Whether you're new to casino gambling or a casino veteran, blackjack is
one of the simplest and most fun card games casinos have to offer. The
objective in blackjack is to beat the dealer by getting a hand as close
to 21 as possible without going over. To play casino blackjack, you need
only a basic understanding of the rules and a desire to have fun.
So how do you reach 21? In blackjack, the cards have values. Number
cards two through ten are counted at face value, while all face cards
(King, Queen and Jack) are worth ten points. The ace is a special card
in blackjack: you decide whether it's worth one or eleven points. Since
casino players are dealt two cards to start, if you get an ace and a
face card or ten, you have 21, an instant win, as long as the dealer
doesn't get 21 as well. This two-card winning hand is called a
"blackjack"; hence the name of the game!
Casino rules for blackjack are basically the same at all casinos. After
you get your first two cards, your options are to hit, stand, double
down, split, or sometimes surrender. Hit means to take another card;
stand means to keep what you have. A double down means you will double
your bet in exchange for taking only one more card (you can draw up to
five cards in blackjack). If your first two cards are the same value,
you can split, or separate them and play each card as a different hand.
Not all casinos offer the option to surrender, which means you would
withdraw from the hand and receive half your bet back.
When you play blackjack at a casino, be sure to know which table to
choose. Most casinos have color coded blackjack tables according to the
minimum bet the table accepts, usually $3, $5, $25 or $100. In any
casino, it's a given the $3 and $5 tables will be crowded, but they're
great for beginners at casino games because all of the cards are dealt
face-up, as opposed to the one-up, one-down method at higher tables. So
the next time or the first time you visit a casino, make a stop at the
blackjack tables and aim for 21!
