Blackjack is a very popular online casino card game that was originally played widely in the USA and now found all over the world. It is generally known as 21. If you are new to this popular table game, I’m going to take you through some of the Blackjack rules that will help you familiarize with this game.
Equipment needed for a Blackjack
First, you need an international 52-card deck without jokers. Several decks mixed form a shoe. There can be two to eight decks in a shoe. Most online casinos prefer using more decks, why? You might ask. Well, with more decks the game is sped up, and card counting becomes more difficult.
A specially designed table with room for a permanent dealer and eight players is necessary. In addition to that, the betting limits are clearly posted on a sign on the Blackjack table.
To play, you need chips which are bought when there is a break in the action. You will simply be required to change some cash for chips that the online casino website will offer you. The chips will be equivalent to your currency that you will change. Below are some colours that correspond to the chips:
- The White chips will denominate $1
- The Red chips will denominate $5
- The Green chips will denominate $25
- The Black chips will denominate $100
Blackjack rules (UK)
It is important you understand the Blackjack rules UK before you start playing whether at an online casino, or a land based casino. Each Blackjack player has a box or a circle on the table that is used to place the bets.
In every bet, there is always a maximum and a minimum. The value of the maximum bet will usually be 10-20× the amount you will place on a minimum bet. For every hand that you will be playing, you will have the following result:
- Lose: You lose your bet to the dealer
- Win: you win an amount of money that is equivalent to the amount that you stake
- Blackjack card or a natural: When you get a natural, you will win the bet at 1.5 × the stake you placed
- Push: You will keep the bet without winning or losing
Blackjack Rules and Objectives
While playing Blackjack, it is important to note that you will not be playing against other players on the pit, but you will be playing against the house, in this case, represented by the dealer.
In the Blackjack, your main aim is to have a hand that will have more points than the dealers without exceeding 21. The value of your hand is computed by counting the value of the cards that you will have in that hand.
When counting, cards with the values 2 through to 10 will retain their face values, the K, J and Q will have a value of 10 while the Ace will be valued at either 11 or 1 depending on your choice.
The Natural or Blackjack
The natural or the Blackjack refers to when you have a hand that is worth 21 when you are dealt with your first two cards. Therefore, it is right to say that a natural is when you receive an ace card and any other card that has a value of 10, i.e., the J, K and Q when the dealer deals the first two cards.
Having a natural guarantees you an automatic win unless the casinos dealer also has the Blackjack. In this case, you will receive a push. If, however, the dealer is the only one with a natural, all the players at the pit loose automatically.
Playing The Blackjack
Once the dealer finishes dealing the cards, the game continues with each player playing in a clockwise order beginning from the dealer’s left side.
Before the game, you have the chance of declaring if you want to capitalize on the online casinos’ side rules (which I’ll discuss later) which are only applicable when it reaches your turn to act after the cards have been dealt.
You can decide to keep your hand as it has been dealt (stand) or you can ask the dealer to hit you (deal more cards to you) one at a time until you think your hand can compete against the dealer’s. In addition, you can decide to hit until you exceed the 21 hand value, after which you bust and the dealer (casino wins)
At the beginning of the game the dealer has one card faced up while the other faces down. He only reveals the second card after all the players have finished their actions.
If the dealer doesn’t have a natural, he must hit or stand. This will depend on the value of his/her hand. Unlike a player, a dealer must have a value higher than 17 or 17 itself.
Like mentioned earlier on, you and the other players will be playing against the casino, which is represented by the dealer. In the event he/she busts, you and the other players in the pit win the bet and you are paid by the casino. However, players who will also have more than a count of 21 will also lose the bet.
Blackjack Side Rules
- Insurance: When the dealer’s card that is facing up is an Ace, you will have an opportunity of speculating whether the dealer’s hidden card is a natural or not. This is only allowed before any other player on the table can hit or play any of his cards. To place your insurance bet, you will have to bet an equal amount of money which is usually used to cancel out the possibility of losing this bet. When you win an insurance bet, your winnings will be paid out at the odds of 2:1.
- Surrender: When you compare your hand and see its bad when compared to the dealer’s, you have an option of surrendering and reclaiming half of your stake. Usually, this is called an Early Surrender and is not allowed in some online casinos in case the dealer has a Natural hand.
