Blackjack

The blackjack game, also known as Twenty-one, is one of the most popular casinos banking game in the world.  The Blackjack card game has existed since the 1700s when it was called “21”. The blackjack game has been played in the USA since the 1800's. 

Objective:

A standard blackjack game is usually played with one or more decks of cards. The main objective of the game is to beat the dealer. The game starts with dealing two cards each to the blackjack dealer and the blackjack players. Both the blackjack cards of the players are the face up cards. The dealer has one face up card and one face down card. In order to win a blackjack game, a player must get a total card value of twenty-one, or closer to twenty-one without exceeding 21. If the player exceeds 21, he “bust” and loses the bet. And if the players total card value is higher than the dealer's total card value without exceeding 21 he wins the game.

Card Values:

Cards of the game hold certain values which are used to calculate the total card value of a hand. Cards 2 to10 are valued at their face value regardless of the suit. All face cards i.e. jack, queen and king have a value of ten. An ace is valued as either one or eleven depending upon what is required. A hand that does not have an ace card is called as a Hard Hand. A hand that contains an ace is called as a Soft Hand.

Blackjack Table:

Blackjack game is played on a special semi circular table called the blackjack table. Usually a table can accommodate 5 to 7 players. The players stand around the semi circle. There is a separate circle or square for each player on the table. The dealer stands on the straight edge of the table.

Blackjack Options:

After the initial two cards are dealt, the player has some options: "hit," "stand," "double down," "split a pair" or “surrender”.

Hit: To take another card

Stand: Decision of not taking any more cards.

Double Down: After getting first two cards and before any more cards are dealt to the player, a player has the option to "double down" that means the player is allowed to double his initial bet in exchange for receiving only one more card from the dealer.

Split a pair: When a player has two identical cards dealt to him on the initial deal then, both cards are split and a new bet is made.

Surrender: Allows the players to give up their cards and half of the wager if he feels that he cannot win against the dealer.