Blackjack is certainly among the most popular and preferred casino games of all time. It is considered easy although it requires a combination of skill, strategy, and luck. The game is also known as “21”. There are more players at the tables at land-based casinos, but in online blackjack variants with the lowest limits, you usually have to play against the dealer. The main purpose of our article is to familiarize beginners with the rules and features of blackjack and also offer different strategies. So, stay with us and learn the basics of blackjack games in no time.
Online Blackjack – Basic Rules
Blackjack is played with up to 6 decks where each deck contains 52 cards and each card has a different value. Jack, Queen, and King are 10 points. The Ace can be counted for 11 points or 1 point (the player decides depending on the situation). The value of the remaining cards in online blackjack corresponds to the number, written on them – a 2 is 2 points, a 5 – 5 points, etc.
The person who deals the cards is called the dealer. He or she also gets cards. The purpose of the game is to beat the dealer. In other words, players on the table do not compete with each other. Contemporary online casinos offer a variety of blackjack games with real dealers and various limits which you can join at any time. If you chose to play a RNG blackjack variant, the cards are dealt by computer software.
What It Takes to Win
It is no coincidence that the alternative name of the game blackjack is 21. In fact, the victory goes to the one who collects a sum of 21 with their cards and this sum is greater than that of the dealer. The goal is for your hand to be greater than the dealer’s but not to exceed 21. If it goes above 21, you will lose no matter which variant of online blackjack you are playing.
There are several ways to win. The first is to get an exact sum of 21 from your cards – this is called blackjack. The second is to have a score higher than the dealer’s but not exceeding 21. And the last way to win in blackjack games is for the dealer’s card total sum to exceed 21. In this case, he or she will lose and you will score a win regardless of your total cards sum. This means you can still win with a lower sum like 12, although you are unlikely to have any of these given the option to draw an extra card.
How to Play Blackjack Games
Since we already made an overview of the basic blackjack rules, let’s focus on what happens at the table. Before the game starts, you must place your bets. The minimum and the maximum bet should be written on the table that you have chosen. Each player’s hand consists of two cards. When all players who wish to participate have placed their bets, the dealer first deals one card to each player and then to himself/herself. After that, the dealer hands out another one. The player cards are visible to everyone while the dealer’s one card may be face up to the table (depending on the different variations of the blackjack games).
If the dealer draws an Ace (11 points or 1 point), this means they have a good chance of making a total of 21 with the second card (if it is 10, Jack, King, Queen). In this situation, players are entitled to insurance. Half of the player’s bets can be insured – if he has several bets, they are all added up and divided into two. However, according to most blackjack strategies, insurance is not recommended.
Easiest Blackjack Strategies for Beginners
Now that you are familiar with the basic blackjack rules, let’s discuss the possible strategies you may apply. There are various tricks, but the most suitable for beginners is the so-called basic blackjack strategy. Since it is quite extensive and there is a large number of variations, we decided to focus on the fundamental principles and the potential advantages and disadvantages of using it. Here are the simplest rules of the basic blackjack strategy:
- Draw a card if your cards total sum is 16 or less and if the dealer’s face-up card is 7 or more.
- Pass if your cards total sum is 12 or more and if the dealer’s face-up card is 6 or less.
The main factor affecting the basic strategy is how strictly the player follows it. You can lose very quickly if you deviate from it. It’s important to check out all charts and tables to determine your next move. There are many such free charts on the internet, so you may take a look before playing online blackjack for real money.
