the other participants hands don’t impact your game.

Participants must play before the dealer; the player have two alternatives, they can take another playing card or not (stand). Any participant that takes one more playing card and the resulting total exceeds 21 will have busted and the dealer wins by default.  Once all the players are finished the dealer plays his/her hand.  Dealer play is made based on a set of rules (posted for all to see).  The standard set of rules that the dealer must abide by is that when his/her total is less than 16 they must take another playing card, but if their hand total is 17 or greater they stand.

After the dealer has finished he/she pays off hands better than theirs, collects from any participant with a set of cards worse than theirs and neither pays off nor collects (pushes) any tie hands.

All of the wagering is made prior to the cards being dealt.  Victorious set of cards get even money.  A participant making a Blackjack gets $3 for each $2 bet (3 to 2).

Betting Options

Splitting Pairs – If your initial two cards are of identical worth you have the opportunity of splitting them.  After splitting both of the two cards is played individually. When splitting Aces the casino generally just lets you to draw one more playing card for each Ace, and if the card has a worth of ten it is counted as 21 (instead of a Blackjack) this hand would lose in the event that dealer gets a Blackjack.

Doubling Down – When a player believes she/he will be able to beat the dealers hand with only one more card (and only a single card) they are permitted to double their wager prior to getting this last card.

Insurance – When the dealers face up playing card is an Ace, players have the opportunity of making a side insurance wager.  The players have the option of wagering that the face down playing card is worth ten.  If the face down card has a value of 10 then the dealer has a Blackjack and the insurance wager pays out at 2 to 1.  The participants original bet is still in effect and the participant will lose this bet except when they can put together a Blackjack to tie the dealer.

Surrender – A few venues provide participants a surrender option.  If after looking at the first two cards dealt the participant believes that he/she can not beat the dealer set of cards the player can verbally tell the dealer they surrender.  With the announcement of the surrender the players turn is finished and they give up half of their bet.