Blackjack - The Game
|
There are many basic strategies for blackjack, depending on the casino's rules
and the number of decks used. The basic strategy outlined here is based on the
four-deck game as played in Las Vegas. The object of the game is to beat the
dealer with a total equal to or less than 21, without going over 21 or
bust.
Rules of the Game
Before any cards are dealt, the
player must wager. He does this by placing his bet in the designated space in
front of his table position. The dealer then deals two cards to each of the
players, and two to himself (one of the dealer's cards is dealt face up and one
is dealt facing down). Face cards (kings, queens and jacks) count as 10, ace
counts as one or 11 (as the player chooses) and all other cards are counted at
their face value.
BLACKJACK
If the player's first two cards are
an ace and a 10 or face card, he wins. However, if the dealer also has a
blackjack, it is a standoff, as are all ties or pushes. A winning blackjack pays
the player 3 to 2.
HIT or STAND
Hit means to draw another card
(which the player signifies by scraping the table with his cards or a similar
hand motion). Stand means no more cards (which the player signals by placing his
cards under his wager or moving his hand in a horizontal direction. If the
player hits and busts (goes over 21), he immediately turns his cards over and
his wager is lost.
DOUBLE DOWN
The player is allowed to double
the bet on his first two cards and draw one additional card only to improve his
hand.
SPLITTING PAIRS
If the first two cards a player is dealt
are a pair, he may split them into two separate hands, bet the same amount on
each and then play them separately. Aces receive only one additional card. After
splitting, A-10 counts as 21 and not as blackjack.
INSURANCE
If
the dealer's up card is an ace, the player may take insurance, a bet not
exceeding one-half his original bet. If the dealer's down card is a 10 or any
face card, the player wins 2 to 1. Any other card means a win for the
dealer.
SURRENDER
Where permitted, a player may give up his
first two cards and lose only one-half his original bet.
The dealer must
draw on 16 and stand on 17. In some casinos, the dealer is required to draw on
soft 17.
|
|
