Blackjack is for some
the most fascinating of all casino games.
Above all, the fascination of Blackjack is that it involves
a decision by you, the player, on every single hand. It
is up to each individual at the table how he, or she,
plays the cards. Blackjack is played at a semi-circular
table, normally with seven boxes or betting squares. The
essence of Blackjack is to get nearer to a total of 21
than the dealer. If your hand goes over 21 it loses.
Overview
In this process, cards count at face value with the exception
of the court cards, king, queen and jack, which count
as 10:
For example:
K+J
= 20
An ace counts as either 1 or 11. This makes it a very
valuable card. A hand may contain two aces, each with
a different value:
For example :
A+4+A+3
= 9 or 19
A hand which has an ace in it, like A+9 is known as a
soft total, in this case a soft 20, whereas 10+9 would
be a hard 19.
If you are dealt an ace and a 10, it is a Blackjack. You
win 1.5 times your stake (unless the dealer also has a
Blackjack, when the result is a stand-off).
If you are dealt a Blackjack and the dealer shows an ace,
the player can take "insurance" up to half the original
stake. This is an interesting side bet which pays 2 to
1 if the dealer does in fact make a blackjack with his
second card. A simpler way of doing this, which has the
same result, is for the player simply to accept even money
on a Blackjack, before the dealer takes his second card.
Basic Play
Each player places his stake in the box in front of his
seat. Maximum and minimum stakes are clearly marked on
each table.
There is an option to play more than one box at a time
in a Casino. The dealer deals from the shoe one card to
each box, alternately, until each player has two cards,
face up, and the dealer has one card , face up.
For example:
Player
A: 10+9 / Player B: 2+5
The players act first. Starting from the right of the
table as you sit, the dealer offers each player a choice:
To Stand or Draw:
(A) To stand means you play the hand you have been dealt,
without taking any more cards. The player signals the
dealer with a hand motion palm down or by saying "no cards".
(B) If you have a low total, as in the second hand above,
the player might want to take another card to improve
his hand. This is signalled by gesturing towards you,
indicating another card, or simply by saying "card please".
Suppose player B drew a 6 making a total of 13. He now
has a further choice, of drawing another card to get closer
to 21, or to stand on the total he already has. If the
player draws a 7, making a total of 20, he would signal
the dealer "no more cards". If a player's hand goes over
the total of 21, he is bust and loses his stake. The dealer
takes his own second card after all the players have acted.
The rule is the dealer must continue drawing cards if
his hand totals 16 or less. If his first two cards are
17 or higher, he must stand. And if the dealer's cards
go over a total of 21, his hand is bust and the players
left in the hand all win. All winning hands are paid at
even money. Ties between the dealer's and the player's
total are a stand-off.
