Guide to how to play Black jack

There may be from 1 to 8 decks of cards in an ordinary game of blackjack. The value of the cards is different according to the rank. All the cards from 2 to 10 are counted according to the face value. Face cards are worth 10 points, while an Ace can be counted either as 1 or as 11.

The best hand in a common Blackjack game is a hand that comprises an Ace and a 10-valued card (a blackjack). Usually according to how to play Black jack rules a blackjack pays 3:2, unless both the player and the dealer have a blackjack, in such case it is a push. A 21 point hand is the highest hand, so the player's object is to get the total higher than the dealer's without going over 21. Should any player or a dealer exceed 21, such hand is a bust, and loses automatically. However, when both the dealer and the player bust, the casino wins anyway. In case dealer's and player's hands tie, the bet is a push.

The game begins

The game starts after all the players put their bets in a betting circle, which is in front of each player. After that, the dealer deals every player and himself two cards each. Whereas as it says in the rules of how to play Black jack, the player's cards are face up, one of the dealer's cards is face down (Hole). The dealer checks player's cards for a blackjack and pays the bets in case there are winners. In case the dealer's up card is an Ace or a ten valued card, according to the rules on how to play Black jack for the dealer, he immediately peeks for the hole card to check whether he has a blackjack (in case he has a blackjack he collects all the losing bets and pays a push to other player's blackjacks). If the dealer up card is an Ace, he offers all the players to buy insurance against his possible Blackjack. Usually according to the rules of how to play Black jack, the insurance bet pays 2:1. However, in case the dealer's up card is an Ace, and the player has a blackjack, the dealer may offer an even money bet (this time the player bets the dealer has a blackjack, and in case he does, the payout will be the same as if he won with blackjack). After the players accepted or declined the insurance, the dealer checks the hole card.

If the dealer does not have a blackjack, the players play their hands in turn. Each player has a list of possible options of how to play Black jack.

As soon as all the players finished playing their hands, the dealer flips over his hole card and plays his hand. There are strict dealer's rules for how to play Black jack and so they must obey them. The most typical rule is that dealer must hit on 16 or less and stand on 17 or more. Some casinos claim that this rule doesn't concern the soft 17 hand (an Ace and a 6), and dealer must also hit on such hand. In case the dealer's hand busts, all the players who did not bust win.