How to Play Blackjack

Players: 1–7 plus a dealer · Deck: one or more 52-card decks · Goal: finish closer to 21 than the dealer without going over.

Want to try it first? Play Blackjack online against the House.

Card values

• 2–10 are worth their number.
• Jack, Queen and King are worth 10.
• Ace is worth 1 or 11, whichever helps your hand. A hand with an ace counted as 11 is a soft hand.

The deal

Players place bets. Everyone, including the dealer, gets two cards. Player cards are usually face up; the dealer shows one card and keeps one face down.

An ace plus any 10-value card on your first two cards is a blackjack and pays 3 to 2 unless the dealer also has one (a push).

Your options

• Hit — take another card. Go over 21 and you bust and lose immediately.
• Stand — keep your total.
• Double down — double your bet on your first two cards and take exactly one more card.
• Split — if your first two cards match, split them into two hands with a second equal bet.
• Insurance — when the dealer shows an ace, a side bet of up to half your wager that pays 2 to 1 if the dealer has blackjack.

Dealer rules

After every player acts, the dealer flips the hidden card and must hit until reaching 17 or more. Agree before you start whether the dealer hits or stands on a soft 17. Beat the dealer's total (or have the dealer bust) and you're paid 1 to 1. Ties push and your bet is returned.

Basic strategy cheat sheet

• Always stand on hard 17 or higher. Always hit 8 or less.
• Double on 11 and on 10 when the dealer shows 9 or lower.
• Always split aces and 8s. Never split 10s or 5s.
• Stand on 12–16 when the dealer shows 2–6; hit when the dealer shows 7 or higher.
• Skip insurance.

Running a home game

Rotate the dealer every few hands or every shoe. Shuffling two decks together makes card counting harder and the game smoother.

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