How to play blackjack? A complete guide

Blackjack is among the TOP most popular card entertainment in land-based casinos and online venues in Georgia. In it, participants compete not with each other, but against the dealer, trying to score as many points as possible, but not to exceed the number 21. Most players choose this entertainment for its simple rules, dynamism and relatively simple card counting strategy. In this article we will understand how to play blackjack, review its rules, and talk about strategies.

Blackjack rules

Newcomers who want to play blackjack for the first time need to familiarize themselves with its rules. The game begins with the fact that each participant sitting at the table must place their bet. After that, the dealer deals them two cards each, which are laid face up. He also deals a pair of cards to himself, one of which is face up. The players then have to decide how to proceed, such as whether to take or discard another card.

Once the players have made their choice, the dealer draws cards for himself until the sum of the cards equals or exceeds 17. Once this process is complete, he reveals a closed card and the players compare their scores.

In blackjack, the rules of scoring are quite simple. Each card brings the player a certain number of points:

• «A» can bring either 1 or 11 points, depending on the participant’s choice.
• «10», «J», «Q», «K» are worth 10 points.
• «2», «3», «4», «5», «6», «7», «8», «9», «10» are evaluated according to their face value.

In blackjack, the one whose sum of cards is as close as possible to the number 21 wins. If a participant’s points exceed this number, he loses due to overcards. If the dealer exceeds 21, the player wins regardless of the combination of his cards.

There are situations when several participants score 21 points. In this case, the one who has a combination of two cards wins. If the dealer and the player have such a combination, a draw is declared and the bet is returned in full.

Blackjack Decision Table

In each new round of blackjack, the players have to decide what to do next. To simplify this task, a decision table can be used. It helps the player determine the best action depending on his current hand and the dealer’s open card:

Player Cards	Dealer card
	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
5-8	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
9	H	H	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
10-11	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H	H
12-16	H	H	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
17+	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
A,2-A,5	H	H	H	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,6	H	D	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,7	S	D	D	D	D	S	S	H	H	H
A,8-A,10	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
2,2; 3,3	P	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H
4,4	H	H	H	P	P	H	H	H	H	H
5,5	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H	H
6,6	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H	H
7,7	P	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H
8,8; A,A	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
9,9	P	P	P	P	P	S	P	P	S	S
10,1	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S

The table shows the designations that have these explanations:

• H — take the map;
• S — stop;
• D — double the bet;
• P — split the cards into two hands;
• F — fold.

Types of blackjack bets

While playing blackjack, a participant can do one of the following:

• Hit — an extra card. A player can take one or more of these cards if he sees that he does not have enough points.
• Stand — refusal to take additional cards. This decision is made by the participants who, in their opinion, have enough points.
• Split — formation of two separate hands. This is possible if the player’s initial cards have the same face value. In this case, an additional bet equal to the initial bet must be placed. Each hand will be played independently of each other and can either win, lose or draw.
• Double — Bet Increase. After receiving the initial two cards, the participant has the opportunity to double his initial bet. In doing so, he will receive only one additional card.

There is also an option to quit the game. When making such a decision, the participant can keep half of his bet.

Strategies in Blackjack

Blackjack is not only about luck, but also about strategic thinking. In this game you need to make timely and, most importantly, correct decisions, which can be helped by various tactics. Among the most popular of them can be distinguished basic strategy. This is a system of actions based on mathematical analysis of the game, which help players to achieve optimal results. Basic tactics allow a player to determine when it is best to take a card, double down, split cards or stop based on his cards and the dealer’s card.

Players looking to reduce the risk of large losses and preserve their bankroll can take a strategic approach not only to the blackjack game itself, but also to choosing the size of their bets. For this purpose, you can use such tactics as «Martingale», «Flat Betting Method», «Positive Progression» and others. All these strategies promote a systematic approach to placing bets in order to maximize wins and minimize losses.