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The game of casino blackjack or 21 is by far the most popular table game offered in gambling establishments. If you are unfamiliar with the rules of casino blackjack or simply need some clarification on the finer points, you’ve come to the right place! This page will tell you everything you need to know to play blackjack and also the online blackjack, and describe the various rules that can differ from one casino to another. Remember, play free online blackjack until you become skillful.

Blackjack Rules – basic exposition

Blackjack is a counting game, with each of the cards having a numeric value indicated by the number on that card (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10). Face cards (jack, queen, and king) as well as 10’s have a numeric value of ten (10). Aces (A) can be used as either one (1) or eleven (11), whichever is best for the hand. The goal of the game is to accumulate cards with a total value as close as possible to twenty-one (21) without going over (busting). A player wins if his hand is closer to twenty-one (21) than the dealer’s hand or if the dealer’s hand busts but the player’s hand does not. It makes no difference what the other players have, because a player is only competing with the dealer.

A player may take as many cards as he wishes until he stands or busts (i.e. his hand is forced over twenty-one). If a player busts, he automatically loses the hand – even if the dealer subsequently busts. This is the biggest house advantage in the game. A player also loses if the dealer’s hand is closer to twenty-one (21) than the player’s hand (with neither one busting). If the player’s hand has exactly the same value as the dealer’s hand (and both are 21 or less), that is called a "push" and no money is won or lost on that hand. Any time the initial two cards of a player’s hand or the dealer’s hand add up to exactly twenty-one (i.e. an ace and a 10-card) that is called blackjack. However, it does not count as blackjack if the player already split the hand (see the definition of splitting below). A blackjack beats any other hand, including any other form of twenty-one, and it pushes with another blackjack. If a player is dealt a blackjack and the dealer is not, then the dealer has to pay the player 1.5 times his original bet. In other words, if the player bet $100 and got blackjack, the dealer would have to pay him $150.

The dealer starts each hand of blackjack by dealing two cards to each player and to himself. Of the dealer’s first two cards, one of them is always dealt face up (so the players can see it) and the other one face down. The players’ cards are either dealt all face up or all face down. It doesn’t really matter if the players can see each other’s cards, because they are only playing against the dealer’s hand.

Blackjack rule variations

There’s a "house advantage" at the casino for the game 21, known as blackjack, like it has with many different gambling processes. If you ever see a casino that has the benefit of about 5%, it should only mean one thing – the casino will make the profit worth 5 percent by the end of the game. If the gambler is familiar with the fundamental strategy the blackjack house advantage doesn’t get above 1 percent. Most gamblers will prefer that to any other casino game. Usually, those who play for the first time don’t know any of the rules so it turns out that house benefit is a lot higher. To minimize the house advantage, you simply must get educated about the possible rules variations for blackjack. The set of these rules in every particular backjack game determines the basic strategy you have to follow.

Play Free Online Blackjack

Online Blackjack has certainly soared in popularity with the 2008 release of the blockbuster film "21." Now everyone wants to get in on the action, especially when the game’s famous for giving players the best "edge" against the house! Well, before you dive in, check out some of the rules and basics we’ve outlined below – along with some blackjack tips – before you take the plunge and begin playing blackjack online.

It’s true that this is one of the best casino games out there and one, which gives you quite a bit of control. Nonetheless, you should be aware of the basics and potential pitfalls before jumping in.

Playing blackjack online is basically the same as playing in a land-based casino. The action is played out pretty much the same way, though online blackjack certainly has its advantages.

When playing online blackjack games you’ll notice that there is one dealer and normally between one and five players. Before the dealer begins to deal, players set their wagers down on the table. Depending on which table you’re playing at, the "minimum" (or least amount you can bet at one time) can be as low as $1, while the "limit" (or most your can bet at one time) can be up in the area of $500. Don’t fret too much about this though – minimums and limits are generally very clearly posted at the table.

Players can make wagers with any of the chip denominations available and once all of the participants have put down their cash (chips, actually) and selected the "Deal" option, the game begins. After it has begun, it is not possible to change bets. However, players are able to increase the amount of their bet by taking advantage of options such as "Double Down," "Split," or "Insurance" – although this last one is not usually recommended. Remember, play free online blackjack until you become skillful.

Basic Online Blackjack Rules

Each online Blackjack player competes one-on-one with the Dealer, and the goal is to have a hand which totals 21, or beats the Dealer’s hand by coming closer to 21 than she does without going over (or "busting"). If the first two cards you get are an ace and a 10 (or any other face card) you’ve got "blackjack" or a "natural" 21, which pays 1.5 times your original wager.

A blackjack always beats a hand that totals 21, but requires more than the first two cards to do so. A face card is counted as 10 and cards from 2-10 are counted according to their face values. Aces can be counted as either 1s or 11s. A "hard hand" is a hand that does not contain an ace or contains an ace that can only be counted as a 1 so as not to bust. A dealer’s ace always counts as 11.

Each blackjack player receives two cards in the opening deal, and his goal is to reach a total of 21 points or to be closer to 21 than the dealer – who, of course, is competing with all the players. Players can receive as many cards as they wish. This is achieved by what’s known as "hitting." Or they can choose to "stand" and receive no more cards. When a tie occurs between the player and the dealer, the hand becomes a "push" and the player keeps his bet. Generally speaking, casinos require their dealers to hit when they have 16 or less and to stand (or "stay") when they have 17 or more. Remember, play free online blackjack until you become skillful.

Online Blackjack Tips

Although formally endorsed by most serious players, the online blackjack (free online blackjack) tips below are held as "common knowledge" by many and represent a solid general strategy that anyone can use. We include them here for your convenience and information. Some of these tips repeat much of the information above. But if you’re looking for a more condensed summary of some of the most commonly accepted and easy to remember strategies, the list below should suffice as a terrific starting point.

• Never split your 10s. (A definite online blackjack no-no.)
• Always split your aces and 8s, no matter what card the dealer is showing.
• Unless you are counting cards, never take insurance (as previously stated; see above).
• You should always stand on a hard 13 through 16, but only if the card the dealer is showing is a 6 or lower. If the dealer’s showing card is a 7 through an ace, you should hit.
• If the dealer is showing a 4, 5 or 6, you should stand on a hard 12.
• If the dealer’s showing a 2, 3, 7 or higher, you should hit a hard 12.
• You should continue to hit until you have at least 17 if the dealer’s up card is a 10.
• You should hit a soft 17 if the dealer’s up card is a 10.

Remember, play free online blackjack until you become skillful.