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Blackjack is the most popular casino card game in the world. The name
Blackjack arose when an American casino decided to popularize the game
by paying a bonus to any player holding the ace of spades and either the
jack of clubs or jack of spades.
The object of the game is simple:
obtain a total card count higher than that of the dealer without going over
21. You can play up to three hands at once.
Let’s Play! | Rules |Tips | You Win! | Blackjack Terms and
Lingo | Options Toolbar
 Let’s
Play!
To play Blackjack:
- Select a chip value.
- Click the betting circle or circles until the number of chips displayed
equals the amount you wish to bet. You may play up to three hands at once.
- Optionally, click Clear to remove your bet from the betting circle.
- Click Deal.
You and the
dealer are each dealt two cards. Your cards are dealt face
up. Only the dealer’s second card is dealt face up. If the dealer is dealt an ace face up, you may buy insurance.
- Review your cards and then do one of the following:
- Click Hit to have another card dealt to you.
- Click Stand if you are satisfied with your hand and your wager.
- Click Double if you are satisfied with your hand and wish to double your initial wager.
- Click Split if you receive two cards of equal value and wish to split them into two new hands of one card each.
After your betting decisions are made, the dealer plays out the round and calculates any winnings.
To play again:
- Click Play Again.
Your bet or bets from the last round are placed in the betting circle or circles. You may play up to three hands at once.
- Optionally, click Clear to remove your bet or bets from the betting circle or circles.
If Clear is clicked, the Repeat Bets button appears. You may place a new bet or click Repeat Bets to repeat your bet or bets from the last round you played.
- Click Deal.
You and the dealer are each dealt two cards. Your cards are dealt face
up. Only the dealer’s second card is dealt face up. If the dealer is
dealt an ace face up, you may buy insurance.
- Review your cards and then do one of the following:
- Click Hit to have another card dealt to you.
- Click Stand if you are satisfied with your hand and your wager.
- Click Double if you are satisfied with your hand and wish to double your initial wager.
- Click Split if you receive two cards of equal value and wish to split them into two new hands of one card each.
After your betting decisions are made, the dealer plays out the round and calculates any winnings.
Rules
Blackjack uses a six deck shoe that is reshuffled after each hand.
You can play up to three hands at once.
If your hand is greater than the dealer’s and does no go over 21, you win.
The face cards—jack, queen, and king—all have a value of 10, aces have a value of
1 or 11, and the remaining cards are worth their face value.
If your hand exceeds 21, you bust and automatically lose the hand. If you have the same card total as the
dealer, there is no winner and your wager is returned. This is known as
a push.
The dealer stands on 17 and above and draws on 16 and below.
If the dealer’s face-up card is an ace, you can buy insurance.
Tips
The following are some Blackjack betting tips.
Should I hit or stand?
| If the dealer’s face-up card is: |
Hit on: |
Stand on: |
| 3, 4, 5, or 6 |
11 and lower
Soft 17 and lower |
12 and higher
Soft 18 and higher |
| 7, 8, 9, 10, or ace |
16 and lower
Soft 17 and lower |
17 and higher
Soft 18 and higher |
Should I split?
| If the dealer’s face-up card is: |
Split: |
| 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 |
2s, 3s, 8s, and aces |
| 8, 9, 10, or ace |
8s and aces |
Should I double?
| If your first two cards total: |
Double if the dealer’s face-up card is: |
| 11 |
Anything except an ace |
| 10 |
Anything except a 10 or an ace |
| 9 |
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 |
| 7 or 8 |
3, 4, 5, or 6 |
You
Win!
If you are dealt an ace and a card with a value of 10, you have Blackjack (21). The payout is 3:2.
For all other hands that beat the dealer’s hand, the payout is 1:1.
If you split and are dealt Blackjack (21), the payout is 1:1.
If the dealer is dealt a hand equal to yours, including Blackjack, it is a push. Your wager is returned to you.
| Hand |
Payout |
| Dealer busts (hand exceeds 21) |
Player wins |
| Player’s hand is closest to 21 |
Player wins |
| Player busts (hand exceeds 21) |
Dealer wins |
| Dealer's hand is closest to 21 |
Dealer wins |
| Hands are equal or a push is achieved |
No loss or gain |
Blackjack
Terms and Lingo
| Term |
Definition |
| Blackjack |
A two card hand of 21 points. |
| Bust |
A hand in Blackjack that goes over 21. If you bust, you lose. |
| Double |
Allows you to double your initial bet. The bet is placed after
the first two cards are dealt. Only double your bet when you are reasonably
sure you will only need one more card to win. Your bet will be placed
automatically, and you will be dealt one last card. Your hand will
always consist of three cards when doubling. This is also known as doubling
down. |
| Face-up card |
The card in the dealer’s hand that is face up for you to see before
you play your hand. This is also known as the open card or up card. |
| Hard hand |
Any hand that does not contain an ace or a hand that contains one
or more aces that count as only one point. |
| Hit |
To ask the dealer for another card. |
| Insurance |
If a dealer is dealt an ace face up, you may buy insurance. You are buying insurance against the dealer’s odds of having Blackjack. Insurance is a side bet that equals half your original wager.
If the dealer is dealt an ace face up and has Blackjack, it is an
automatic loss and the round ends. If you placed an insurance bet, you
are paid back at odds of 2:1. This payment equals your original bet.
If you placed an insurance bet and the dealer does not have blackjack,
you lose your insurance bet, but retain your original bet and continue
to play. |
| Natural |
A two-card hand of 21 points. This is known as Blackjack. |
| Push |
A tie hand between you and the dealer. A push occurs when you and the dealer
have unbusted hands with the same total points. |
| Soft hand |
Any hand that contains an ace that can be counted as 11. For example,
an ace and a 6 is known as a soft 17. |
| Split |
If you are dealt two cards of identical value, you can split them
into two new hands of one card each. Each new hand can then be played
out in turn.
You may only split a hand once. The wager placed on each
new hand is equal to the original bet. You may double down on one or both of your new hands. When aces are split, only one
card is dealt to each new hand. A split hand resulting in Blackjack
pays out at 1:1 rather than the normal 3:2. |
| Stand |
To be satisfied with your hand and refuse another card. |
Options Toolbar
Blackjack’s Options toolbar gives you access to Help, Cashier, and game settings.
Options toolbar
Click the following icons to access Blackjack’s options:
| Icon |
Description |
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Opens Casino’s Help |
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Opens Casino’s Cashier |
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Opens the Options window where game settings can be changed |
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Turns the game’s background music on or off |
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Changes the game table’s color scheme |
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