Now
that you know what Black Jack is, it’s time
to familiarize yourself with the Black Jack game
rules:
1) The goal of blackjack is to come as close as
you can to the21 as possible, or to reach that
number.
2) If you do not reach the number 21, then your
next objective is to get to a number closer to
21 than the person dealing. In blackjack, the
other players around do not matter; this is a
game between each player and the blackjack dealer.
3) The cards 2 to 9 are taken at face value, each
number indicates the number of points they are
worth. An Ace is worth either 1 or 11 points.
The face cards are counted as 10 points as well
as the cards numbered 10. The card's suit does
not matter in blackjack. Your hand's value is
the total of the card points. For example, a hand
comprising a 3, 4 and 8 would be 15.
4) Because the Ace has 2 values depending on which
is most useful to you the calculations gets a
little tricky sometimes.
So, if your hand have an Ace and a 5, you can
have 16 points or 6 points. If you call for ome
more card and get a 6, it is obvious your ace
is being used as a 1 and not an 11 causing you
to bust.
5) You could stand with only an Ace and a 6 and
the assumption would be you have 17 which clearly
is nearer to 21 than 7 points.
6) A soft 17 refers to a hand with an ace and
a 6. A hard 17 would be an ace, a 6 and a 10.
In other words a soft hand is when the ace can
be used as either 1 or 11 and still not bust the
hand.
7) The dealer deals from the left passing around
the table 2 times so that all players end up with
2 cards each.
8) The dealer only shows one of his cards.
9) Play starts with first base who is the 1st
player to the dealer's left. After all the players
have decided what they wish to do then the dealer
makes his decsion ( within his rules ) and shows
and then the winnings are collected or paid out
as the case may be.
10) The dealer is limited in his options, he cannot
split pairs and he must take more cards until
he makes 17 or more points.
Some casinos have rule variations which they advertise
upfront and you should take note of it.
11) One of these rules is the dealer must stand
on 17 points, he cannot take any more cards. If
he has an ace it must be used as 11 unless it
would bust him. Some casinos have a rule stating
dealer can hit on a soft 17 but most stand on
a soft 18 or more.
12 A natural Blackjack is when you make 21 points
from your first 2 cards only with an ace and any
10 point card.
13) All other combinations of 21 are not Blackjack
but rather 21. This is important for payment
purposes, because a blackjack pays 3:2 whilst
21 pays 1:1. Do note however that a blackjack
from a player will always beat a dealer having
21.
14) Players have several options after they
receive their first 2 cards, they can stand,
hit, split pairs, surrender, double down and
even take insurance. Dealers do not have all
these options.
15) Surrendering means folding your hand after
getting the first 2 cards because they are so
bad. When you do this you lose half your bet.
There is early surrender and later surrender.
Casinos rarely offer the early option because
it's too much of an advantage to the player.
Early option is before dealer checks to see
if he has a blackjack. The late option is after
the dealer checks and he does not have blackjack
the option is offered to the players.
16) Hit means calling for another card. To stand
means you do not want any more cards.
17) Doubling down is only allowed after you
receive your first 2 cards and you have seen
the dealers face card. In such a case you can
double your bet but you will only receive one
more card.
18) You can split pairs if your initial 2 cards
are guess what - a pair! in value of course.
This gives you the option of creating 2 winning
hands.
19) Insurance offers 2:1 odds and is really
considered a sidebet to the original bet. It
is taken as protection against the dealer having
blackjack.
20) The even money insurance ensures the player
gets something back but never the total amount
he could have won had he not taken insurance. |
