Continued... The Rules Of Blackjack

Now, 17 is a pretty good value. Your chances of losing are less. The dealer has to get a value of 18, 19, 20, or 21 to win, after all. And that’s a 4:9 success rate, or less than a 50% chance of beating you.

Most people would STAND with 17.

Should you?

Later, you’ll learn some definitive techniques that will teach when to STAND and when to HIT when you already have relatively safe numbers in your hands. But for now, let’s assume that you take the gargantuan risk of hitting to secure your victory. Now, you need one of four cards to make your case stronger: an Ace, a 2, a 3, or a 4. There are 13 numbers per deck. That’s a 4:13 chance, more or less, of success… which isn’t really a bright outlook.

But hey! That’s why they call it gambling, right?

Let’s look at things clearly. You already have four cards with a total of 17. Though your chances of beating the dealer with this value are pretty high, it is by no means guaranteed. Whereas, if you could draw another card with a value of 4 or less, you’d have 5 cards in hand that would total 21 or less. In some variations of Blackjack, having 5 cards makes you an automatic winner! But you better check the rules of the house first before aiming for this. Nonetheless…

The choice is yours.

Let’s illustrate these rules in play. Supposing, with a 17 value at hand, you decide to HIT.



The combination above would give you a Blackjack, and would entitle you to 3:2 earning, or 1 ½ the amount you have previously wagered.

But, if disaster strikes and you get a card with a value higher than 4…



Remember, a total value over 21 automatically makes you lose the game.

Initially, you’d think of Blackjack as a game of luck as everything seems to depend on the number of the card(s) you receive. But Blackjack is very much different from other casino games. It has the element of control – at the very least, more control than games at other tables. You have to take advantage of this aspect of the game if you wish to reap a lot of success in Blackjack.

This guide will have your back covered, though. By the end of this eBook, you’ll know how to exercise control in this game, as much control as the game itself allows you.

3. Just to emphasize, the ultimate goal in Blackjack is to beat the dealer. The dealer will also draw some cards, and will have just as much luxury as you do when it comes to STANDING and HITTING, save for 2 basic rules of the house:

a. When the dealer reaches the total value of 17 or higher, he will be forced to STAND, meaning, he will no longer be allowed to draw more cards.

b. Any value below 17 and the dealer must HIT. These basic house rules are meant to mechanize the game of Blackjack. And reduce the role of the dealer into, well, merely a dealer and nothing more. You won’t be competing against the discretion of the dealer. Rather, you’ll be competing against the hand of the dealer.

And this makes winning the game a whole lot easier, as will be revealed later on.

4. It is important to learn how to use INSURANCE. When the cards are dealt, the dealer’s hand will reveal only one card, with the other card turned on its face. You will never see this card until all the players have decided to STAND.

Now, what if the dealer gets an Ace as the revealed card?

There would be a greater chance of him getting a Blackjack, right? And this would mean an automatic loss for you, unless you also have a Blackjack or a 21 combination, in which case, it’s going to be a PUSH and no exchange of money will take place.

What’s the best way to avoid such a potential tragedy?

Well, once an Ace is revealed in the dealer’s hand, you’ll be given the option to get INSURANCE. INSURANCE, basically, is an additional wager on the dealer. Yes, you will bet on the dealer’s hand! Your bet is based on the eventuality that the dealer’s unrevealed card has a value of 10. You are allowed to wager up to ½ the amount of your original bet.

What does this mean?

Well, in the event that the dealer does beat you with a Blackjack, he will win, and so will you, since you have placed a bet for his victory. Hence, if you wager an amount equivalent to your original bet, and the dealer eventually attains a Blackjack, everything will be squared off, and the result: you won’t lose a single cent.

Let’s illustrate.

Suppose you wager $100.

Then, the dealer’s hand reveals an Ace, with the other card still concealed from everyone’s view.

Opting for INSURANCE will make you wager an additional $50 on the dealer’s hand.

Hence, if the dealer does attain a Blackjack and you don’t, you’ll lose the $100 you originally wagered, but you’ll also win $100 via the INSURANCE you have placed, since INSURANCE pays at a ratio of 2:1.

Indeed, INSURANCE can be a lifesaver, and this makes the game of Blackjack a more controllable game. Always remember that you have this option in case the odds initially seem unfavorable for you. Hence, it goes without saying that you should always leave some chips that you can use for INSURANCE.

It may seem to be the wisest thing to do.

But you have to remember that INSURANCE does not guarantee safe passage all the time. There is still the possibility that you’ll lose both your original wager as well as the bet you have placed as INSURANCE. If the dealer does not get a Blackjack, for example, and he still manages to beat your combo, then you’ll merely add to the amount you have otherwise lost.

Exercise INSURANCE with caution.

5. Some casinos offer the option of a SPLIT. Basically, you will only place a bet with the number of hands you decide to play with. This cannot be changed once the game has started. Unless, of course, the situation (as well as the house rules) allow for a SPLIT.

What is a SPLIT and when can you use it?

A SPLIT is exactly what its name implies. It will allow you to split the pair you are initially dealt with. This will allow you to place a new bet on the new hand that you are allowed to have.

A SPLIT is allowed when the player has a pair of cards with equal value. A pair of 7s for example, will ordinarily place you in a very compromising situation, since the total of 14 is quite an unsafe number in Blackjack. A pair of Aces is even more of a predicament as they could either have the value of 2, 12, or 22, the latter being disregarded as a possibility.

The solution?

SPLIT your cards to come up with separate hands.

For example, your cards are as follows: Instead of dealing with the precarious situations that could ensue, you could opt to SPLIT your hand and come up with the following:




[..Continue With Black Jack Rules]