The Rules of Blackjack
What
is Blackjack?
Blackjack
is amongst the most popular and well recognized
of modern Casino games. It is a game between you
and the dealer. During a game of Blackjack cards
are dealt from a deck of cards called a shoe. Traditionally
a shoe may contain anything from one standard 52-card
deck to 6 such decks. Our version of Blackjack is
played exclusively with a single 52-card deck, as
this offers you the best possible chances of winning.
You
will be dealt two cards. The Dealer will be dealt
one card. In some Casinos the Dealer is dealt two
cards but only one is turned so that it's value
can be revealed. The card that remains face down
is called the 'hole card.'
The object of Blackjack is to obtain a hand with
the highest possible value without exceeding 21.
All face cards (Kings, Queens and Jacks) have a
value of ten and the Aces can have a value of one
(1) or eleven (11).
If
your initial two cards do not total 21 then you
may request additional cards (called a hit). If
your hand does not go bust (exceeds 21) and still
does not equal 21 you may continue to request additional
cards until your hand goes bust, reaches 21 or you
decide to 'Stand' (Stay.) If you are dealt a Blackjack
(an ace and a card of value ten) then the dealer
will automatically lose unless his single card is
an ace or a card of value ten. If you are dealt
a Blackjack then he will not be allowed to draw
further cards as he already has the best possible
hand.
If
you go bust the game is over and the dealer wins.
If you reach 21 or choose to Stand the dealer will
draw another card. If the dealer's hand is less
then 17 in value the dealer must continue to draw
cards until his hand's value equals 17 or more.
In the event of the dealer not going bust the value
of the dealer and your hands are then compared.
If your hand is stronger the Casino will pay you
twice the amount originally wagered. If you win
on a Blackjack you will be paid out 2.5 times your
original bet.
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Blackjack
Features
The bet size can only be changed between games.
The
Deal button starts a new game of Blackjack.
The
Hit button deals you another card.
The
Stand button (sometimes called the Stay button)
ends your hand and moves the game onto the next
phase be it the completion of the dealer's hand
or of your second hand (in the case of a split.)
The
Split button is only available if the first two
cards dealt in your hand have the same denomination
(i.e. are both Aces or Jacks or fours.) The Split
button causes this single hand to be split into
two separate hands, that are then played out as
normal Blackjack hands. Please note that if you
split a pair of Aces and then receive a card of
value 10 this is not considered to be a Blackjack
(but still has a value of 21.)
The
Double button doubles your wager on your current
hand. Once you choose to Double you will only receive
one more card. You will only be allowed to Double
if the value of your hand prior to Doubling is 9,
10 or 11. This is essentially a wager on your next
card being sufficient to beat the dealer's hand.
The
Insurance button is only available when the Dealer's
first card is an Ace. Insurance is a bet against
the Dealer getting Blackjack. The Insurance bet
costs half your original bet and will pay out 2
to 1 if the dealer gets Blackjack.
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Playing
the game
Playing Blackjack at the Casino is easy. Upon
starting the Blackjack game for the first time you
will be presented with the Blackjack table. The
default minimum bet will already be placed on the
table.
You can increase or decrease the amount you wish to
wager with the Increase and Decrease buttons. The
size of the column of Casino chips will change as
you do this.
Once you have decided on the size of your bet you
can start the game. Click on the Deal button.
The Dealer will deal you two cards and deal himself
one card.
As soon as the last card is dealt you will be able
to decide whether to hit (take another card) or
stand (stay).
If your first two cards dealt to you are an Ace and
a card of value ten then you have Blackjack and
unless the dealer has an Ace or Ten you
automatically win the game and are paid out 2.5
times your original bet.
If you draw another card (hit) and the value of your
hand now exceeds 21 then you have gone 'bust' and
have lost this hand. You may play again by clicking
on the Deal button.
If you are satisfied with your hand click the Stand
button to end the game. The dealer will now draw
cards until his hand exceeds or equals 17 in value.
If the dealer's hand exceeds 21 you win because the
dealer has gone 'bust.' If the dealer's hand exceeds
17 in value but is less than 21 the value of the two
hands are compared and the stronger hand wins.
If your hand is stronger than the dealer's you
receive double your wager back. If not, you lose
your wager and can play again.
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Blackjack
rules
Like
any other game Blackjack has certain rules.
The
version of Blackjack we describe here is played with a single deck
of cards, which is shuffled after the completion
of every hand / game.
You
may draw up to nine additional cards (i.e. a total
of 11 cards) as long as the value of your hand does
not exceed 21. If you go over 21 this is called
a ‘bust’ and you automatically lose
the hand. If you have not yet exceeded 21 after
receiving eleven cards you will automatically stay
and the dealer will play his hand.
The
dealer must stand on all 17 and draw on 16.
If
the Dealer gets Blackjack after you have Split or
Doubled your entire wager (both original and Double
or Split amounts) are lost.
Face
cards (the Jack, Queen and King) all have a value
of ten in Blackjack.
An
‘Ace’ card may have a value of either
1 or 11. Any combination of cards that contains
an Ace card and whose value does not exceed 21 is
referred to as a ‘soft hand’. An ‘Ace’
will adopt the value most beneficial for your hand.
For example an Ace and eight will add up to 19 but
if you choose to take another card that would cause
the hand's value to exceed 21 the Ace will revert
to a value of 1.
If
you are dealt an ‘Ace’ and a card with
the value of ten (a natural ten or face card) as
your first two cards this is called Blackjack. You
will automatically stay when you receive a Blackjack.
If you beat the dealer with a Blackjack you are
paid out at 3 to 2.
If
you receive two cards of the same value (such as
two ‘Ace’s or two fives or two tens)
you may ‘Split’ your hand. This means
that your pair is divided into two separate hands.
You wager a second amount equal to that of your
original wager on the second hand and are able to
play both hands as normal.
Cards
of the same value but not of the same denomination
(or ranking) cannot be split in this version of
Blackjack. So while a king and ten may have the
same numerical value a hand consisting of these
two cards cannot be split because the cards do not
have the same denomination.
If
you have split a pair of aces and then draw a card
with a value of ten then this is not counted as
Blackjack. Such a hand would have a value of 21.
It will beat any dealer's hand with a value of less
than 21 and draw against all other Dealer hands
except a Blackjack. This rule also applies to splitting
pairs of cards with a value of ten. If you split
a pair of tens (or face cards) and then receive
an ace this hand is not counted as Blackjack.
If
the value of your initial two cards is 9, 10 or
11 then you are allowed to ‘Double.’
This is a wager that your next card will be sufficient
to beat the dealer’s as-of-yet-uncompleted
hand. The wager costs as much as your original bet,
but if you win you will be paid double of your total
wager (or four times your original wager).
Insurance
only covers your original bet. It does not cover
any Double Down bet. When the dealer is dealt an
'Ace' you are given the option to place an insurance
bet. The Insurance bet costs half your original
bet and will pay out 2 to 1 if the dealer gets Blackjack.
You loose your original bet. If the dealer does
not get Blackjack you loose your insurance bet and
the game proceeds as normal.
After
all hands have been played your hands are compared
to the dealers hand. If the value of both hands
are the same it is called a Push. On the event of
a Push you receive your bet back and no one wins.
Blackjack (which value is 21) beats a hand that's
value is also 21. If both the dealer and you have
Blackjack this is considered a Push.
Please
Note - This version of Blackjack is played with
a single deck of cards, which is shuffled after
the completion of every hand / game.
