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A Beginner’s Guide to Blackjack

 

Beginners Guide To Blackjack

Blackjack is an extremely popular game. The aim of the game is to have cards as close to, but not over, twenty-one. To get more than twenty-one is to go bust. The deck is a standard fifty-two card deck, but some casinos will use up to six decks at once.

The game starts with the dealer taking everyone’s bets. Each player and the dealer then receives one card face up. The dealer then gives each player another card face up and one card to themselves face down. Aces are either one or eleven and Jacks, Queens and Kings, known as face cards, all value ten. The rest of the cards are their numeric values.

The dealer then offers another card and depending on the total value of the player’s two cards the player either says ‘hit’ if they want another or ‘stand’ if they don’t. The dealer then takes a turn. They must hit another card if the total of their cards is under seventeen and must stand if the total is above seventeen.

If the dealer goes bust then each player who stood is paid. If the dealer stands at less than twenty-one then any player who has more than the dealer, but less than twenty-one, is paid.

There are a few terminologies that are useful to know. A Natural is to be dealt an ace and a ten or a face card so that the cards originally dealt total twenty-one. Splitting Pairs is when a player can turn a pair of number cards into two separate hands. The player has to place a bet equal to the original bet on the second hand. Double Down is when a player can double their bet when the original two cards dealt equal to nine, ten or eleven. Insurance is when a player can bet half their original bet on the chance that the dealer’s face down card is a ten when the face up card is an ace.

These rules can vary between different casinos, so check what the house rules are. When starting it’s best to find a table with a low bet limit. It’s usually okay to join a table mid-game, but keep an eye out for signs saying otherwise. When wanting to hit or stand hand signals are common, but a beginner should probably stick to being as clear as possible.

Top 5 Blackjack Strategies

Blackjack is a game of skill as much as luck, that is why there are as many strategies for playing the game as there are players; here you will find the top five blackjack strategies which net results on a frequent enough basis to make the game a challenge and a reward.

1. Easy On The Wine and Spirits

Yes, Blackjack is a game of strategy where most of the work goes on inside the mind of the player and the dealer, you really can’t beat the dealer or the other players unless your thinking is sharp and you are feeling mentally prepared. Having a little too much alcohol can lead to sloppy mistakes, bad moves, and slow reactions at the table – this can be a real game spoiler!

2. Develop Your Own Basic Strategy

There are many books about developing strategy as well as apps and computer games which will help you to improve your ‘plan’ for each hand which you are dealt; each player will have their own strategy at the start so the more comfortable you are with your strategy the more likely your odds of winning become. One resource is Dr Edward O Thorp’s guide Beat the Dealer which offers you ways of having as little as a 0.5% disadvantage against the house.

3. Read The Limits

It is a common, albeit rookie mistake to sit down at a Blackjack table and not know the basics of how this particular game will run, make sure you understand all of your options – surrender early or late – minimum and maximum bets per hand, what are the first cards which you can double down and which two first cards can you split – in addition to how many times they can be split, and of course be sure that you are on a standard Blackjack game.

4. Pick a Friendly Dealer

It makes for a nice experience, though you are betting against the house your dealer is a representative of that house and as such having a friendly, outgoing dealer can really enhance or detract from the overall experience of the game. Find a dealer who matches your preferences – reserved or outgoing, gregarious or shy, and you will enjoy yourself more.

5. Know Your Limits

Decide ahead of time how much you are willing to wager, and don’t go beyond that. This will ensure you do not bet more than you wanted out of frustration. Some players prefer to only wager one quarter of what they want to bet at a time while others like to start with heavier bets.

Be comfortable with your own knowledge and style and the Blackjack table will always be a welcoming place for you at any casino.

The Essential Beginners Guide to Blackjack

Blackjack is a popular game that has been around for hundreds of years. It’s a simple and entertaining casino game that anyone can learn how to play. No matter how many players are at the table, the real opposition is the dealer. You need to beat the dealer to win the game. Want to learn more? Of course you do! Here’s a beginners guide to get you kick started into the world of Blackjack.

 

You start with two cards; one facing down, and other facing up. You may ask for another card or stand which means you stop taking any more cards and keep your current ones. If you exceed 21, you will lose and the dealer wins.

If you happen to deal 21 with your first two cards, you will win, unless the dealer has also matched 21, in which case there is a tie and the hand is played again until someone

wins. Once you and the dealer have your hand, he will turn over his second card. This is when the game gets exciting. The dealer has the possibility to win here if his cards total 17 or more. He may also go bust, so you can try your luck and chance bigger numbers for the win.

blackjack playingHere are some essential blackjack terms to learn:

Split- This is when you have two of the same cards and they are split into two hands, making them worth twice as much.

Insurance- This is a side bet where the dealer’s card that is facing up is an Ace and the other is Blackjack.

Surrender- this is when you opt to fold once the first two cards are dealt.

 

Blackjack is a straightforward game to learn, but it does take a lifetime to master. It is one of the most popular games in casinos as well as the most exciting ones. If you want to win you need a little bit of skill, determination and a lot of luck.

Try your luck down in Les Croupiers today.

Knowing When to Split in Blackjack

Knowing when to split in Blackjack is essential to winning or losing. It could make a difference in you reaping the rewards or in losing a hefty sum of money. When is it a good time to split in blackjack, then?

Splitting takes place when your cards match and when they are equal in value. For instance, if you have two eights or two aces, then splitting will occur. Some casinos will also make it possible for you to split any two non-matching face cards, creating interesting possibilities in your game.

In order to split your cards you will need to make the dealer aware of it. Simply telling him you want to split should suffice, and allow you to place another bet right next to the bet which you placed originally. Once this all takes place, the dealer will then separate both cards and bets, and you will be able to continue playing with new possibilities.

That is all there is to splitting in blackjack.

The Meaning Behind Blackjack Hand Signals

When playing blackjack in a casino, hand signals are used to let the dealer know if you want to hit, stand, double down or split a pair. Hand signals are important because they avoid confusion and assist the eye in the sky in case there is a dispute.

Blackjack games can be played either face up or face down, and each kind of game requires different hand signals. In a face up game, you demonstrate that you want to hit by tapping on the table or pointing at your cards, and you demonstrate that you want to stay by making a waving motion over your cards. In a face down game, you demonstrate that you want to hit by scraping your cards against the table, and you demonstrate that you want to stand by sliding your cards under your bet.

In both types of games, you demonstrate that you want to double down by placing more chips next to your bet, and you demonstrate that you want to split by placing more chips next to your bet, outside the betting box.

Important Blackjack Terminology and Their Meanings

Blackjack is quite a popular game and therefore there are a number of regular terms that are used by the players. Understanding a few of the common phrases is a great way to appreciate Blackjack and improve your strategy.

Blackjack

It only makes sense that this term is understood first. A Blackjack will occur when the player reaches the maximum number of twenty-one points without exceeding it.

Bust

A bust will occur if a player exceeds twenty-one; thus he or she will lose the hand.

Double Down

A player may choose the option to place another bet on top of his original wager. This can only be done when the first two cards are dealt and doubling down can only be chosen one time during a hand.

Hit

Should a player ask for another card, this is referred to as a hit. If the total numeric value exceeds twenty-one, the player will lose.

Remember, there are piles more terms. Keep watching our social media updates for interesting facts and more obscure blackjack terminology.

Blackjack Strategies

Gambling is widely thought of as a form of gaming in which everything is down to pure chance. This is certainly true of some games, but there are others in which skill and strategy can make all the difference. A prime example of this is the game of blackjack.

With blackjack, points are key, and so a sharp player will be able to tip the odds in their favour by paying close attention to both the points of the dealer’s visible card, and the points of their own hand. It is quite possible to work out the best moment in which to make your move, thereby helping you to win big in your next game of blackjack.

The History of Blackjack

Alongside poker, blackjack is probably the most famous gambling card game in the world. It originates from France, where a game called vingt-et-un (French for 21) began being played in casinos at the end of the 17th century. This game quickly spread throughout Europe and then the rest of the world. French Canadians brought the game to North America and it soon became a firm favourite there with card players and gamblers alike.

In the 1930s, the advent of legalised gambling in the state of Nevada elevated the game to another level of popularity. Some casinos began offering players of 21, as it was called then, special odds of 10-1 on their bet if they had the ace of spades and either one of the blackjacks in their hand. This incentive greatly increased the profile of the game and, although it isn’t a feature of the game anymore, the name of blackjack stuck ever since.

How to play Blackjack

The origins of the comparing card game Blackjack have been ost in history with only written references appearing to a similar game in Spanish literature. The game is ometimes referred to as 21 because of the desire of both the dealer and player to reach the number.

Both the player and dealer are dealt two cards from up to two standard decks of 52 cards; both player and dealer add the total of their cards, with face cards scoring ten. At this point a player can decide to add more cards by hitting or staying with their total, or holding. If a player hits and scores more than 21 the dealer wins the hand; if the dealer hits and busts past 21 they lose the hand. In the event of a tie bets placed on the cards are usually returned.