When you play blackjack you’re attempting to beat the dealer by getting as close as possible to 21 without going over. The game is usually played with up to eight decks of cards depending on the casino and how many players are playing. Each player places their bet and the dealer then shuffles the cards. Once the shuffle is complete each player and the dealer receive two cards. One card is placed face up and the other is placed face down.
The value of a blackjack hand consists of the number and rank of the cards in the hand. Numbered cards (2 through 10) are worth their respective numbers and the faces (Jack, Queen, King) carry a value of 10. Aces can be valued as either 1 or 11, which makes them a valuable card. When you’re dealt a blackjack hand the dealer will then ask if the player wants to purchase insurance, also known as even money. This is generally considered a bad bet for the player unless they have an estimate of the value of the dealer’s hole card, which can be done through card counting.
Once the player has a blackjack hand they’ll compare it to the dealer’s hand. If the dealer has a blackjack then the player will win, otherwise the players bet is returned to them. There are some other options a player can take in blackjack such as double down (double the wager and only take one more card), split (take two of the same cards and create a new hand with them), and surrender (forfeit half the bet against a dealer’s face or ace). It’s important that a player consider all possibilities when they’re playing a blackjack hand and make decisions that give them the best statistical chance to win.
