The Rules of Blackjack

The object of Blackjack is to beat the dealer by obtaining cards with a total value that doesn’t exceed 21 (a hand with a higher total than 21 is said to bust).
Face cards (Jacks, Queens and Kings) count as 10 points. Cards 2 through 10 are worth their face value. And the aces can be counted as either 1 or 11, as the player chooses. (A hand in which an ace's value is counted as 11 is called a soft hand; and counted as 1, it is called a hard hand.)

Before any cards are dealt, each player makes a wager in the betting circle on the table. After the initial bets are placed, the dealer deals each player two cards. The dealer gets one card face up and the other face down (the hole card).

If the dealer's upcard is an ace, insurance is offered to the player (an optional side bet up to half his original bet). The player wins this side bet if the dealer’s down card is a ten-value card and is paid 2 to 1 on his bet. Any other card means the player loses this side bet.

Any first two cards consisting of an ace and a ten-value card, is called a Blackjack and is an automatic winner. Unless both the player and the dealer have Blackjack, in which case it is a tie (this is called a push). A player winning with a Blackjack is usually paid 3 to 2 on his bet.

If neither the player nor the dealer has Blackjack, the player has following options to play his hand:

• Hit: Draw another card.
• Stand: Take no more cards and stop at the current total.
• Double Down: Double the wager, but take only one more card and then stand.
• Split: If the player’s first two cards have the same value: Place the initial bet on both cards and play each card as a seperate hand.
• Surrender: Give up the hand and lose half the bet.

The player's turn is over after deciding to stand, doubling down, or busting. If the player busts, he loses the bet even if the dealer goes on to bust. After all the players have finished playing, the dealer reveals his hidden hole card and plays his hand according to a fixed set of rules. In most casinos a dealer must continue to take cards (hit) until reaching a total of at least 17 (hard 17), regardless of what the players have.

To win, the player must beat the dealer by having the higher, unbusted hand. If both the player and the dealer have the same total, it is a tie or a push and neither dealer nor player wins the hand. If the dealer busts then all players that have not busted win. The winning player will be paid out at the odds of 1 to 1 on his bet.