The following article explains the basics of Blackjack and introduces you to one of the most popular card games of classic and online casinos. The origins of Blackjack date back to 1601. For example, Miguel de Cervantes (author of Don Quixote) described a card game in one of his short stories that aims to score 21 points.
In the early days of the game, casinos in the USA offered increased payouts for players with a jack and an ace of spades in their hands for the first time. The card combination Black Ace & Jack also explains the name of the game. The basic rule that an Ace in combination with a 10-value card is the winning combination still exists today.
The Blackjack rules are simple and easy for everyone to understand. Although it is a game of chance, many casino gamblers around the world find it extremely fair. They appreciate that they can influence the course of the game by making wise decisions in their favour.
The Card Values in Blackjack
The Blackjack card values are quickly explained:
- The 1-10 cards count according to their value,
- Jack, Queen and King each with 10.
- The aces can be rated 1 or 11. They are always counted towards your advantage throughout the game.
Blackjack Game Principle
In Blackjack, everyone plays against the dealer. The object of the game is to beat the dealer. To do this, you need two or more cards to get closer to 21 points than he or she or that value in the best case. If you end up with a hand higher than 21, you lose. In Blackjack jargon, you’ve “overbought” yourself. At the Blackjack table, each seat represents a hand being played.
To the game process: The dealer deals two cards face up clockwise to each player. He also deals himself two cards, but only one of them is dealt face up. Then you must decide whether you want to stop or get another card. In the first case, you run the risk of the dealer getting closer to 21 as the game progresses, while in the second case, depending on your starting position, you run the risk of overbuying. As long as your hand value is below 21, you can request additional cards at any time.
After all players have made their decisions, the dealer reveals his second card. Depending on the Blackjack variant, he may be forced to draw another card or stop at certain values of his own hand. The player’s hands are then compared with those of the dealer. If you are closer to 21 than the dealer, you win and are paid 1:1. If you bet CHF 10.00, your additional win is CHF 10.00. If you’ve overbought or the dealer has the better hand, you’ll lose your bet. If you draw (push; tie), you will get your bet back.
If you get 21 points with your first two cards, you’ll have Blackjack and won immediately! You can expect a higher payout, usually 3:2. If you bet CHF 10.00, you will receive an additional win of CHF 15.00.
Simple Blackjack Strategy
- Less than 8: always pull
- 9, 10 or 11: double, draw another card
- 12: stop if the dealer has 4 to 6, otherwise pull.
- 13 to 16: stop if the dealer has 2 to 10.
- 17 or higher: always stop
- A-8 and A-9: do not demand another card
- AA: always divide leaf
- Two tens: never share
- Two sevens: split if the dealer has 2 to 7, otherwise draw.
- A-4: double if the dealer has 4 to 6, otherwise claim another.
Limitations for the Dealer
The rules usually stipulate that he must draw another card if his card value is 16 or lower. At the same time, he is not allowed to take another card after 17.
In this respect, the dealer in Blackjack is not only easy for his opponents to calculate, but also easy to beat.
Insurance
If the Dealer’s face-up card is an Ace, there is a risk that he has Blackjack in his hand and that you will not be able to win this round. To minimize the risk of losing, you can insure yourself against the dealer’s Blackjack at many tables. To do this, you must place an extra bet on the Insurance field. If the dealer has the best hand, your insurance will be paid 2:1.
Split Hand
If you have a pair after giving cards, you can split your hand. To do this, you must first place a new bet equal to your first bet. You will then be dealt a new card each time, and will continue to play with your two new hands.
Double your bet
Here you decide to double your bet and draw only one more card in return (Double Down). Of course, this is especially worthwhile if you have an 11 in your hand. If you are dealt a 10-value card, you have done everything right. In return, you’ll of course run the full risk of not being able to act if you get an unfavorable next card (e.g. a 2).
Now you know the basic rules of Blackjack and are ready for the game. We wish you lots of fun and success while playing – you can try it right here at Casino777.ch.
