Blackjack has risen to become one of the most popular casino games, and here we discover what it takes to get a handle on the game.
Blackjack Rules
The first thing to learn is the rules of Blackjack, and as these are quite simple, it is quick and easy to familiarize yourself with the game before you start playing.
The game uses one or more 52-card standard decks. Each card is given a point value with cards from 2 through 10 retaining their face value. Kings, queens and jacks have a value of 10, and an ace will be counted as either 1 or 11. The probabilities of Blackjack hands can be found here.
The object of the game is to get the closest points value to 21 to beat the dealer, with the best hand being a 21 made from just two cards, or Blackjack. There is a choice of online Blackjack games, including ones with live dealers.
Blackjack Terms
When playing Blackjack you will see different words used to describe and initiate the game play. These are Hit, Stand, Double Down and Split.
Hit is when you take another card to get your points total towards 21. Stand is when you choose to keep the cards that you have with no further deals. Double Down allows you to double your bet and get one more card only. A split is used when your first two cards are the same value and you split them using each card as a separate hand, in a bid to beat the dealer.
There are many variations of Blackjack available with online casinos, and each website will usually have a help section to explain the rules and any variations of the games played on their particular site. It is best to read these before playing.