Blackjack rules, part 2

Mike: Let's dive into the rules of Blackjack now. The aim of the game is to surpass the dealer's score without exceeding 21 points. It bothers me when I hear someone claim that the objective is merely to get as close to 21 as possible without going over. That's not the case; your primary goal is to outperform the dealer. For instance, if the dealer's score is 17, your score of 18 isn't any better than 21 in beating them. If the dealer goes over 21, having a score of 12 is just as effective as having 21. Your strategy should be influenced by the card the dealer displays: the higher their card, the more aggressive your gameplay should be, and we will explore strategies in more detail in a coming video.

There are five methods to play your hand in Blackjack. The first option is to stand, meaning you're satisfied with your hand or it’s the best choice available. To indicate this, simply wave your hand like this -- that's your signal to stand. For example, if I have a hard 17 or higher, I will always stand regardless of the dealer's card. In games where the cards are dealt face down, you would signal that you're standing by placing your cards face down under your bet. The other choice would be to hit, which Dan will explain further.

Dan: As the game progresses, players begin with two initial cards. This creates a solid starting hand.

[laughter]

Looking at the hands here, this one represents an automatic win, known as Blackjack; in this case, it pays out at three to two, and that's it.

This hand totals 15, facing a dealer's nine. Your assumption is that the dealer could easily reach 19, making your 15 a losing hand. Hence, you need another card, and to request it, tap or scratch the table near your bet. The dealer will give you another card. If you exceed 21 (for example, going to 22), you bust, the dealer takes your bet, and the game continues with the next player who has a total of 19 and decides to stand, at which point the dealer reveals their hand. This would result in a push, and since you already received your payment for the previous hand, you'll get dealt another hand in hopes of better luck. We might even present scenarios involving doubling down or splitting later. I’ve dealt many disadvantageous hands with these conditions, and I hit it lucky with a 21. [unintelligible 00:02:59] We consider this hand a total of 20 [crosstalk].

Mike: Just like you say stand as 20.

Dan: When holding a hand like 20, it’s clear that the best move is to stand, but you always need to indicate it.

Mike: Let's see if we can create a scenario for doubling down, or perhaps a split or surrender situation.

Dan: Here’s an opportunity to double down.

Mike: Absolutely. This particular hand offers the best chances for a double down. Doubling down means you will double your current bet, placing the chips right beside it, and notice how I positioned them behind — in Las Vegas, players put them next to it. The total bet doesn’t have to match exactly, you can opt for a smaller amount, but ideally, you shouldn’t. After doubling down, you receive only one additional card; additional hits are not allowed afterward.

Dan: Correct, and the card should be placed sideways —

Mike: The dealer will position it this way to signify it was a card received after doubling down.

Dan: Small card -- 18.

Mike: All right, let’s proceed with another scenario. This allows us to illustrate the splitting process. Splitting is essentially creating two hands from one —

Dan: Players should avoid touching their face-up cards. Instead, they place the split bet next to the initial bet. With a double down, the chips stay right next to the original bet. For a split, it should be placed slightly further out. The dealer will split the two hands visibly. Players can also indicate the split by placing their cards down like this, making it clear to the dealer that they are showing a pair of eights; however, if uncertainty arises, a player should use two fingers to illustrate the split action.

The additional bet is placed down, and the main bet is positioned just outside the designated box, allowing the dealer to create two separate hands. A card is then dealt to the player, who signals to continue. Now, on this hand, there's the option to double down again by placing an equivalent bet right next to it, allowing for another single card. When the dealer reveals their hand and goes bust, successfully doubling down and splitting your hands can result in double the payout, which is the strategic appeal of these options.

Mike: Thank you. I hope the next hand presents a situation where the player should consider surrendering.

Dan: Right. No. Insurance?

Mike: No, let’s take a moment to discuss insurance while this opportunity arises.

Dan: Insurance comes into play if the dealer shows an ace; this sets off a potential risk for a Blackjack on their part, presenting you with a chance to safeguard your hand. In the event they hold a Blackjack and you do not, you automatically lose. Therefore, an insurance bet can be placed at half your original bet. This is a $10 bet; I can place $5 as insurance, and if the dealer reveals a Blackjack here, while your original hand loses, you could recoup some of your losses through this insurance bet.

Question 1 - [06:08]

Angela: I'm a bit confused. Is placing insurance a wise choice? Should you do this when the dealer has an ace?

Mike: No.

Dan: The rationale is that the odds favor the house in this scenario. However, if you happen to hold a strong hand, like a 20, it can protect you from losing entirely if the dealer has a Blackjack. Ultimately, if he does have a winning hand, the insurance payout allows you to safeguard your initial stake.

[crosstalk] You are the mathematical expert on this issue, and consistently, you've pointed out that the house edge here is rather steep. It's considered a risky bet but offers some reassurance to players.

Angela: [unintelligible 00:06:30] [crosstalk]

Mike: Your answer reflects the standard dealer viewpoint, but I must emphasize that insurance is a poor bet — it carries an 8% house edge. I advise against ever taking insurance, even if you have a Blackjack. It’s a dubious wager. Since you're already at the casino to gamble, just play your hand through.

Dan: That was your advantage.

Mike: Yes. Stay it here.

Angela: Stay.

Dan: Everybody wins.

Question 2 - [07:18]

Angela: What’s your take on splitting tens? If the dealer displays a low card, how do you feel about that strategy?

Mike: Splitting tens is never advisable, and we will delve deeper into strategy in a later video, but the general rule is to avoid splitting any two hands that consist of fives and tens.

Dan: The reason for this is that you want to preserve the potential of doubling down; having a total of 20 is too valuable to split into two tens since that diminishes your opportunity for a better payout.

Mike: A common misconception among dealers is that you should never split cards that start with an F, referring to fours, fives, or face cards. This isn't accurate; there are indeed scenarios where splitting fours can be beneficial, which we'll cover in due time.

This hand serves as an example of the fifth option available in Blackjack, known as surrendering. Players seldom choose this path, but it can be statistically advantageous in certain contexts like this one. It allows you to forfeit your current hand, keeping half of your bet while the dealer claims the cards. It's a way to minimize your losses when your situation looks unpromising. To indicate a surrender, you make a line behind your bet. Sometimes, dealers are so unaccustomed to players surrendering that they might mistakenly interpret this gesture as a request to hit. Hence, I prefer to play it safe; when I surrender, I always verbalize it as I perform the action — surrendering.

Dan: In this case, the dealer collects the wager, returns half to the player, and retains the other half while taking back the cards.

Mike: Remember, if there's one crucial insight to keep in mind regarding surrendering, it's that the best time to exercise this option is when you have a total of 16 facing against a dealer's 10 — that's when you glean the most value from surrendering. The previous hand with a total of 15 against the dealer’s 10 was somewhat close, but still favored surrendering over hitting or standing.

Question 3 - [09:26]

Angela: Could you quickly summarize the hand signals and their meanings for me?

Mike: Certainly! Let’s recap the five choices. You can choose to stand or signal to hit by tapping on the table, and for a double down, you indicate that you are doubling your bet.

Dan: Here’s the case you can split.

Mike: Yes, as for standing, you place your chips slightly farther away. When splitting, ensure clarity of your actions, especially if you’re splitting pairs like fours — you should clearly indicate that.

Dan: Usually, the dealer will point to the hand that is to take the next action, which is perfectly acceptable. Then it proceeds onward.

Mike: The last choice, of course, is surrendering.

Dan: Let’s see if we can find a situation where surrendering is necessary.

Mike: You generally wouldn’t want to surrender this hand, but if you decided to, you'd signal as such and say 'surrender' to make it clear. The dealer would then take half of your bet, and that would be all there is to it. Quite straightforward. [crosstalk]

Dan: And you get to have your bet back.

Mike: That’s the rules of Blackjack.

Written by: Michael Shackleford