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Blackjack is one of the most popular online casino games, because it offers relatively good odds, once you have worked out the simple rules of the game. If you’ve never played blackjack before then the good news is that it is one of the easier card games to learn: it is much easier to learn and master than playing poker, for example. You might have heard of blackjack being called 21 or Pontoon, which are variants of the game: if you can play these parlor games then you will find that blackjack is almost identical to the master. Whether you’re looking to play blackjack in your local casino or for the best crypto casino to enjoy the game online, here’s everything you need to know about blackjack for beginners:
Understanding the Object of the Game
The object of the game is incredibly simple: to attempt to beat the dealer by dealing your cards as close to 21 as possible, without going over that figure. Most cards are worth their clear value, with a seven being worth seven for example, whilst the rules vary on whether an ace is worth 1 or 11 (different games and different casinos offer different values). Face cards are always worth ten.
You place your bet before you are dealt your first card, so you don’t know what you will hold before you have placed your wager. You begin the game by being issued with two cards: one of these is given to you face down, so that only you can see what you hold, whilst the other is given face up so that everyone at the table can see it. If you have a face card and an ace then you have a score of 21: provided that the dealer doesn’t have this same hand, you have won the game. Otherwise, you choose to continue receiving additional new cards until you either reach 21 or as close to 21 as you can be (remembering that if you go over 21, you will lose the hand).
The Skill of Playing Blackjack
The real skill of playing blackjack is knowing when to stop and when to keep going. This is known as a hit (taking another card) or stand (not taking another card); you can stop at the first two hands that you are dealt or you can keep going, one card at a time, until you either go ‘bust’, reach 21, or stand. As a general rule, if you score less than 16 then you should continue to hit; any score over 17, and then it becomes a game of strategy; this is where the skill, luck, and fun of the game comes into play! You can look at what the dealer is showing and use the strength of their shown hand to help you make your decision here.
Don’t be distracted or influenced by what other players are doing (both at the table or online): it’s important to remember that the decisions made by other players will have nothing to do with the success, or otherwise, of your hand. You are not playing against the table but against the dealer. If the dealer is showing a 10 and an ace, for example, then whatever the other players on the table are holding becomes totally irrelevant.
Finally, don’t forget that when the fun stops it’s time to stop playing; playing blackjack is a hobby, not a career choice. If you’re on a losing streak then set a limit of what you’re prepared to lose and when you hit that limit you should stop playing; have fun, move on, and don’t get burnt.