Blackjack strategy - Information on blackjack - Tips for blackjack players
Discover more about playing the exhilarating game of blackjack and the ways to improve your game.
The perfect guide to blackjack and how you can bolster your card game.
Blackjack and its history
The casino game called 'blackjack' used to be called 'twenty-one', which was first recorded in a book written by Miguel de Cervantes. The Spanish writer illustrated that the game 'ventiuna', which means 21 in Spanish, centred on attaining twenty one points before going bust. In today's day and age we refer to a hand of blackjack as being any hand with an ace and a ten or a face card, not always the jack of clubs or spades, that amounts to the sum of 21. Blackjack is a game that's played by a host of people from all over the world and its popularity is on the up because it shifts the house edge in favour of the player. The game is dealer versus player so you don't have to be concerned about what cards the other participants have.
What is blackjack?
Blackjack is a card game that can be played in a casino or played online in a version known as video blackjack. People from across the world participate in blackjack thanks to its simple rules and fun combination of luck and strategy. The primary aim of blackjack is to make 21 without beating the dealer by having more than than 21. Every card is worth other amounts with the cards valued from two to ten worth their face value, the face cards (known as jack, queen and king) worth ten and the aces are worth either 1 or 11 depending. If your first two cards total up to 21 points, you win right off the bat and this card combination is called a 'blackjack'.
Playing blackjack
The first stage in setting up a blackjack game is to set the betting parameters and then choose a table. Next you will purchase chips from the dealer, place your bet and receive your hand of cards. The goal is to make a hand of 21 or as close to it but not having cards which total more than 21 and so being able to defeat the dealer with your hand. In terms of scoring, the card numbers equal their face value while the aces can be either one 1 or 11 points and the jack, queen and king all have a value of 10.
Online blackjack
Blackjack is not a game that can only be played in a casino. There are other ways to indulge in your favourite card game such as online or electronic blackjack, which brings together online gambling with the traditional aspects of the pursuit. The house usually the house wins in online blackjack but this shouldn't put you off having a go, as someone has to win in the end! Most video blackjack games tend to deal each coup from a fresh shoe which makes it very difficult to start counting cards. But online blackjack is a great way to brush up on your gambling skills and streamline your strategy - you could even outfox the dealer. Plus the house edge is non-existent!
Blackjack rules of play
When getting involved in a game of blackjack in a casino you will be initially required to place your bet prior to receiving your cards. It is not an issue if you show your hand to other players or even to the dealer because the dealer has no option to affect how his hand is played ultimately. The rules vary according to the casino you are in and you may be playing 'dealer stands on all 17s' where the dealer gets cards up until the point where he hits 17 or greater or you could just play 'dealer hits soft 17' where the players have to wait until the dealer has a soft total of 17. In essence, the dealer has to play on until he reaches at least 17 or goes beyond a total of 21 and busts.