How to play blackjack:

First of all lets make sure you understand the playing rules:

The objective of blackjack is to beat the dealer’s hand by either:

1. Having a total that exceeds the dealers total
2. By not going over 21 when the dealer does

Exceeding the total of 21 in known as busting. The casinos edge comes from the fact that the player must go first and when they bust they automatically lose even if the dealer subsequently goes bust.

All cards count their face value in blackjack. So picture cards count at 10 and then ace counts as either 1 or 11. Face cards have no extra meaning in blackjack. The total of your hand is the sum of the cards values in the hand. A hand containing a 3, 4 and 10 totals 17. It is always assumed that the ace counts as 11 unless your total exceeds 21, then it reverts to being a 1, e.g. Ace 4, is 15. If you draw a 10 then the new total is 15.

Generally hands, which contain an ace that counts as 11 are known as soft hands (i.e. Ace, 8 is a soft 19). A hard hand is any hand that either does not contain an ace or does but it counts as 1 (i.e. 10, 9 and a 5, ace, 10, 4 are hard 19 hands). Before the cards are dealt the player must make a bet, the player and the dealer will then receive two cards. One of the dealer’s cards (known are the dealers up card or face card) is dealt up so the player can see the value. The other dealer’s card (known as the downcard or hole card) remains unseen. The player’s cards are both dealt face up.

After the player looks at his initial two cards and sees the value of one of the dealer’s cards, the player must then make a decision. This includes the following.

Hit: This means that you want the dealer to give you another card

Stand: This means you are satisfied with the total of the hand and want to stand with the cards you have

Pair Splitting: If you have two like cards (e.g. a pair of 9s or aces), you could choose the option to split. When you split you must make another equal bet to your original bet. By pair splitting you play each card as a separate hand and you can draw as many cards as you like to each hand, (apart from split aces most casinos only allow one card to be draw to each ace.) for example a pair of 9s would become two separate hands containing a 9. You will play one of the split hands before the other.

Doubling Down: This option allows you to double your bet in return for receiving only one draw card.

Surrender: This playing option is sometimes permitted at some casinos. It allows the player to forfeit the hand with an automatic loss of half the original bet. Players can surrender after their initial tow cards have been dealt but only after the dealer has checked for blackjack. Once a player draws a card the option is no longer available.

Insurance: When the dealer’s up card is an ace, the dealer will ask the player if they want to make the insurance wager. It is a side bet in which player bets that the dealers hole card will be a ten-value card. The player can make an insurance bet equal to one half of the initial bet made on the hand.

Even Money: When the player has a blackjack hand and the dealer has an ace showing the dealer will ask the player if wants even money. Even money means the dealer will automatically give you a 1 to 1 payoff on your bet before he checks his downcard for a potential blackjack.