Blackjack Rules

To become a successful blackjack player you must first start by learning the rules. One of the best things about blackjack is that the rules are not too in-depth or confusing. Many players learn the rules of the game before ever playing a hand and others do so as they move forward. Either way, you need to know the basics so that you have solid ground for moving forward when it comes time to advance your skills and strategy.

The first thing that you need to become familiar with is the value of the cards. This is perhaps the easiest part of the game to understand. An ace can count as either a 1 or an 11. This is up to the player, and you will choose the value based on the hand that you are currently holding. The cards numbered 2 through 9 are used at face value. For example, a 2 is worth a value of 2 and so on. The 10, as well as face cards hold a value of 10. This includes Jacks, Queens, and Kings. When playing blackjack, unlike poker, the suits of the card do not make any difference. In other words, the King of Hearts holds the same value as the King of Spades.

There are two common terms that you are sure to hear each time you are playing a game of blackjack: hit and stand. When you hit, this is another way of asking the dealer for another card. When you stand, this means that you are done with your current hand and willing to use the cards that you already have.

Doubling down is another popular blackjack term that you need to become familiar with. By taking advantage of this rule you will be able to increase your earnings in many cases. The first thing that you need to know is that you can only double down when you have two cards in your hand. When you double down, you are doubling the amount of your initial bet and limiting yourself to only one additional card. As you can imagine, you need to be very careful when doing this.

In order to be a successful player, you need to know more than how to play your cards. You must also know what the dealer is going to do. Generally speaking, the dealer stands on 17. In other words, she must continue to “hit” or take cards until reaching 17 or more. If a dealer receives an ace it is used as a value of 11, not 1. Keep in mind that different casinos may have different dealer rules. For example, some casinos use the dealer hits soft 17 rule. Before you make a bet be that you know how the dealer will play.

As you can see, there are not too many complex rules to be concerned with when learning and playing blackjack. If you start with the basic rules and game play you will be on your way.