Beginner's Guide To Playing Blackjack For All Fun Casino Guests

Blackjack can be an intimidating game for the beginner and it is almost always prsent as a fun casino night game. Featured in so many films, Blackjack is the epitome of casino card games but doesn't need to be anywhere near as daunting as it seems.

Blackjack is often mistakenly called Pontoon or 21 but centres around very similar rules. When you are playing Blackjack you are always playing against the dealer and the aim of the game is to beat the dealer's cards whilst getting as close to a total of 21 as possible. All cards are played using face value with an Ace being either 1 or 11 and all face cards being equal to 10.

Before any cards are dealt you must start the game by placing your bet. Your chosen wager for the hand is placed on the table in front of you, usually in a small area called the betting circle. Once all players at the table have placed their bets the dealer will deal 2 cards to each player, one at a time, including the dealer. All players' cards are played face up with the dealer's cards being placed one up, one down. You get to see one of the dealer's cards which makes it easier to make your decision. When the hand gets around to you it's time to decide what to do next depending on your cards in front of you and the dealer's card on show. As we mentioned earlier, the aim of the game is to get closer to 21 than the dealer without going bust (going bust is the official term for gaining a score greater than 21, effectively forcing you out of the hand and automatically losing to the dealer.)

Following your first two cards you have a number of choices available to you. You may have been lucky enough to turn a picture card and an Ace. This hand is known as Blackjack and the dealer must automatically pay you 2:1 on your original bet. This is obviously the best hand to have and guarantees you a good return from your original stake. If you have a lower total from your two cards you may decide to take another card, this is sometimes known as a hit. You can signal to the dealer that you would like another card by tapping the table in front of you. The dealer will turn another card next to your first two so that the total can be seen. You can continue to 'hit' until you are happy with your score, you reach 21 or you go 'bust' with over 21 points.

You can also buy another card for an amount equal to your original bet. If you chose to do this then this is the one and only extra card you can receive in this hand and you are not permitted to 'hit' over the top. If you have a high hand or are simply happy with your cards you can stick. This is signalled to the dealer by waving your hand over your cards. When all players have had a chance to act it is round to the dealer to show their hand. There are a certain set of rules the dealer must abide by when playing his hand. If the dealer's two cards total 16 or less they must 'hit' the hand. With 17 or more they must stay.
The closest to 21 without going bust is the winner. If the hand is tied, there is no winner and the bet is returned to the player.