Blackjack

Rules

I often hear poor gambling advice being passed around in casinos. A common misconception is that the aim of blackjack is to get as close to 21 as possible without exceeding it. In reality, the goal is to defeat the dealer. To do this, players must avoid going over 21 (which is called busting) and aim to have a higher score than the dealer or cause the dealer to bust. Below are the complete rules governing the game. blackjack Blackjack can be played with anywhere from one to eight decks, each consisting of 52 cards.

1. Aces can be valued at either 1 or 11 points, while cards numbered 2 through 9 hold their face value, and face cards along with tens are worth ten points.
2. The total value of a player's hand is calculated by adding up the values of the individual cards. However, a 'blackjack'—which consists of an ace paired with a ten-point card—is considered the strongest possible hand, beating any other hand that totals 21.
3. Once players have placed their bets, the dealer deals two cards to each player and two for themselves, with one card face up for the dealer. The card not visible to the players is referred to as the 'hole card.'
4. When the dealer's visible card is an ace, they offer a side bet called 'insurance.' This wager pays out at 2 to 1 if the dealer's hidden card is a ten-point card. Players may choose to take this bet, but it cannot exceed half of their initial wager.
5. Should the dealer have either a ten or an ace as their face-up card (after insurance has been offered for an ace), they will check their hole card to determine if they've achieved a blackjack. If so, they reveal it immediately.
6. If the dealer does indeed have a blackjack, all bets (excluding insurance) will lose unless the player also holds a blackjack, resulting in a tie. At this point, insurance bets are also resolved.
7. The game proceeds with the player to the left of the dealer making their moves. The options available to players include:
8. Stand : The player chooses to keep their current cards without taking any additional.
   • Hit : The player requests another card (and may continue to request more if desired). If this card brings their total over 21 (commonly referred to as 'busting'), they lose automatically.
   • Double : The player can double their original bet and will receive one additional card, and just one.
   • Split : If the player has two cards of the same rank or two ten-point cards, they have the option to split their hand into two hands and double their bet. The dealer will then give each split hand a second card. From there, the player can hit, stand, or double based on each hand individually. However, when splitting aces, each ace can only receive one card. There are also instances when doubling after a split isn't permitted. If the player splits and then receives an ace and a ten, this totals 21 points but is not considered a blackjack. Usually, players can continue to re-split their hands, up to four times total; though re-splitting aces may not always be allowed.
   • Surrender : Players have the option to forfeit half their bet, keeping the other half, without playing out their hand. This choice is generally only applicable on the first two cards dealt and may, in some casinos, not be allowed at all.
   • Once all players have taken their turns, the dealer reveals their hole card. If the dealer's total is 16 or lower, they will draw another card. Notably, if the dealer has an ace and their cards total six points (known as a 'soft 17'), rules at some tables dictate that the dealer must hit on this total.
9. If the dealer exceeds 21 points, any players who have not busted win automatically.
10. If the dealer does not bust, then rather the higher total wins between the player and dealer.
11. Winning bets typically pay out at even money, although a player's winning blackjack generally pays 3 to 2. Some casinos may pay less for a blackjack, which can be heavily detrimental to players.
12. Slot tournaments that feature large prize pools

Wizard's Simple Strategy

I've been preaching for years that to play blackjack properly requires memorizing the basic strategy. However, after pitching the basic strategy for 20 years, I've learned that few people have the will to memorize it. In my book, Gambling 102 After the release of my book, I became uneasy with the level of incorrect plays associated with my Simple Strategy. Therefore, in September 2009, I developed what I termed the 'Wizard's Strategy.' This new strategy reduces erroneous plays to a mere 0.14% in relation to liberal Vegas Strip rules, translating to one erroneous hand approximately every 12 hours of play. In contrast to the Basic Strategy's 250 scenarios, the Wizard's Strategy consists of only 21 situations, which are outlined below.

I want to be clear that this strategy does not guarantee success 100% of the time. I still receive emails from players who encountered challenges while following it. For example, the Simple Strategy suggests standing on 12 against a 2, even when the mathematically superior action is hitting. If you seek a strategy that is infallible, you should consider adhering to the fully applicable rules.

Here are a few clarifications worth noting. practice game A 'hard' hand is defined as one that has no aces or has aces that must count as one point to avoid busting. A 'soft' hand contains at least one ace that can be valued as either one or eleven points. basic strategy for the set of rules you are playing.

With a hard 10 or 11, players should double their bet if their total exceeds that of the dealer, while treating an ace in the dealer's hand as 11 points. Specifically, players should double with a total of 10 against any dealer card from 2 to 9, and with 11 against any dealer card from 2 to 10.

• If the strategy indicates doubling but the player has three or more cards or if the table rules prohibit soft doubling, they should hit, except in the case of standing with a soft 18.
• If the strategy recommends surrendering (in a case of 16 against a dealer's 10), and the player finds themselves unable to surrender for whatever reason, they should hit instead.
• In cases where the strategy advises against splitting, the player should treat their hand as having a total of 8, 10, or 20, based on the specific pair in question.
• My Simple Strategy comes with exceptions noted in smaller print. Additional details about the Wizard's Simple Strategy can be referenced in my links.
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Basic Strategy

Las Vegas : I'm pleased to present up-to-date blackjack rules for every casino in Las Vegas, which I refresh monthly according to Stanford Wong's Current Blackjack Newsletter. As of November 2009, the survey findings have relocated to my partnered site. basic strategy calculator Below is a compilation of some prevalent rule differences and their impact on the player's expected return when measured against standard U.S. rules (which involves 8 decks, the dealer standing on soft 17, and the allowance of doubling after a split).

• 1 deck
• 2 decks
• 4 or more decks
• European blackjack
• Panamanian blackjack

House Edge

See my Blackjack House Edge Calculator Explore Top Online Casinos Available in Your Region

Rule Surveys

Calculator for Estimating Lottery Jackpot Ticket Sales WizardOfVegas.com .

Rule Variations

1: Comprehensive table for anticipated returns from a limitless deck

I also have a longer list of rule variations .

Beware Short Pays on a Blackjack

3a: Exceptions pertaining to single-deck strategy under S17 rules

Articles about 6-5 Blackjack:

• 3b: Unique cases for double-deck strategy under S17 rules , Las Vegas Sun, Nov. 13, 2003.

Bad Strategies

3c: Special considerations for single-deck strategy under H17 rules

Never bust: For my analysis of this strategy I assumed the player would never hit a hard 12 or more. All other decisions were according to correct basic strategy. This "never bust" strategy results in a house edge of 3.91%.

4: In-depth analysis of standard deviation in blackjack

5: Expected returns with an infinite deck based on player hand and dealer's upcard

Play Blackjack

9: Expected returns influenced by card composition for 1 to 8 deck scenarios

Practice Basis Strategy

Practice Card Counting

Rule Surveys WizardOfVegas.com