The Rules Of Blackjack

Let’s proceed with the nitty-gritty. Let’s now learn the rules of Blackjack.

Now, Blackjack is also known as Twenty-One for a reason. You will initially be given a pair of cards, and the objective of the game can be broken down into the following priorities:

1. Get a combination that totals the value of 21. There are 4 possible combinations for this. Let’s take a look at them:



If any of the 4 combinations above is acquired on the first deal, then you’ll have what is called a Blackjack; that is, a sure winner on the very first deal of the cards.

A Blackjack would reward you 3 to 2, meaning, you’ll receive 1 ½ of the total amount you have wagered. If you, for example, placed a bet of $100, and you acquire a Blackjack on the initial deal, you’d win $150.

2. If the combination for the initial pair of cards you were dealt with does not amount to 21, the purpose of the game shifts to drawing one card per turn until you reach the value of 21 without going over.

For example, you receive this initial pair:



Your total value would be 9, which is way off the 21-value target. What should you do?

You have to tell the dealer that you demand another card by saying “HIT.” Hit will give you a fresh new card from the deck, the value of which will be added to your running total. Take a look at the continuing example below:



The new total value is 12, which is still way off from the desired total of 21.

The important thing to consider in this game is that you don’t compete against the probabilities of garnering a 21 total. Rather, you will be competing against the dealer and his cards.

So remember this: the objective of the game is to have a total that is higher than the dealer’s cards, without going over 21.

As a matter of rule, of the initial pair that the dealer himself receives, one card will be revealed. The other card is not revealed until all the players reveal their cards.

It is a sound strategy, therefore, to always assume that the dealer will get a value of 17 or higher. 17 is the value that will force the dealer to STAND, that is, to stop hitting or drawing new cards. That’s the rule of the house and you should use this to your advantage.

Let us continue with our example. 12 is a pretty low value to have, considering that you should expect the dealer to attain the value of 17 or higher.

This is where the risks of the game come in.

If you decide to HIT, you might get a card with a value of 10, and you’ll receive a total of 22, which would automatically make you lose your bet. Your only chance in such a case would be for the dealer to also draw a total higher than 21, so that everything would be even-steven and no transfer of wagers would take place.

So, should you HIT or STAND?

We will discuss the propriety of hitting and standing a little later on. For now, let’s assume that you’ll HIT, since 12 is a very low value.

The ideal scenario would be to draw a card that has the value of 9. This would give you a total of 21 and would make you an automatic winner. Your winnings in such a case, however, would just be 1:1, that is, a winning equivalent to the amount you have wagered. If, for example, you placed a bet of $100, and you manage to attain the value of 21 with 3 or 4 cards, you’d receive $100 from the house.

But what if you receive a card with a value lower than 9? Let’s take a look at our example.