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For those of you who are new to the game of blackjack and have never sat at a blackjack table in a casino, the following will teach you the how the game is played, from table etiquette, to the basic rules of the game.
The blackjack table in a casino is generally set up with seven betting spots, although some games have as few as five. A dealer acts for the house and stands behind the table to distribute the cards.
When you've decided upon the game you want to play by examining the sign that announces the minimum and maximum wagers, you will buy in for chips. Do not place your money in the betting circle, however. Instead, set it to one side and wait for the dealer to convert it into chips.
After you receive your chips place your bet in the circle in front of your seat. The blackjack dealer shuffles the cards, and if he's dealing more than two decks, he'll place the shuffled cards in a box known as a "shoe." After he shuffles, he'll ask a player to "cut" the deck, by using a colored card, known as the cut card. The player simply slides the colored card into the deck at any point. The dealer divides the deck at the cut point, and takes the cut card and places it about two-thirds the way into the deck. This deck "penetration" varies from casino to casino, and sometimes even from table to table.
The dealer then places the cards into the shoe, or arranges them in his hand (for two or less decks). The dealer will then discard-"burn"-the first card, and check to make sure that all players have their bets in the right place and in the right amount. He begins distributing the cards to the players from the front of the shoe or the top of the deck.
He'll begin with the player farthest to his left-known as "first base"-and then proceed to give one card to each player, including the dealer's "upcard." He'll repeat the motion until every player has two cards. He completes the deal by sliding his "hole card" under his upcard.
In some casinos, the players are allowed to handle the cards. In this situation, the players receive their cards face down, and pick them up with their hands. If you're playing this type of game, do not use two hands to pick the cards up. Pick them up with one hand and hold them over the table. Never remove them from the table or shield them in any manner from the dealer's view. The dealer is responsible for the security of the cards, and must prevent them from being replaced by other cards or otherwise tampered with.
In other casinos, the players' cards are dealt face up, and the players are prohibited from touching them. The dealer handles all the cards and chips.
The object of blackjack is to beat the dealer. The winner is whoever has closest to a total of 21. You reach 21 by adding up the values of the cards. Tens and face cards are worth ten points, the other cards count as their numerical values, and Aces are worth one or 11, at the discretion of the player.
For example, a six of spades and a eight of hearts is 14. A Queen of spades and a Jack of diamonds counts as 20. An Ace of spades and a six of hearts can count as 17 or seven.
You determine the valuation of the Ace, and can decide the change it in mid-hand. In the last example, for instance, say you draw an Eight to the Ace and six. That would "bust" your hand if the Ace was counted as 11, so you drop it to a one. In that situation, you count it as one, and you've got a 15.
A "soft hand" is a hand that contains an Ace which is counted as 11. A "hard hand" is a one that does not contain an Ace or a hand where the Ace can only be counted as one point.
After the dealer gives each player two cards, he'll return to first-base and start acting on each hand individually. He will point to your cards when it is your turn.
If you want another card-a "hit"-you indicate by scratching the table with your hand. The dealer will not accept a verbal command because the hand signal must be given so that the security cameras can see exactly what you want to do with that hand. If you want to "stand"-take no cards-you indicate by waving your hand, palm down. You use that motion when you've decided to stop taking additional cards, as well.
In the hand-held game, you scrape the table with the edge of your cards to indicate you want to hit. When you're satisfied with your hand, you slide your cards under your chips in the betting circle.
If you take a hit and that card puts your total over 21, you lose automatically. The dealer removes your cards and your chips. In the hand-held game, turn your cards over immediately if you've exceeded 21, so the dealer can finish your hand.
At the end of the hand, if the totals
of your cards are closer to 21, you win! If the dealer's hand is closer to 21, you lose.
And if you tie the dealer-called a "push"-no one wins or loses.
The rules the dealer must play by are very simple. If the dealer's hand is 16 or less, he/she must take a card. If the dealer's hand is 17 or more, he/she must stand. Note that some casinos allow the dealer to hit on soft 17 which gives the house a very small additional advantage. The dealer's strategy is fixed and what you and the other players have is immaterial to him/her as far as hitting and standing is concerned.
There is one way to win automatically, and that is to receive a total of 21 in the first two cards. That requires a ten-value card and an Ace. This is called a "natural" or a "blackjack."
When a player receives a blackjack, he wins a bonus. Normally, all bets are paid off at even money when playing blackjack, but when you get a blackjack, you receive a three-to-two payoff. If you've bet $10, you'll get paid $15, for example.
If you're playing the hand-held game, you should turn your cards over immediately to get paid.
The only time a player can receive a blackjack and not get paid immediately is if the dealer also has an blackjack. In this case, it's a push, and no one gets paid. You can protect yourself by taking "insurance." If the dealer has an Ace showing he will ask all players if they would like insurance. The insurance bet is a side bet in which you can wager half of your original bet. To place an insurance bet place chips in the amount of half your original wager on the table in front of your original bet. If the dealer does have blackjack your insurance bet will be payed at 2-1 and you will lose your original bet. If the dealer doesn't have blackjack you will lose your insurance bet but continue play with your original bet. In general, the insurance bet is NOT a good bet unless you are counting cards and you have determined that there is a high probability of the dealer having blackjack. If you aren't counting cards DO NOT take the insurance bet.
One of the nice things about blackjack is the ability to increase your bets in mid-hand if you feel you have a good opportunity to win. When you have the chance to make these bets, you should take advantage of them.
One of the circumstances in which you may increase your bet is called doubling down. This means the casino will allow you to make a second bet equal in size to your first bet. In return for this right, you agree to accept only one more card for your hand. You can double down only after looking at your first two cards. You cannot take a hit and double down.
Many casinos allow you to double down for less than the amount of your original bet. This should be avoided because if the situation is worth doubling down, it is worth betting as much as you can, which is the amount of your original bet.
To tell the dealer you want to double down, you slide a second wager next to your original wager in the betting circle. Do not place the additional bet on top of the original wager, because the dealer may think you are trying to cheat by increasing your bet illegally.
No hand signal is necessary. The dealer will see your double-down bet and give you one card, generally placed horizontally across the first two cards. In the hand-held game, the dealer will place the card under your chips in the betting circle. You may pick up the card to see what you've been given, but you'll get more respect if you wait until the dealer settles all bets to expose your hand.
If you win your bet, you'll be paid even money for the two bets, and receive double your original wager. If you lose, of course, both bets are taken away. In the event of a push, you keep both bets, but are not paid.
Another way of increasing your bet mid-hand is splitting. If the two original cards dealt to you are a pair, such as a seven of clubs and a seven of hearts, you can then split your hand if you wish, thus giving you 2 separate hands to play. To do this a wager equal to your original bet must be placed along side your initial wager.
If you have a pair that you want to split and your cards are dealt face down, turn them over and place them a few inches apart. If your cards were dealt face up, point to your cards and say "split" when the dealer prompts you for a card. The original bet will go with one card and you will have to place an equal amount of chips in the betting box near the other card. You are now playing two hands, each as though they were regular hands with the exception being that if you have just split two aces. In that case, you only get one card which will hopefully be a 10. If it is a ten, that hand's total is now 21 but the hand isn't considered a BlackJack. That is, you are paid 1:1 and not 1:1.5 as for a natural (BlackJack).
After splitting your cards the dealer will deal cards to your 1st hand until you decide to stand. He will then deal cards to your next hand. Keep in mind that stand, hit, split, and double-down rules apply to each new hand being dealt. Casino rules vary on how many times a player can split his cards. For example, if you draw a pair of eights, split them, and are dealt another eight, most casinos will allow to you split again and start a third hand. Ask the dealer what the split rules are if you do not know them.
Black Jack Strategy
The most important thing to learn about playing blackjack, and I can not stress this enough, is to learn basic strategy. Basic strategy was created by using a computer simulation of millions of blackjack hands. One of the first blackjack simulations was done by Julian Braun of IBM.
Basically, these computer simulations showed the mathematical probability of improving the blackjack hand or beating the dealer, by a certain playing strategy. In other words, telling the blackjack player what action he or she should take (hit, split, double-down, etc.) for each and every possible card combination.
The important thing to remember is that nearly all basic strategy rules are indisputable in the long run, the finite nature of mathematical science dictates that a particular playing decision, based on the player's cards and the dealer's exposed card, will yield a predictable outcome after millions of hands of play.
It is imperative as a blackjack player to learn this basic strategy, because by using it, you will eliminate the normal 5 or so percent advantage the casino has over the unskilled player. With basic strategy the house advantage is only about 0.5 percent! That is less than a 1 percent disadvantage to the player. This is why blackjack can be one of the most profitable games to play in a casino.
Basic strategy varies according to the type of playing conditions that you are exposed to. Namely, how many decks that are in the shoe you are playing. Below I have listed the basic strategy rules for single deck games and for multiple deck shoes. Another fact that I must stress is to play exactly the way listed below. Do NOT alter your play based on some hunch that you have, or by a perceived idea that you always lose when you split eights for example. You may think that you lose more often than you win in certain basic strategy situations, but this is NOT the case over the long run. The only time you should vary from basic strategy is under certain circumstances where you are counting cards. I will explain this in more detail under the card counting section of this web site. But always remember, even the most skilled card counter will still use basic strategy for the vast majority of his or her playing decisions.
So I urge you to study the rules below and practice them until they do not require any thought on your part. There are many inexpensive blackjack games which you can buy for your PC, and several shareware ones which you can easily obtain off of the internet. The best commercial version that I have found is called "Play to Win" by Wizard Works, and it is available now in any major computer software supply store. This game also has a coaching option where it will tell you what decision to make based on basic strategy. In fact, if you attempt to make a wrong decision a dialog box will pop up and suggest to you the proper playing decision to make. You can also play online for free here on Blackjack Center via the link found above. Since it opens a new window you can ALT-TAB back to Blackjack Center whenever you want to review the basic strategy rules listed below. Regardless on what you use to practice, whether it be a computer blackjack game or simply a deck of cards, you MUST learn basic strategy to have any hope of being a consistent winner at the blackjack tables.
The charts below should be self explanatory. On the left hand column is the total of the cards you have in your hand and the proper playing strategy based on the dealers up card.
SINGLE DECK - BASIC STRATEGY
Your Hand vs Dealer's Upcard
8 Double on 5 to 6. Otherwise hit.
9 Double on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit.
10 Double on 2 to 9. Otherwise hit.
11 Always double.
12 Stand on 4 to 6. Otherwise hit.
13 to 16 Stand on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit.
17 to 21 Always stand.
A,2 to A,5 Double on 4 to 6. Otherwise hit.
A,6 Double on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit.
A,7 Double on 3 to 6. Stand on 2,7,8 or A.
Hit on 9 or 10.
A,8 Double on 6. Otherwise stand.
A,9 Always stand.
A,A Always split.
2,2 Split on 3 to 7. Otherwise hit.
3,3 Split on 4 to 7. Otherwise hit.
4,4 Same as 8 above.
5,5 Same as 10 above.
6,6 Split on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit.
7,7 Split on 2 to 7. Stand on 10. Otherwise hit.
8,8 Always split.
9,9 Split on 2 to 9 except 7. Stand on 7,10 or A.
10,10 Always stand.
The above chart assumes the casino doesn't allow doubling
down after pair splitting. If the casino allows doubling down
after pair splitting then use the following pair splitting rules.
Your Hand vs Dealer's Upcard
2,2 Split on 2 to 7. Otherwise hit.
3,3 Split on 2 to 7. Otherwise hit.
4,4 Split on 4,5 or 6. Otherwise hit.
6,6 Split on 2 to 7. Otherwise hit.
7,7 Split on 2 to 8. Stand on 10. Otherwise hit.
FOUR, SIX, EIGHT DECK - BASIC STRATEGY Your Hand vs Dealer's Upcard 5
to 8 Always Hit. 9 Double on 3 to 6. Otherwise hit. 10 Double on 2 to 9. Hit on 10, A. 11
Double on 2 to 10. Hit on A. 12 Stand on 4 to 6. Otherwise hit. 13 Stand on 2 to 6.
Otherwise hit. 14 Stand on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit. 15 Stand on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit. 16
Stand on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit. 17 Always stand. 18 Always stand. A,2 Double on 5,6.
Otherwise hit. A,3 Double on 5,6. Otherwise hit. A,4 Double on 4 to 6. Otherwise hit. A,5
Double on 4 to 6. Otherwise hit. A,6 Double on 3 to 6. Otherwise hit. A,7 Double on 3 to
6. Stand on 2,7 or 8. Hit on 9,10 or A. A,8 to A,10 Always stand. A,A Always split. 2,2
Split on 2 to 7, Otherwise hit. 3,3 Split on 2 to 7. Otherwise hit. 4,4 Split on 5,6.
Otherwise hit. 5,5 Never split. Treat as 10 above. 6,6 Split on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit. 7,7
Split on 2 to 7. Otherwise hit. 8,8 Always split. 9,9 Split on 2 to 6, 8 or 9. Stand on
7,10, or A. 10,10 Always stand. The above multiple deck basic strategy is valid if the
players are allowed to double down after pair splitting. If doubling down is not allowed
after pair splitting, then use the following pair splitting rules. Your Hand vs Dealer's
Upcard 2,2 Split on 4 to 7.Otherwise hit. 3,3 Split on 4 to 7. Otherwise hit. 4,4
Never split. Always hit. 6,6 Split on 3 to 6. Otherwise hit.
Card CountingLet me dispel a couple of myths about card counting right away. Card counters do not memorize every card they have seen dealt out of a deck or shoe. Card counting also does not allow a player to magically know what card will be dealt out the deck or shoe next. If you see some guy take a hit on his hard nineteen against a dealers 10 and he receives a two for a total of 21, it doesn't mean that he is an expert card counter. It means he is either a drunk, a fool, or he managed to see the dealers hole card; it doesn't mean he is a card counter, as a card counter would never do such a reckless thing. Yes, if the cards were dealt down to the last few in the deck, a good card counter would probably know what card is likely to come next. But in the real world of casino blackjack you will never be involved in a game where the cards are dealt down to the last remaining cards. The reason for this is simple; it would give a huge advantage to the card counter and obviously any casino you play in will take measures to insure that this type of situation won't occur. But that doesn't mean that card counting can't be done, or that it can't be very useful or profitable to a blackjack player. I will be discussing two methods of card counting on this page. The first one is a true card counting system, but it takes work to master it. The second one is what I call 'casual' card counting and it is something which is pretty easy to do. But its important to read this entire section to understand what card counting is all about and how to use it to your advantage.
The basic premise of card counting is that a deck or shoe that is 'rich' in face cards and aces (IE: a high percentage of these cards) favors the player over the dealer. This is true for several reasons.
On the other hand, when the number of low value cards far outnumber the face cards and aces, a blackjack player can choose to modify his or her split and double down decisions, since the chances of winning these hands are reduced when a low card is dealt to the player after a split or double down. To sum it up, card counters use a betting system, or strategy, of betting their smallest wagers when the deck or shoe is rich in low points cards, since their chances of winning in this case are reduced. When the deck or shoe is rich in high cards the card counter will increase their original bet since their chances of winning are now increased. So how does a blackjack player actually count cards? Well, there are many different techniques that have been researched and invented to keep track of the cards played from a deck or a shoe. Some of these techniques are difficult to master, while some are easy to learn and master. Here again, computer simulations of the many different methods of card counting have shown that some of the easiest card counting systems to learn are just as effective as the more traditional and complicated methods are. Hi-Low SystemOne of the most popular card counting systems currently in use is the point count system, also known as Hi-Low. This system is based on assigning a point value of +1, 0, or -1 to every card dealt to all players on the table, including the dealer. Each card is assigned its own specific point value. Aces and 10-point cards are assigned a value of -1. Cards 7, 8, 9 each count as 0. Cards 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 each count as +1. As the cards are dealt, the player mentally keeps a running count of the cards exposed, and makes wagering decisions based on the current count total.
As the dealing of the cards progresses, the credibility of the count becomes more accurate, and the size of the player's wager can be increased or decreased with a better probability of winning when the deck or shoe is rich in in face cards and aces, and betting and losing less when the deck is rich in 'stiff' cards. It is important to note that a players decision process, when to hit, stand, double down, etc. is still based on basic strategy. Remember, you MUST learn basic strategy. However, alterations in basic strategy play is sometimes recommended based on the current card count. For example, if the running count is +2 or greater and you have a hard 16 against a dealers up card of ten, you should stand, which is a direct violation of basic strategy. But considering that the deck or shoe is rich in face cards you are more likely to bust in this situation, thus you ignore basic strategy and stand. Another example is to always take insurance when the count is +3 or greater. For the most part however, you should stick with basic strategy and use the card count as an indication of when to increase or decrease the amount of your bet, as that is the whole strategy behind card counting. Generally speaking, if the point count is +2 or greater in a single deck game you should increase your initial bet. In a multiple deck game your wager should be increased when the 'TRUE COUNT' is +2 or more. What's the difference between a running count in a single deck game versus the true count in a multiple deck game? The true count in a multiple deck game is based on the actual number of decks left to be played. For example, in a single deck game if the first six cards dealt are small cards you have a running count total of +6, which is a nice advantage to the player. If the first six cards dealt in a multiple deck game are all small cards you also have a running count of +6. However, this doesn't add up to the same advantage because you have several decks in the shoe left to be dealt, therefore you must use a true count as your basis of increasing your wager. If you're at a six-deck game, and the first six cards are small ones, the count per remaining deck (the true count) is actually just a bit over 1, since there is just a bit less than 6 decks remaining to be played. To determine the true count, divide the 'running' count by the number of decks remaining to be played. What this means is the number of decks left, whether they'll actually be played or not. In a six-deck game for example, a deck or more may be cut off by the dealer after the shuffle, but that means nothing when computing true count. Now figuring out the actual number of decks remaining isn't as difficult as you might think. Simply observe how many cards are in the discard tray. Using a six-deck game for an example, if you see about 2 decks in the discard tray you then have four decks left to be played. So at this point a running count of +8 translates into a true count of 2 because there are four decks left in the shoe. IE: Running count of 8 is divided by number of decks remaining, in this case 4, and the result is 2. 8 divided by 4 = 2. The dealer may shuffle before all four of those remaining decks have been played, but for true count conversion that doesn't matter. So that's how you count cards. Yes, it takes a bit of concentration and that may take away some of the enjoyment of playing the game. However, you may also choose to use a 'casual' card counting system which is much easier to master. Read on. Casual Card CountingCasual card counting is just that, casual. It doesn't take a lot of concentration or mathematical calculations, and demands little use of your memory. You already know that a deck rich in face cards is an advantage to the player. All you need to do is casually observe the flow of cards coming out of a deck or shoe. For example, if you are playing a multiple deck shoe and after a few hands you observe that very few face cards or aces were played you have a situation where the next hand will probably be good for the player. Thus, you increase your bet. The key to this system is to look for extremes. The absence or predominance of exposed high cards is easily noticeable by casual observation. Often you will play several hands where the mix of face cards and low value cards are relatively even. But when you see a noticeable absence of high value cards you should increase your next wager. Casual card counting is something you should always do unless you are following a strict card counting system such as the Hi-Low system. It won't guarantee winners for you on every hand, but it will give you a slight advantage.
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There are plenty of buzzwords and
acronyms for the game of blackjack and if you are serious about playing blackjack, I
recommend that you become familiar with the following terminology.
Action: This is a general
gambling term which refers to the total amount of money bet in a specific period of time.
Ten bets of 15 dollars each is $150 of action.
Burn Card: A single card taken
from the top of the deck or the first card in a shoe which the dealer slides across the
table from his/her left to the right, and is placed into the discard tray. The card may or
may not be shown face up (which can affect the count if you are counting cards). A card is
burned after each shuffle.
Basic Strategy: A playing system
that provides the long-run, optimal way to play, based on the players cards and the
dealers exposed cards.
Cut Card: A solid colored card,
typically a piece of plastic which is given to a player by the dealer for the purpose of
cutting the deck(s) after a shuffle.
Hole Card: Any face down card.
The definition most often refers to the dealer's single face down card however.
Shoe: A device that can hold up
to eight decks of cards which allows the dealer to slide out the cards one at a time.
Hard Hand: A hand in which any
Ace is counted as a 1 and not as an 11, or a hand without an Ace. Example: If your hand
consists of an Ace, 7, and a 9, you have a hard 17.
Soft Hand: A hand in which any
Ace is counted as an 11 and not as a 1. Example: If your hand consists of an Ace and a 6,
you have a soft 17.
Pat Hand: A hand with a total of
17 to 21.
Stand: To decline another card.
Hit: To request another card.
Bust: When a hand's value
exceeds 21....a losing hand.
Push: A tie between the player
and the dealer.
Surrender: A casino rule which
allows a player to discontinue play after receiving the 1st two cards by losing half of
the amount wagered.
Pair: When a player's first two
cards are numerically identical (ie, 8,8).
Anchor or 3rd Base: The last
player to the dealers right at the blackjack table.
1st Base: The first player on
the dealers left at the start of each hand.
Counter: Someone who counts
cards.
Point Count: The net value of
the card count at the end of a hand. (A card counting term.)
Running Count: The count from
the beginning of the deck or shoe. The running count is updated by the value of the point
count after each hand. (A card counting term.)
True Count: The running count
adjusted to account for the number of cards left in the deck or shoe to be played. (A card
counting term.)
Rich Deck: A partial deck that
has a disproportionately high percentage of face cards and aces.
Bankroll: The available money a
player plans to bet with.
Unit: The dollar amount of a
basic bet; one chip.
Flat Bet: A bet which you do not
vary ie, if you are flat betting five dollars, you are betting $5 each and every hand
without changing the betting amount from one hand to the next.
Black Chip: A $100 chip.
Green Chip: A $25.00 chip.
Red Chip: A $5.00 chip.
Foreign Chip: A chip that is
issued by one casino and is honored by another as cash. A casino is not necessarily
obligated to accept them although many in Las Vegas do.
Settlement: The resolving of the
bet. Either the dealer takes your chips, pays you, or in the case of a push, no exchange
of chips occurs.
Toke: To "toke" the
dealer is just another word for tipping the dealer.
Marker: An IOU. A line of credit
provided by the casino to a player.
Junket: An organized group of
gamblers that travel to a casino together. Junkets are usually subsidized by a casino to
attract players.
Comp: Short for complimentary.
Based on the amount of money you play at a table, the casino (hotel) may give you things
like a free room or free food, etc.
Shuffle Up: Prematurely
shuffling the cards to harass a player who is usually suspected of being a counter.
Pit: The area inside a group of
gaming tables. The tables are arranged in an elliptical manner, the space inside the
perimeter is the pit.
Pit Boss: An employee of the
casino whose job is to supervise BlackJack players, dealers, and other floor personnel.
House: The Casino.
Cage: Short for cashier's cage.
This is where chips are redeemed for cash, checks cashed, credit arranged, etc.
House Percentage: The casino's
advantage in a particular game of chance.
Drop Percentage: That portion of
the player's money that the casino will win because of the house percentage. It is a
measure of the amount of a player's initial stake that he or she will eventually lose. On
average this number is around 20 percent.
Head-On: To play alone at a
BlackJack table with the dealer.
High Roller: A big money bettor.
Grinder: A small money bettor.
Mechanic: Someone who is elite
in regards to manipulating cards, typically for illicit purposes.
Shill: A house employee who bets money and pretends to be a player to attract customers. Shills typically follow the same rules as the dealer which makes them somewhat easy to spot (ie, they don't Double Down or Split).