When it comes to card games, poker might be the first thing that comes to mind. With the immense popularity and fantastic tournaments, it is easy to understand why poker, especially online poker, continues to make headlines on cable television.
However, for card games that offer the most versatility, blackjack continues to be that game that continues to draw crowds. Simple and yet so rewarding, discover the art of the deal with these expert tips to master blackjack.
Understanding Blackjack Basics: A Beginner’s Guide
Fortunately, if you are new to tabletop games, blackjack should be on the list of top choices to explore. Unlike poker, where you compete and try to out-bluff other players, with blackjack, you go against the dealer. That means all the players, some or even one, can win at any given playing round.
Most blackjack games begin with six decks, especially if there are multiple players at the table. Having multiple decks of 52 cards without the Jokers improves the players’ chances of getting blackjack. Also, because many online casinos for real cash support multi-table play, it becomes even more important to have multiple decks to accommodate table hopping.
Blackjack, or simply 21, is about getting a playing hand that adds up to 21, or at the very least, one that is higher than the dealer’s. Before jumping into the basics of blackjack gameplay further, it’s important to break down the fundamentals of blackjack card values.
The Value of Blackjack Cards
Of all the cards, the aces remain the most intriguing playing blackjack. Depending on the playing hand, aces count for a point or eleven points. In two-card hands, aces count as eleven. Two-card hands with aces are known as “soft hands,” meaning they count for eleven. For playing hands with three or more cards, aces usually default to a single point to help prevent busting.
Tens, regardless of the suite, always count for ten points. Similarly, the royalty cards, also known as “face cards,” also count for ten points, regardless of whether the playing hand is “soft” or “hard.” The remaining playing cards, divided through nine, are their straight-up value.
Winning at Blackjack
Now that you understand how blackjack cards work. The next step is the deal. If you’re playing blackjack in person or with the online live dealer, you will often notice that the cards in the shoe are shuffled repeatedly, cut, and then put back into the shoe for dealing. For those playing online blackjack against the CPU, a random number generator handles the dealing of the cards for fair and random results.
The dealer begins passing out one card at a time to all the players starting from their immediate left, then deals themselves one card face up. The face-up card is known as the “up-card,” and it helps the players decide on “hitting” and “standing” down.
Afterward, the dealer deals the second card to all the players and also deals himself one card face up. Finally, the dealer passes themselves a second card face down. Once that happens, the playing round truly begins.
If the player’s first two cards result in a natural blackjack, that player wins. Also, some blackjack variants, like Atlantic City Blackjack, automatically end the playing round in the dealer’s favor if the dealer has an automatic 21. However, most conventional blackjack variants have the playing round play out with the dealer and the player ending in a “push” if they both have 21.
In most cases, players will most likely have to choose to “hit” or “stand” if they don’t have a natural 21. To hit means to draw an additional card. Unless the player gets to 21, they can continue hitting. However, with each hit comes the risk of “busting.” Busting means having a playing hand that goes over 21 and leads to an automatic loss.
To stand means to finish the playing hand with the cards you have. While it pays to stand in certain instances, or better yet, if your playing hand is worth over 14, standing on too small an amount can cause you to lose the playing hand anyway.
Conventional blackjack calls for the dealer to stand on a soft 17. A soft 17 means an ace and a six. However, many casinos have changed that rule. If the dealer is forced to hit to get to 17 or more, they also run the risk of busting. In that scenario, all the players who haven’t busted automatically win, regardless of whether they have 21 or not.
Advanced Techniques to Elevate Your Blackjack Game
As you get settled into the blackjack basics, it is natural to get more ambitious. Fortunately, blackjack is one of those games that come with extra chances to stack up wins. However, it does come with some risk.
For example, most blackjack variants support “doubling down.” To double down means to hit one final time during a playing round. However, the player must match their initial deposit. Doubling down can be a beautiful thing or can work against you if you double down with a low-playing hand.
It is also common for most blackjack variants to split most pairs. The common pair to split is aces. There is nothing but upside-splitting aces because each ace counts as eleven points. Also, it’s impossible to bust when you hit on each new playing hand. If you draw a 10 or a face card for both hands, it’s double the blackjack.
The Psychology Behind Winning at Blackjack
Beyond the blackjack basics, the allure of winning blackjack with very little effort continues to be a massive draw. Unlike poker, the learning curve for blackjack is incredibly short, making it one of the most coveted card games for beginners to cling to.
Fortunately, most blackjack games are super affordable. That means that for a buck, in most cases, you can let the blackjack adventure and thrills begin. Being able to stretch out your budget remains a massive incentive for players to go all out playing blackjack. With popular Hollywood films like “Rain Main” and “The Hangover,” blackjack remains one of the most glamorous table games.
