Learn to play Blackjack 2

Now that you know how to play blackjack in simple terms and which action a dealer will take, the next stage when you learn to play blackjack is to know the basic rules of the game.
Blackjack is also well known as “21” but the game 21 that everybody plays at home is a little different when you play Blackjack in a casino but if you have played 21 it will be very easy to learn to play blackjack. The idea of the game which is to get the total sum of your cards as close to 21 as possible without going over 21 (please see comments below) is the same but 21 differs in the payout when you actually get “Blackjack”. Blackjack is when your first two cards are an Ace and one with a value of ten; this then has a total sum of 21 (ace being 11 and 10 being 10). Please be aware that you can only have Blackjack on the first two cards that you have been dealt, it is not blackjack when you have split two aces and receive one or two tens.

Note: Some who play blackjack will advocate that the purpose of the game is to beat the dealer and not neccessarily to get as close to 21 as possible; it is possible to win with any hand if the dealer busts (goes over 21) and you are still in the hand as will become clearer later. It is a common fault when you learn to play blackjack to think that you must always have 18 or more to win.

Before you go any further you need to know what the different card values are when you play blackjack; this is very important as you will want to know what the total value of your cards is.

– The cards 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and 10 have a face value. This is the value that is stated on the cards themselves. This means that a three of clubs has a value of three and an eight of diamonds has a value of eight; suit or colour of the cards is irrelevant when you play blackjack.

– The cards Jack, Queen and King all have a value of ten.

– An Ace when you play blackjack has a value of 11 or 1. Which value an Ace takes is decided by the player which is to your advantage and you do not need to decide before you play as you can decide at any time during play and you can even change your mind during play. This might sound a little difficult but in most cases it is obvious which alternative you will choose.

Now you know what the values of the cards are you are able to play blackjack in the standard form.

To play blackjack is in principle very simple and it only gets slightly complicated when you look into one or two of the options. These options are very important to you as they can give you an edge on the casino but any advantage to the player is compensated by something for the dealer in terms of additional rules so please be very careful when you learn to play blackjack that you know these additional rules.

– Doubling down: When you play blackjack you may double your initial bet having seen your cards. This is only done when your cards suggest that you have an advantage over the dealer and not just because you feel lucky. For example you might reasonably think you have an advantage when your first two cards have a total value of 11 and the dealer has a 5 showing. When you play blackjack this is a typical situation when you might decide to double your bet. By placing your chips beside your original bet on the blackjack table (the additional bet must have the exact same value as your original bet) you are showing the dealer that you would like to double down. The dealer will then place your extra chips on top of your original bet and give you one extra card. For this extra privilege of being able to double your bet during a game you have to pay a price and when you play blackjack the price is that you only get one extra card, no matter what your total value is. As you are probably thinking, you can double on 11 and receive one extra card, which might be a 2, leaving you with a total value of 13. You may want to “hit” but this is not allowed so just bear in mind that you only get one extra card when you are doubling down.

– Splitting: When you play blackjack you are allowed to split your first two cards to have two separate hands. This is only allowed when you have received two cards with the same value, the same value being very important. Some people who play blackjack think that the cards have to be the same (two Jacks or two Queens) but it is only the value that has to be the same. This means that you can split when you have a Jack and a Queen because when you play blackjack they both have a value of ten. If you wish to split then you need to place the same amount as your initial bet beside your original bet. The dealer will then know what to do and will split the two cards. The dealer will now give both cards an extra card so that you will be playing two hands. The game will proceed as normal, but you are playing two blackjack hands instead one. It is a possibility that you may draw another card with the same value as your first card which on some tables will then allow you to split again if you wish, other tables restrict you to one split only which can be very confusing when you learn to play blackjack so check at the table which you are playing. This may keep on going for a while but be careful if you are doing this, as it is pure gambling with the odds against you.

There is one exception to this splitting rule when you play blackjack and that is when you are dealt two aces. If you receive two aces you are allowed to split but you will only receive one card on top of each ace. This means that you cannot keep on drawing cards but that you have to live with the cards that have been dealt. If when you play blackjack you receive another ace on top of one of you initial aces you may be allowed to split these again but yet again bear in mind, you only get one card per ace. It is better, we think, when you learn to play blackjack to keep to the simple game until you know what is going on.