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Blackjack

Blackjack (play now)(also known as Twenty-one, Vingt-et-un (French for Twenty-one), or Pontoon) is the most widely played casino banking game in the world. Much of blackjack's popularity is due to the mix of chance with elements of skill, and the publicity that surrounds card counting (calculating the probability of advantages based on the ratio of high cards to low cards). As the game is currently played, a "blackjack" may not necessarily contain a jack or any black cards at all.

 

Tips from experts on beating blackjack black and blue.

Basics

Blackjack is a table games in which up to seven players face a dealer. Each player plays one-on-one with the dealer, and not with or against the other players at the table. The object of the game is to hold a hand of two or more cards that is higher than that of the dealer, but does not exceed a maximum score of 21. Players who win with a ‘blackjack’ – that is, a two-card hand comprising an Ace any 10-value card, making a total of 21 – are paid at odds of 3 to 2. All other winning hands are paid at even money.

 

Table Layout

The blackjack table is a simple, curved affair at which the dealer stands one side facing up to seven betting spots. Each player sits at the table with a betting square in front of him, and all the bets must be placed here during play. Play always works from the dealer’s left and although one player’s game has no influence on any of the other players, it is commonly felt that last position before the dealer, known as third base, is a disadvantageous spot, and is avoided by a good number of experienced players.

 

The deal

Up to eight packs of cards are used in blackjack. They are shuffled by the dealer and cut by one of players, who inserts an indicator card into the combined pack. The dealer completes the cut and places the cards face down in a dealing shoe, with the indicator card inserted a few cards up from the bottom – the cards below this will not be used. Before any cards are dealt, each player places a bet in the space before them, subject to the table minimum.

The dealer burns the top card and, starting with the player on his left, he deals a card to each player, face up, and one to himself. He deals a second, face-up, cards to all players, but this time his card is laid face down. This is known as dealer’s hole card and, by convention, is slipped under the dealer’s up card. If the dealer’s up card is an Ace or a 10-count, he looks at his second card. If he has a blackjack it is declared at this point and all bets are settled: any player who has a blackjack ties with the dealer and retains his bet. All other players lose.

 

The Play

If the does not have a blackjack, his cards remains face down and play continues, with the dealer attending to each player in turn starting from his left. Each player has one of four options.

 

Standing

If the player is satisfied with his two-card hand , he will Stand.

 

Hitting

A player can draw another card, dealt face up, by saying ‘hit me’ or scratching the table . He can continue to draw cards until he is satisfied with his count. If his card count exceeds 21 , he is ‘bust’ and loses his stake to the dealer.

 

Splitting

If a player is dealt with two cards of the same rank, he can ‘split the pair’ – make each card the first card of two separate hands – and places an equal bet on each hand. The dealer deals a second card to the first hand, and this is played out before the dealer deals a second card to the second hand. Again, some hands are considered better than others when it comes to splitting pairs. Furthermore, there are a number of rules to consider when splitting pairs.

 

Splitting a pair

The player splits a pair of 8s and receives a second card to each hand.

 

Splitting Aces

The player splits a pair of Aces. On receiving a third Ace, he can split again.

 

Scoring a Blackjack

• The player scores a blackjack with a split Ace and wins the hand.
• Should the second card in the split hand from a pair, the player can split again.
• If a player splits a pair of Aces, he is not allowed to draw a third card to either hand.
• If the player receives a third Ace, he may split again.
• Should a player score a blackjack, with a split pair, he wins immediately, but is paid only at 1 to 1 and not 3 to 2.

 

 

 Doubling down

If a player thinks he has a very good chance of winning, he can ‘double down’. This means he places a second bet on his hand in return for just one more card. This third card is dealt face down and is left untouched until all other player’s bet have been settled. Some hands are considered better than others when it comes to doubling down.

 

Surrender

It is also possible for a player to surrender, but there are two criteria:

• He must announce his intention to surrender at the start of his turn (not having hit, split or doubled down, for example)
• He can only surrender when the dealer has an Ace or 10-value card showing as his up card.

 

One of two things can happen if you surrender, depending on where you are playing : the dealer takes your cards and half of your bet there and then ; or the dealer takes all of your bet, returning only half if he does not have a blackjack. The option to surrender is not available in all casinos.

 

Blackjack etiquette

 

• In the interests of fair play, very few words are exchanged during blackjack. Instead, most instructions are given as sign language so that security cameras can observe  all activity and there is no confusion about how each player wants to progress.

• In some casinos, and with single-deck games, the player’s cards are dealt face down. If this is the case, you are allowed to pick up your cards, but should do so only with one hand and you must keep your cards above the table. In games where the cards are dealt face up, you must never touch the cards.

• If you want to stand, you wave your hand over the table, palm down.

• If you want to hit, you scratch the table with your hand, and scrape the table with the edge of your cards if you are allowed to hold them.

• If you go bust, you lose automatically. If the cards are face down, you must immediately reveal your cards to dealer.

• In the case of a ‘tie’, the dealer knocks on your table, but leaves your bet where it is. You can leave it there, take it or add to it for the next game as you wish.

• To double down or split a pair, simply slide another bet next to your original bet in the square in front of you. If your cards are concealed, turn them over as you do so. When splitting pairs, you have to match your original bet, but when doubling down, you can bet less than the original stake but not more.

• You should not look at your third card when doubling down until the end of play

• The only verbal exchange you should have is when you want to surrender – in which case you announce the word instead of making any hand signals.

 

Hard and Soft Hands

A hand can be described variously as ‘hard’ or ‘soft’, depending on the cards you have. A soft hand is one in which an Ace can be used as either 1 or 11 without going bust. For example Ace and 7 can be counted either as 8 or 18. Should you be dealt as additional 10, the Ace has to count as 1 to prevent you going bust, so you have a hard hand with a count of 18. Any hand that does not contain an Ace is also a hard hand, because the pip count cannot change.

 

Playing to win

With the exception of poker, blackjack is the only game in casino where a player’s skill can influence the outcome of the game. In the simplest terms, success comes down to knowing when to hit, stand, double down, or split, and in the mid-1950s group of mathematicians devised a basic strategy that has become the basis of many a winner’s game plan today.

 

In addition to applying this basic strategy, it pays to remember the odds in blackjack. The payout is simple:  the dealer pays a player with a blackjack at odds of 3 to 2 while all other bets are settled at 1 to 1. Ties, including blackjack, are a standoff and the player retains his stake. It is possible to increase your bet during play, but only if you are splitting a pair or doubling down. In each case you should bet the same amount as your original stake ( in fact, you have to if you split, while some casinos allow you to stake less when doubling down). When splitting or doubling down with successful hands, you stand the chance of reducing the house edge to less tan 1 per cent.

 

Finally, it cannot be stressed strongly enough that you do not have to score 21 in order to beat the dealer. There is no point risking going bust trying to get a score of 21, when the rules of the game are such that dealer is likely to go bust during play anyway. You will lose your money if you go bust first.

 

Blackjack Strategy

Fundamental to the strategy is the dealer’s up card, and each player will play out his hand based on what he has. The rule can be organized in three categories, depending on the payer’s hand:  hard- hand strategy, soft-hand strategy, and splitting pairs.

 

Insurance

If the dealer’s up card is an Ace, all players have the option of insuring against him holding a blackjack. A player does this by putting up a premium of half his stake. If the dealer’s hole card is a 10-count, he declares a blackjack. Any player that put up insurance is paid at the odds of 2 to 1, and therefore retains his stake and premium – he neither wins nor loses the deal. If the dealer’s up card is a 10-count, he also looks at the hole card. If he has a blackjack, all bets are settled, and insurance does not come into play.

 

Taking insurance is a side bet offering odds at 2 to 1 for what is essentially a 9 to 4 chance.

 

Blackjack derivatives

In recent years, Casinos have introduced derivative blackjack games to the list of table games on offer. To some extent, these games aim to eliminate card counting and to increase the house edge. They have also been introduced to help maintain an amateur interest in the game, which has been seen to dwindle over the last decade. A few of the games are merely a ruse to make more money from the amateur and the best avoided.

 

Under/ Over

In this version of the game you have the opportunity to bet on whether your next two-card hand will have a count of over 13 or under 13.There are two catches with this game: first, all Aces count as 1; second , if you have a count of exactly 13, the dealer wins.

 

Red or black

Here you can bet on whether the first-dealt card of your next hand will be red or black. So if you bet red and the first card is red, you win. The catch here is that is the second card is also red you only tie.

 

Double exposure

In this game both the dealer’s card are shown face up. This would seem an advantage, but there are a couple of catches: first , a blackjack is only paid out at even money; second , the dealer wins all ties. On both counts, you are worse off than playing the original game.

 

However, there are some derivatives that can be both entertaining and profitable fot the experienced amateur, although in the case of Spanish 21, further reading on basic strategy is advised.

 

Multi-action blackjack

In this game you play out one hand , while the dealer plays out three hands all using the same up card. You make a bet on any number of the three hands and each is counted separately.