Blackjack is by far one of the most popular casino card games as the goal of Blackjack is very simple and this is meant to help walk you through the basic steps of playing this casino favorite. What you need to win the game is for your total card value to be higher then the dealer, but without going over 2, which would be a “bust”. At the casino’s table, you may have more then one person with you at any given time but your only opponent is the dealer. You are never playing against anyone else.

Values of Cards

The King, Queen, and the Jack (your face cards) are all worth 10.

Cards 2 through 10 are worth their face value

And the Ace is worth either 1 or 11, whichever is in your best interest

The individual suits of the cards mean nothing in Blackjack…only the total sum of value in your cards. You never have to declare if you are using your Ace as a value of 1 or 11 as it is assumed you are using it for whichever makes the best hand.

Finding the Right Table for You

Before you sit down to just any table, you need to consider a few things. Not every Blackjack table is the same. As each table has a sign, which outlines the betting limits for that particular table. Meaning, there is a minimum and maximum allowable bet. This sign is typically found on the tabletop. This allows you to make a decision based off of the size of bets you want to place.

Time to Buy Chips

Now that you have found the Blackjack table which best suits your gambling needs, it is time to purchase some chips from the dealer. You can do this by waiting for a break in the action and placing your cash right out in front of you on the table as dealers are not allowed to take anything from your hands for security purposes.

You need to keep in mind that the appropriate buy-in amount is anywhere in the range of 10 to 20 times what you think your average bet will be. So, if you like to bet $10, you need to purchase a buy-in of $100-$200.

Once you have laid your cash on the table, the dealer will pick it up and exchange it for the proper amount in chips. You will notice as he or she slides the chips across the table to you that they will vary in color. Each color represents a different value. Generally, white chips or silver tokens are worth $1, red chips are worth $5, green chips are worth $25, and black chips are worth $100. Make sure to quickly look over your chips to make sure that you were given the correct amount.

Make a Bet

Now that you know the value of your cards, the value of your chips, and the basic concept of the game, it is time to place your bet. You will notice that on the table felt in front of you is a circle or box for your bet. Place the bet amount in the circle in one stack. It is proper that if you are betting several different values of chips, that you place the largest value on the bottom of the stack and the smallest valued chip on the top.
When the current hand is over, the dealer is going to do one of two things. He or she will either slide more chips next to your already existing stack because you won, or he will remove your chips if you lost that hand. If the dealer has paid you, you can either remove all of your chips from the table and place your next bet, or let your winnings ride. If you decide to let them ride in hopes of winning even bigger, you will need to take your two stacks of chips and make them into one, still using the biggest value on bottom and the smallest on top.

Now the Cards are Dealt Out

The dealer will begin to deal the cards after all bets have been made. He or she will make two passes around the table so that each player has two cards. He will start dealing from his left, which will be your right, and then he will flip over one of his cards, showing its value to everyone.

After this, each player gets a turn to decide on how they wish to play that hand. The person in first base, (first seat to the dealers left), goes first. After each player has been given the chance to finish their hand, the dealer now gets to finish his and then either pays out to the players who won or he collects their bets.

How to Play Your Hand

When it is your turn to play your hand you can do one of several things. You can Split a Pair, Double Down, Hit, or Stand.

To Split a Pair means that you were dealt a matching pair of cards so you are given the chance to split the hand into two separate hands and play them each by themselves. This next part is very important: If you decide to split, you must place a second bet, (one that matches your original bet), down beside the first bet in the circle. The dealer will then separate your two cards and treat will now treat them as individual hands.
To double down means to allow you to double your bet and allow you to add one additional, and only one, card to your hand. You are actually allowed to double down for any amount up to the amount of your first bet.

To hit or stand is a fairly simple concept. To “hit” means to draw another card, still trying to get your card value total to 21 without going over. To “stand” means to stop where you are…that you do not want any more cards for that hand.

Now that you have read up on a lot of the Blackjack rules and tips, you will feel much more at ease when you go to sit down at the table. Remember, practice makes perfect and before you know it, you will know the rules of Blackjack inside and out and you won’t be able to remember what seemed so confusing in the first place.