Blackjack is the ultimate most popular card game in casino history. You can practically find this game being played in most casinos, both online and land-based casinos. One of the reasons for blackjack’s popularity is due to its low house edge.
Today we are going to present you with a complete blackjack game guide. Aimed at both beginner and experienced players. Where we will be discussing everything from history to how to play responsibly.
A game of Strategy and Chance
The Blackjack game is both a game of strategy and of chance with the potential of some thrilling gameplay. Whenever you think of blackjack, the first things to think of are:
- The number 21;
- How to beat the dealer; and
- How to get a blackjack hand.
The history of Blackjack
As with all the major casino games, the origins of the game are a bit unknown. Some historians believe that the blackjack game goes back to the Roman Era. This is because Romans were known to love a gamble.
Another theory is that Blackjack is thought to have originated in France in 1700. This is thought to be a more plausible theory since at the time there was a popular game in France called Vingt-et-Un. This literally translates to twenty-one.
Blackjack Glossary
Blackjack is a very straightforward game. It does come with a few game terminology which might require some remembering to do. So let us go through the most important ones.
Bust
This is what you want to avoid when playing Blackjack. Going Bust can happen when asking for another card and this card brings your total hand value to over 21. As expected, you will immediately lose at this stage.
Double or Double Down
Once your cards are dealt you can double your bet and get another card. This happens mostly in the case that the dealer’s hand is weak.
Even Money
If you have a blackjack and the dealer has an ace, you can opt for an even money side bet. This can be said to be similar to Insurance but if you opt for this you will receive a 1:1 payout and your hand in the game is over.
Hard Hand
This simply means that you do not have an ace.
Hit
This is when the player asks for another card, to the already dealt cards, in order to get closer to the sum of 21.
Insurance
This is an optional bet which results in half the amount of the initial bet. If you see that the dealer has an Ace, you can decide to take out the insurance. In case that the dealer has a blackjack, you will get your insurance money back, which is half of your initial bet. Click here for further information with regard to Blackjack insurance.
Natural
We discussed this in more detail in a previous blog. This means that a blackjack occurs and you get the sum of 21 with the two cards dealt.
Soft Hand
This is when you get a combination of an ace and another card which is not a ten-card. Players can count the ace as either a one or 11 and decide whether to draw another card or not. An example of this is getting an ace and a 6-card. This card combination can result in the sum of 7 or 17, hence can be called a soft 17.
Stand
This is when the player decides not to ask for another card.
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How is blackjack different from other casino games?
Even though Blackjack is a card game, it has two main factors that differentiate it from other casino games.
When compared to casino games such as Roulette, in blackjack the player has several options for dealing and playing the cards dealt. This is why having a blackjack strategy is important, for which we will have you covered after going through this post.
The second point of differentiation for Blackjack from other card games such as poker is that Blackjack is a one on one game. This is because it is played between each player and the dealer, rather than players competing with each other.
The Blackjack table layout
Blackjack is played using a semicircular table that accommodates many players. The dealer stands beside the game table and the chip box and players around the table.
The most common tables support seven players, but this can vary as some tables allow just 5 players and others with only 12 slots.
For online blackjack, the table is still the same but naturally, there are no players surrounding the table. Along with the number of players per game varying per table.
The objective of Blackjack
All you want is to beat dealers at the earliest possibility. The other players’ hands have nothing to do with yourself in the game of Blackjack.
So, the thought which is constantly hovering around the player’s mind is, how can one beat a dealer?
How to play Blackjack
As players already know, this game revolved around the sum of 21. You have to attempt to reach the sum of 21 before the dealer and without going over the sum of 21. We have already written about this in detail in our blog post entitled How to Play Blackjack, but let us go through the basics.
Blackjack is played as either a standard single deck game or the more popular version being a six-deck game (312 cards).
Each table has a dealer on one side and seats for players on the other side. The number of players on each table in a land-based casino depends on the table itself. Online Blackjack does not usually have a limit but it’s always best to check before getting started.
The table also has specific blackjack rules such as the betting limits, the payout for a blackjack, and whether the dealer hits a soft 17.
Once all players place their bets, the dealer deals the first two cards to each player and it all takes off from there.
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Blackjack Strategy
In blackjack, every step you take needs to give the best outcome possible. This is easier said than remembered! Memorizing the right way to hit, stand, split and double down your hand is a must in Blackjack.
The Basic Strategy goes as follows. When the dealer’s face-up card is a good one, such as a 7, 8, 9, 10-card or ace, the player should continue drawing cards until a total of 17 or more is reached.
When the dealer’s upcard is a poor one, 4, 5, or 6, the player should stop drawing as soon as he gets a total of 12 or higher. The strategy here is never to take a card if there is any chance of going bust. The desire with this poor holding is to let the dealer hit and hopefully go over 21. Finally, when the dealer’s upcard is a fair one, 2 or 3, the player should stop with a total of 13 or higher.
A few strategies to keep in mind when playing online blackjack or sitting at a table.
- Always hit a soft 18 when the dealer’s upcard is 9, 10, or an ace
- Always surrender hard 16 against a dealer’s 9, 10, or ace upcard, and hard 15 against dealer’s 10 upcard
- You should also, always Double Down On 10 When The Dealer’s Upcard Is 9 Or Less
- Stand when your hand is 12-16 when the dealer has 2-6.
- Hit when your hand is 12-16 when the dealer has 7-Ace
Don’t play insurance
This is one of the basic strategies in Blackjack. It might come as a surprise for new players but the insurance bet is actually not worth it, even if the dealer’s upcard is an Ace. This is also the case when you are dealt a good hand (like a 19 or 20). This is because the payoff for the insurance bet (2 to 1) is less than the odds that the dealer will have a blackjack..
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Blackjack side bets
There are a large number of side bets in blackjack. the only problem with side bets is that the house edge is just too high.
We suggest that you just skip the side bets altogether. Unless you mathematically know that this side bet is a good deal.
Play Blackjack Online
As previously discussed and also as with everything going on around us, going online has become the norm.
The best part of playing at an online casino is that you can play from anywhere. One of the best parts when it comes to playing blackjack online is that you can practically find a place at any table.
SkyCity Online Casino has a number of different Blackjack games happening. These are part of our Live Casino having a dealer in real-time shuffling and dealing cards in a real casino while interacting with the players.
Points to keep in mind when playing Blackjack
There are another few strategies which we suggest that you should also keep in mind.
Don’t sit in the first base seat
When playing at a brick and mortar casino, we suggest that you do not take the first seat. This is because as explained the game is played by the dealer versus the player. The seated position gives you more time to look over your hand and the dealer’s face-up card.
Start small
Don’t hit all four wheels. Start small so as to gauge the situation. This is so that you can get a better understanding of the game and the dealer.
Blackjack myths
There are naturally a number of myths surrounding the game. One of which is that the previous players’ outcome of the game will affect yours. Hence our third point to keep in mind is not to buy in these myths.
Play Blackjack Responsibly
Our final point to keep in mind is to not get burned. Ideally, you cap the amount of money that you are comfortable with losing. In this way, you would know when it is time to walk away from the game. You can read more about the best personality traits to focus on when playing at a casino.
Playing at an online casino is a fun experience and a form of entertainment. It should never be considered to be an additional form of income. We strongly advise all players to set their limits before starting to play online. This helps the player to stay in control of their wagering and their losses.
Playing responsibly helps keep the fun in the game.
