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How to Play Blackjack

How did I learn to play blackjack as a beginner? I’ll tell you everything you need to know. Blackjack, or Twenty-One, is one of the most attractive card games to casino players. Its strategic play makes blackjack enjoyable in only the safest online casinos for US players. 

So, if you’d like to begin your gaming journey but need to learn how to play blackjack, you’re in luck. The TrustnPlay team has curated basic information about the game to help you get started.

Read on as we provide a step-by-step guide to how blackjack works.

🔑 Key Takeaways

  • Find out what the blackjack dealer’s rules are.
  • Learn the commonly used terms in the game.
  • Discover what the value of each card represents in blackjack.

Blackjack Rules

The basic rule of blackjack states that players must draw a hand value higher than that of the dealer, but not over the value of 21. So, learning how to play blackjack for beginners means knowing your game is against the dealer and not other players. 

Below are some helpful strategies you need to know before playing online blackjack:

  • Split: The blackjack split rules are simple. If your first two cards have the same denomination, you can split them into two separate hands. Then, you request a “hit” for each of your hands so you can get extra cards for both hands.
  • Insurance: Insurance refers to the type of bet that a player makes if the dealer’s up-card is an ace. Once the bet is placed, the dealer checks the face-down card to confirm, and if it’s a ten as the player predicted, they win the bet and receive double the amount of their bet.
  • Surrendering: If your hand is especially bad, you can surrender to the dealer and accept the 50% deduction on your bet. Starting with a bad hand will likely lead to losing all your bets.

Blackjack Cards Value

Now that you know the general blackjack rules, it’s only fair to know what values the cards hold:

  • Ace = They represent values 1 or 11
  • 2 = The card represents 2
  • 3 = represents 3
  • 4 = represents 4
  • 5 = 5
  • 6 = 6
  • 7= 7
  • 8 = 8
  • 9 = 9
  • 10 = 10
  • Jack = 10
  • Queen = 10
  • King = 11

Example:

  • 4 + 10 = 14 → Not a good hand.
  • Ace + 6 =  17  → Good hand.
  • 5 + 9 + 7 = 21 → Blackjack!
  • 9 + 10 + Ace = 20 → In this case, Ace would represent 1 and not 11, so the value doesn’t surpass 21.

Understand the Table

The blackjack game is always played on a semicircle table, which makes it easier for the dealer to deal cards to everyone. Typically, the table accommodates 5–12 players simultaneously, depending on the game variation, while the dealer stands behind. 

At the start of the game, the dealer uses a card shoe or shuffling machine to deal the cards. Moreover, the dealer may choose to shuffle and deal the card manually, depending on the game. Once this has been done, players are dealt their cards, and then the game begins.

Blackjack Gameplay

Playing blackjack is fairly easy, and this guide walks you through how to play blackjack at a casino. Here’s a typical game session:

  1. Join the Blackjack Table: At the start of the round, place a bet on the various options available. Once all bets are placed, wait for the dealer to deal the cards and receive yours.
  2. Decide: Check the value of the cards in your hands and work out that of the dealer to determine how close you are to 21. (If the first card you were dealt was a ten-value card and an Ace, you got a Blackjack.).
  3. Choose to Hit or Stand: If adding another card won’t make your hand go bust, tell the dealer you need to hit. However, if you don’t want more cards, tell the dealer you want to “stand.”
  4. Check your New Hand Value: If you picked any of the options in the step above and your card value falls to 21 or less, then you’ll remain in the game.
  5. Reveal Your Card: Once every player has made their final decision, the dealer will reveal their face-down card to the table.
  6. Final Result: You win the round if your hand is the closest to 21. However, if the dealer instead has a value of 21 or a figure closer to 21 than the players, then the dealer wins the round.

Common Terms in Blackjack

There’s no better way to learn how to play blackjack at home than by knowing the different terminologies in the game. Here are some common blackjack terms:

  • Ace Poor or Ace Rich: Ace Poor means fewer aces are dealt than expected. Ace Rich means there are more aces dealt than expected.
  • Back Counting: A situation when cards are counted from behind the table to escape negative counts.
  • Burn Card: This is the very first card on the shuffle deck
  • Bust: This term is used when the dealer or player’s hand surpasses the total value of 21.
  • Chipping Down or Up: Chipping down means lowering your wager amount from what you did in the previous round. While chipping up means increasing from the previous round.
  • Stand-Off: This is when you have the same hand value as the dealer. In this situation, you’ll be given your initial bet back.
  • Stiff: This is when your hand is almost over 21, and you could go bust if you take another card.
  • Switch: This is where players with two hands can switch out the second card in each hand to change the combination.

So, Will You Play Blackjack Tonight?

Now that you’ve begun learning how to play blackjack online, we hope this article goes a long way toward helping you enjoy this entertaining game.

Once you understand the basic rules discussed above, you’ll discover that blackjack is relatively easy to play. In no time, you’ll be having a go at the classic table game.

So, what’s next? We’d suggest you start discovering the best online casinos for blackjack games in our guide!