What have you heard or read about Blackjack?
I wonder if what you heard or read this nugget; Blackjack is the most popular card game in Casinos.
Experts have attributed Blackjack’s popularity to the fact that it offers a player the best chance of beating the house.
When you remember the saying “the House always wins”, you will realize that the above sentiment is a logical one.
Unlike the unpredictable slot machines, you can make analytical decisions at Blackjack that will culminate in a better outcome for you when playing. This is one of the appeals of blackjack.
This article will walk you through the basics of Blackjack and also reveal a host of other appealing reasons why you should consider playing Blackjack.
If you’re familiar with Blackjack to a reasonable degree, you probably know the card game has a pretty straightforward objective.
But if you don’t know, your mission, when playing Blackjack, is simply to beat the dealer or the House.
Meaning the other players are none of your business; you’re in the game for ‘you’.
To get a sense of the nature of blackjack, we can contrast the game from Baccarat, another Casino card game.
Even though baccarat isn’t as popular as blackjack, the comparison promises to help you in assimilating the peculiarities of blackjack, if you’re not familiar with them.
In baccarat, face cards (and 10s) count as 0, aces count as 1 while in blackjack, face cards count as 10, aces count as 1 or 11.
In baccarat, a player can’t determine how many cards to draw because the rules of baccarat determine the draw but in blackjack a player can elect how many cards to draw.
In the event of a draw at Baccarat, the most any side can get is just one card.
In baccarat, players try to assemble a total of 9 in two cards but in blackjack, a player hopes to get 21 points in two cards.
In baccarat, a player can bet either side to win, or even to tie.
He doesn’t even have to bet every hand if he doesn’t want to; a player can spectate until he decides what he wants to bet, but in blackjack a player has to bet his hand, one way or the other, to win.
There are 3 pathways open to a player who wants to beat the dealer in a game of blackjack.
First, if the dealer deals you a blackjack, that is, any hand consisting of an ace and 10, equalling 21 points.
Note that this kind of card, as mentioned above, will only amount to a tie if the dealer also has a Blackjack.
Second, you can also beat the dealer if the dealer’s hand exceeds 21 points while your own hand stays under 21 points.
Third, you can also thrash the dealer if your hand is higher than the dealer’s hand, provided your hand doesn’t exceed 21 points.
There you have it; the three ways through which a player can give the dealer a whooping.
People conversant with the Hollywood description of the setting where Blackjack is played can justifiably skip this paragraph because they must have seen it all.
Blackjack is played on a semi circular table; a table capable of seating up to 7 players. The dealer stands and faces blackjack players in a manner that reminds that it’s the House versus the Players.
Asides the circular table used for playing Blackjack, the other things you need to play a game of blackjack includes the chips and the cards. The cards are used for playing the game while the chips represent the money used in placing wagers.
At Blackjack, the cards retain their face value in worth. The only exceptions are that face cards and 10’s both worth ten points while an ace can both count as 11 or 1 points, depending on the way it is used in a game.
I’ll be stating the obvious if I say the ace is the super card in the deck of cards but who’s judging right?
When you combine an ace and any ten point card, you have for yourself a blackjack or a natural.
A lot of things can boost your chances at Blackjack, especially when you’re playing in a brick and mortar casino.
One of these things is playing on a table with favourable rules.
Even though Blackjack rules are pretty uniform across board, certain consequential variations exist in some casinos, whether physical or online.
You can always inquire about the house rules of a particular casino from the dealer before committing yourself to a game. It’s not out of place to act.
To participate in a game of Blackjack, you have to place your chips in the betting box to indicate to the dealer the amount of skin you’re putting in the game.
It’s important that you decide how much you want to bet and place the actual bet before the dealer shuffles the deck of cards, ask one of the players to cut the cards and deal cards to all players.
After a player makes a bet, he or she is barred from adding, subtracting or amending the wager in any material way again until the present hand is resolved.
As noted earlier, Blackjack is a unique casino game because it allows players to display their proficiency against the house.
Depending on the hand dealt you and the dealer’s up card in a game of Blackjack, there are options you can exercise to protect your interests.
The two major options available to a Blackjack player are known as hitting and standing.
The hitting option allows you to pick up another card so that you can improve your hand while the standing option involves you passing up the opportunity to pick up another card. A player will ordinarily exercise the hitting option if he or she is content with the hand the dealer dealt.
There are other options available to a blackjack player but examining them is outside the scope of this article.
Just like in other Casino games, what drives participation is the potential for fun and for winnings.
Against that backdrop, blackjack is a card game best suited for people who have good analytical skills, who are patient, financially prudent, adventurous and are interested in having loads of fun.
Ultimately, Blackjack is for you if you want to challenge the house in a card game while making money and having fun.
