Blackjack is a popular game for new gamblers - but what's all the fuss about? Learn some of the basics here!
Let's take a look at a casual game and analyse what's going on before you put your money down on the table. Most blackjack tables consist of a horseshoe-shaped table, with a single dealer and stools or chairs to accommodate three to six players; depending on the size of the table. The dealer stands facing the players with the playing cards sitting to his left in a special container that allows him/her to stack more than one deck of cards in the compartment and to slide each one out at a time without anyone seeing what the card is.
It's a new hand. The first thing all the players do is put down their chips, or place a bet. This is done by putting your chips out in front of you in a special area designated on the felt with a circle around it. Why a circle? Because no one wants to be confused as to the amount you've just bet or where it is on the table. Next the dealer will slide two cards to each player, placing them in front of each person in another designated area. He or she will also deal a pair of cards to the House, represented by the dealer. The player's cards will be dealt face-up, with the values visible for everyone to see. The dealer's hand, however, will start off with one card down and one card up.
At this point the dealer will look at the hidden card and turn it over. If the card total between the two comes to exactly twenty-one the House wins, and all the players lose their bets. Obviously this only happens with an Ace and a ten, Jack, Queen or King being the second card - so this doesn't happen too often. Most of the time the two cards come to much less than twenty-one, and the game continues.
One thing many new players forget about blackjack is that you're not playing against the other players - the only one who can beat you is the dealer's hand; the other players have no influence on your hand other than taking cards out of the deck. Therefore, focus on the dealer's hand before you worry about what the other players have.
The goal in blackjack is to come as close as you can to a final total of twenty-one without going over. It may seem simple, but not really - now you have to judge your two cards and see if you think you can take another card without going over twenty-one. If you think you can, tap the table and ask to be "hit". No, the dealer won't lean across the table and slap you! Instead you'll be dealt another card face-up and then do another count. The same holds true for the other players.
If you've been lucky enough to be dealt a pair of any number, you can ask to "double down". What that does is allow you to literally play two hands at the same time if you place the same bet down on the second hand. So if you pull a pair of tens you may want to double down and separate the two cards into two hands, each starting off with ten. Of course, you may wish to keep the two tens and wait to see how the dealer plays out against your total of twenty. Remember, the goal is to stay under twenty-one!
The dealer will then go around the table and deal cards to any player who wishes to be "hit". If you wish to stand on the cards you have already, then you wish to tell the dealer that you want to "stay", signified by waving your hand over your dealt cards. Most casinos do not want you physically touching the cards due to security concerns, so it's best to let the dealer do any movement of the cards unless you ask and receive permission otherwise.
Finally it comes back around to the dealer, who has no choice about whether to hit or stay - he or she has to deal another card to the hand representing the House and then continue around the table if he/she hasn't gone over twenty-one. Unlike the players, the dealer cannot choose to ever "stay" on the House's hand. They have to continue dealing after each pass around the table until all the players have refused new cards or the House goes over twenty-one.
So let's go back to our scenario. You have twenty in your hand, a pair of tens. The dealer has eighteen, a ten and an eight. The other players either have gone over twenty-one and lost the game, or have announced that they're "staying". It's the dealer's turn and she can't pass. She has to deal herself a card.
She deals the House a five - it's over twenty-one and all the active players at the table win! But if she had drawn a three then she would have exactly twenty-one and you would have lost with your twenty. Time to collect your winnings and wait for the next hand to start!
Blackjack is a complicated game that can take years to master for the professional gambler, but for the casual player it can be easily picked up within a few minutes with a good teacher and a patient dealer. Almost every casino offers tutorials and nearly every blackjack dealer is eager to help new players ease into the game, assisting with tips and hints as to how to play the game. Don't count out the other players at your table either - since the game is played against the casino and not the other gamblers at the table you can find a wealth of information and hints from the other players. Why not take a trip to that blackjack table next time you see a spot open and try your luck at this great game?
