The objective of Blackjack is for a player to come as close to 21 without going over, while still having a higher number than the dealer - it's actually as simple as that!

If the total value of the player’s cards is closer to 21 than the dealer, the player wins as much as he wagered. If the player has Blackjack, he wins 3 to 2 ,as long as the dealer does not also have Blackjack.

If the total of the player’s cards exceeds 21, he “busts” and loses his wager. If his cards total the same number as the dealer (from 17 to 21), no one wins and the player receives his wager back. This is considered a “push.” Keep in mind that “Blackjack” beats a score of 21 consisting of 3 or more cards. Blackjack is achieved when your first two cards total 21.

Balckjack Card Values:

Suits of the cards have no meaning in the game.

Cards 2 through 10 are the face value.

Jacks, Queens and Kings are all valued at 10.

Aces can count as either 1 or 11. (see below)

If the player has a hand that consists of a 6 and an Ace, he may either consider it at 17 or drop its value to 7. The Ace may count as 1 or 11. You may change the value of the Ace as the hand progresses.

Tha Dealer is not allowed to hit on a soft 17 (at most casinos but this may vary from casino to casino depending of the casinos blackjack rules)
All hands which contain an ace valued at 11 are considered “soft” hands (i.e. A6 is a soft 17). Hands containing an ace valued at 1 are considered “hard” hands (A, 6, K is a hard 17).

Prior to receiving any cards, the player must place a wager. Once the wager is made, the player is dealt two cards face up. The dealer is also dealt two cards, one facing up and one facing down. The dealer’s card will remain face down until the player has completed his hand.

The dealer then turns over his card. The dealer continues to draw cards until his total is greater than 16. At most casinos the dealer must not draw another card if his hand is a soft 17. The player wins if the dealer goes over 21 ("Busts").

Deal:

Clicking on the deal button after placing a bet starts a new game.

Hit/Stand

Clicking on the hit button will deal the player an additional card. Clicking on the stand button will keep the player’s hand at its current value.

Split:

If the player’s first two cards are of the same value (i.e. 7, 7, or Q, K) he may split them into 2 separate hands, placing a second wager of equal value. The player then proceeds to draw cards as usual, at some casinos with these exceptions:

If a player splits two aces, he receives only one additional card for each hand. A hand totaling 21 after splitting aces is considered 21, not Blackjack.

Double:

When a player has been dealt two cards and believes that a third card will give him a position to beat the dealer’s hand, he can “double.” His wager is doubled, and he is allowed to hit and receive just one additional card.

Insurance:

Insurance gives the player a chance to protect himself when he believes the dealer might have Blackjack. If the dealer’s first card is an ace, he is considered to have a fair chance of getting Blackjack. If the player believes the dealer’s hole card (face down) value is 10, the player may purchase insurance against dealer Blackjack at the price of half their initial bet. If the dealer does have Blackjack, the insurance pays 2 to 1, which corresponds to the amount of the initial bet. If the player has bought insurance and the dealer does not have Blackjack, the player loses his insurance. The player’s initial bet is then settled by comparing his cards with the dealer’s. If the dealer and the player both have Blackjack the game results in a push.

Blackjack Strategy

Below is a blackjack basic strategy matrix to help you perfect your basic blackjack strategy.

Click here to view the Blackjack Chart full size

Want to know about gambling systems, blackjack card counting or how many decks of cards there is used in online blackjack ? Visit our online casinos FAQ page for answers.