Online Blackjack Rules

For Global Poker’s Blackjack Rules, head over to our Global Poker Blackjack Rules page. Blackjack is a fast-paced card game that can be played by one or more players. A game of both chance and skill, Blackjack is played around the world both online and in traditional physical venues. For many, the appeal of Blackjack is its simplicity. In standard blackjack casino rules, all players face off against the dealer. Two cards are dealt to each player and two to the dealer. Each player can then choose to receive extra cards or accept the hand as it is. In order to win a hand, players must finish with a higher total than the dealer, without exceeding 21 – or “busting”. However, blackjack rules can very between casinos, meaning that what you’ve experienced in one blackjack game might not be what you see at the next table. While most of these changes are relatively minor, you’ll still want to understand how different blackjack rules can affect the game.

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Playing Blackjack the player tries to draw cards with a total of 21 points. The main aim of blackjack is to beat the dealer. To do this the player must have a hand that will be higher than the dealer’s and not to go over 21.

The suits of the cards do not play any role in the game. The hand value is simply calculated by summing up the point value of each card in the hand.

The Value of Cards

= 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.

= 10.10 and all the face cards have the value of 10

= 1 or 11. An Ace is counted as 1 or 11.

Blackjack Hands

Let’s now consider the most common hands in blackjack that players should remember.

=21 Blackjack or Natural is a hand of two cards that equals 21 immediately after the deal. The hand is formed by an Ace and a card with a value of 10.

=16 Soft Hand is a hand with an Ace where the Ace can be counted as 11 without exceeding a total point value of 21.

=16 Hard Hand is a hand without an Ace, or a hand with an Ace where the Ace is valued at 1 point.

How to play blackjack?

Blackjack is played with 1 through 8 decks of 52 cards. The cards are dealt from a special box, known as a shoe. As a rule, the decks are reshuffled after each game.The player makes a bet before any cards are dealt. Then the player gets two cards and the dealer has two cards too, one of them is dealt face up and one is face down. The dealer’s hole card remains unknown until the player has completed his hand. The player makes a decision about how to play the hand based on the two dealt cards and the dealer’s face-up card. After the player has decided to stand (stop taking cards), the dealer turns over his hole card. If his hand is 17 or more he must stand. If the dealer’s hand totals 16 or under the dealer must hit (take more cards). Sometimes a casino lets the dealer hit on a soft 17, adding to the house edge.

If the first two cards total 21(an ace and any 10-value card ), it is Blackjack, the highest hand of the game. If the player has blackjack he wins unless the dealer has blackjack as well, in this case the hand is a “push” or a tie.

If the dealer’s face-up card is an ace, the player can make “insurance” to guard against the risk that the dealer holds a blackjack. The insurance pays 2:1 if the dealer’s hand is a blackjack. The dealer with blackjack wins except the player’s hand that also has a blackjack.

All the possible bets are posted on the table. The player wins 1:1 that is the same amount as he bets. The payout for blackjack is 3:2.

Player Options

HIT
The player can HIT meaning he wants another cards. The player can hit as many times as he likes until he busts or forms a hand of 21.

STAND
The player can STAND. When the player stands, it means he doesn’t want to take more cards.

DOUBLE DOWN
The player can DOUBLE DOWN the bet after the first two cards have been dealt. Some of the casinos allow doubling only on a total of 9, 10, or 11 though some others allow doubling on any hand. After doubling down, the player will get only one more card.

SPLIT
If the player has a pair he may SPLIT it, and play them independently. The original bet will go with one card and an equal amount will be added to the new hand.

Extra Blackjack Options

Besides these blackjack options there are some extra blackjack options: Insurance, Even Money and Surrender.

Insurance. An additional side bet, half of the original bet, available to players after the initial deal when the dealer shows an Ace. If the dealer turns up a natural 21, the player with insurance is paid 2:1 on the insurance bet, but not the original bet. If the dealer does not have a Blackjack, the Insurance bet is lost.

Even Money. In the event of the player has a Blackjack and the dealer’s up card is an Ace, the player can place an Even Money bet, which costs half of the original bet. The Even Money bet protects player from a push if the dealer has Blackjack as well. If the dealer has Blackjack, the player will get his initial bet back and the Even Money bet, 2:1.

Surrender is the option which is not available in all casinos. Surrender allows the player to surrender half of his original bet if he considers that he has a losing hand. This bet can be made before the player says: “Hit” or “Stand”. Thanks to this option the player can save half of his original bet.

There are two types of surrender – EARLY and LATE. Early Surrender allows the player to take half of his bet before the dealer checks for Blackjack. The Late Surrender allows the player to surrender only after the dealer has checked his hole card for Blackjack.

Knowledge is power in gambling. The more you know about the games, the more successful you can be.

For a knowledgeable player, blackjack offers the best chance of leaving the casino as a winner. And,when you become an expert at the game, you can turn the tables on the casino, and get a real advantageon the game.

Originally created by Ken Smith, the goal ofthis site is to provide clear, accurate and transparent information to guide you in optimizing yourblackjack play.

So how do I start?

We have a variety of resources for all levels of play. See below :

Online Blackjack Rules Online

Blackjack School - A complete course for all levels
Blackjack Strategy Engine - Generate basic strategy charts
Blackjack Strategy Trainer - Interactive game which shows the correct decisions to make
Card Counting - A collection of useful card counting resources
Blackjack Forum - A treasure trove of knowledge with contributing experts
Online Blackjack - What to look out for when playing online
Blackjackinfo Store - Purchase strategy cards
Recent Blog Posts - Read the latest news and insights from expert contributors of BJI

Our most comprehensive resource, this is a completeguide consisting of 24 lessons starting from the very basics of understanding the rules to thenitty gritty details of advanced card counting.

By the end of this course you will be able to:

Understand Basic Strategy
Card Count
Apply Money Management Methods
Evaluate When a Game is Beatable
Gain an Advantage Against the Casino!

Many casinos offer a version of the game where a basic strategy player’s expected loss is onlyaround 0.3%. By just choosing the right game and using a correct basic strategy, your results havealready improved five-fold over a typical player!

A player who plays at this skill level can already “beat” the game if you consider the value ofcomps and freebies he can get.

Our Blackjack Strategy Engine allows you to generate charts based off different rule sets

Looking for something a bit more interactive? Our free basic strategy trainer is designed to coach you and provide advice when you make an incorrect decision

This has recently been updated to be more user friendly on mobiles although if you want to play the original version you have the option to do so too

If you want to beat the game in the long run for actual cash, that’s possible too. In fact,Blackjack is probably the easiest game in the casino where a knowledgeable player can get amathematical edge over the game.

By learning to count cards, you can expect to win more money than you lose. You don’t have to be agenius to count cards… You just need to be willing to study, practice, and play with discipline.

Visit our blackjack school for a complete blackjack course whichcovers card counting extensively or visit our card counting resource.

A treasure trove of blackjack know-how, our forum has over decades of valuable informationavailable for free.

Got a question? There are many industry experts that contribute to the community that can answeranything.

Latest Threads

Unfortunately there's no way to card count when playing blackjack online, however if you are looking to just play for fun there are a few things you need to look out for.

We've decided to create a separate resource to address the questions you should be asking yourself before playing online which include:

Is it legal to play online blackjack?
What's the difference between online blackjack and live blackjack?
Which online casinos give the best promotions?
Do I have to pay tax on winnings?

If you are looking for physical strategy cards instead of using our strategy engine, the BlackjackInfo Store has wallet-size basic strategy cards, and an advanced strategy set thatincludes card counting indexes right on the card.

Our set of six strategy cards covers all thecommon rule variations.

BlackjackinfoStore

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