Blackjack is a casino card game that pits the player against the dealer. If the player’s hand value is closer to 21 than the dealer’s, they win and are paid their original wager. If the dealer has a blackjack, the players’ hands push (return their bets) or standoff (no payment). If neither the player nor the dealer has a blackjack, the hand is a tie.
The game has a number of rules that govern how the cards are dealt, what types of hands can be made and when a player must hit or stand. These rules and the strategy that goes with them make up the basic principles of blackjack. Mastering these principles is essential for any serious blackjack player.
There are many variations on the rules of blackjack, but the underlying principles remain the same. Some of these variations are minor – like adding an extra deck in some games, changing the payout on blackjacks to 6:5 or adding an option to double down after splitting in others – but some can have a significant impact on a player’s odds of winning.
Side bets
In the past, the majority of blackjack games offered only a single side bet called insurance, which pays out when the dealer shows an ace as their upcard. However, over the last two decades or so, a wide variety of additional side bets have been added to most blackjack tables. Some of these are universally offered, while others are specific to individual casinos or specific games.
Insurance is the most common, but there are also side bets based on the dealer’s up card, whether the player has a blackjack, or whether the dealer has a 10 showing (the so-called “backdoor” of the game). Many of these are unpopular with players because they add to the house edge and can dramatically reduce the likelihood that the player will beat the dealer.
Card values
Knowing the values of each card is the first step to becoming a great blackjack player. It will help you to decide when to hit, stand, or double down based on your hand value and the dealer’s up card. Without a solid understanding of card values, you will be unable to form a strong decision-making process in the game and your chances of winning will suffer.
A lot of people think that they should always stand on a hand of 16 regardless of what the dealer’s up card is, but this is a bad idea. In fact, the dealer will bust nearly 80 percent of the time if they hit on 16. This means that you’ll lose more money by standing than you would by hitting.
Blackjack is a popular table game that has enjoyed a resurgence of popularity since the 2008 film, 21, which was based on the real-life story of an MIT counting team that revolutionized the game. But, it has not been immune to competition from other table games and slot machines, especially among Asian ultra-high rollers. In an effort to combat this competition, some casinos have tinkered with the game’s rules and lowered the player’s edge in order to make the game less profitable for them.