Beat the dealer
Blackjack is a variation of the old French card game “vingt-et-un” (French for 21).If you have ever played vingt-et-un, pontoon or twenty one, you will be familiar with the rules. It is one of the most popular casino card games due to the mix of chance and skill. Each player is dealt two cards and then offered the opportunity to take more cards. The aim is to get a higher total than the dealer without going over 21 (“too many”).
Skill and chance
At the Blackjack tables your Dealer will shuffle the card decks and ask you or a fellow player to “cut” them. The cards are then placed in a dealing box known as a “shoe”.
During play the dealer must take cards up to the value of 16, and can’t take a card when their total reaches 17 or higher. To win you need to assess the chances of the dealer “going bust”, and determine if you need to stand or take another card to beat them.
If you receive certain cards, you can play 2 special options, Doubling or Split bets. The Dealer will remind you that you can take the options offering you the following advantages.
Doubling
You can double your original bet by buying a third card if the combined total of your first two cards is 9, 10.or 11 (without including an ace).
Split Bets
You can split your hand if the first two cards you receive are a pair (except for 4s, 5s or cards valued 10). To split, place the same value bet next to your original bet. When splitting aces you can only get one more card per ace and if that card is a 10 your hand pays out even money (1-1), not Blackjack’s 3-2.
Taking Insurance
If you have been dealt Blackjack and the Dealer’s first card is an ace you can insure against the Dealer also achieving Blackjack. First of all the dealer will offer “even money”< after this the dealer will then ask if anyone requires insurance. To place an insurance bet you can wager up to half of your original stake. This will win at odds of 2-1 if the Dealer gets Blackjack. If the dealer doesn’t you win at 3-2 but lose your insurance.
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