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Black Jack is the most popular casino game. Black Jack's popularity is so
high because if played right the odds are more in the players favor than any
other casino game. There is only one casino gambling game that gives you a
fair chance to beat the casinos, and this game is... Blackjack. The rules
are slightly different from area to area and from casino to casino. This means
you need to inform yourself about the exact rules for black jack and
guidelines each casino follows.
Betting:
In Black Jack you don't play against any other players - only against
the dealer. The game starts with every player making their opening bets.
Make sure to read the sign next to the dealer which indicates the minimum
and maximum table limit. Most online casinos have table limits from as low as
$1up to $500.
Game Play:
You begin a hand of blackjack by placing a bet on the table as described above.
You will then receive two cards face up. The dealer will receive one card face
up and one face down. The objective of Blackjack is to accumulate cards that
add up closer to 21 than that of the dealer's cards, without going over 21.
Cards are worth their face value with the exception of Kings, Queens, and Jacks
which are each worth 10 and Aces which are worth either 1 or 11. The Ace always
counts eleven except if your total exceeds 21 - then the value of the Ace is
reduced to one. A hand with one Ace having the value of eleven is called a
soft hand
and a hand with all Aces having the value of one is called a
hard hand
. In Black Jack for instance, if you get a 7 and Ace dealt it would be a
soft 18 while a 6, 9 and Ace would be a hard 16. Getting a start total of 21
is called a
Black Jack
and you have to show your hand immediately. If the dealer's up card is
an Ace he checks for a dealer black jack first and then continues the game.
If the value of your hand is closer to 21 than that of the dealer you win. If
the value of the dealer's hand is higher than yours you lose. If the hands are
of equal value the deal is a push and your money is returned. If you have a
total of 22 or higher (a busted hand), you lose regardless of whether the dealer
also busts. .
By turn each player will then have to make one of the following decisions.
Hit:
Requests another card. You can request a hit as many times as you
like, but if your total goes over twenty-one, you will bust and lose the hand.
You indicate to the black jack dealer that you want another card by asking for
a hit " hit me" or tapping your finger on the table near your cards.
Stand:
Requests that you receive no more cards. The hand as it currently
stands will be judged against the dealers. You indicate to the dealer that you
want to stand by saying" I'll stand" or waving your hand over your cards.
Split:
If you have two cards of the same denomination, the" Split" button
will become available. You can split your cards into two hands and play each
hand separately. Your original bet will be duplicated for the new hand, and
each hand will be played out as usual. The" Split" option can only be used once
per hand -- in most casinos you cannot split part of a split hand.
Double Down:
If you select this option, three things will happen: you will get
exactly one more card, your turn will end, and your bet will be doubled.
Insurance:
Whenever the dealer's up-card is an ace, the player has an option of taking
insurance. The player may opt to take insurance. If the player believes that
the dealer's down-card is a 10 ranking card, then the player is permitted to
place a side bet of half the original wager as insurance. If the dealer does
have a 10 ranking card, the player is immediately paid 2-to-1 on the insurance
bet, but the original wager is lost unless the player too has a blackjack and
pushes with the dealer. Here the player is simply betting that the dealer's
unseen card is a 10 valued card.
Surrender:
This decision is quite rare and not offered is most casinos. After you see
your starting hand and the dealers up card and you don't think you can win,you
have to give your cards back to the dealer immediately. If you surrender you
will only lose half of your original bet. You cannot surrender if the dealer
has a Black Jack.
Please note: The" Double Down" and" Split" options are only
available immediately after you receive your first two cards. If the dealer has
an Ace showing, you will be offered a chance to buy Insurance for half of the
amount you bet. When you buy insurance you are, in effect, making a second bet.
You are betting that the dealer has a natural blackjack. If the dealer does
have a natural blackjack (in other words, his down card is a ten or a face
card), you will collect a payoff of 2 to 1 on your insurance. You will also
lose your original wager, unless you have a natural blackjack too. If the
dealer does not have a natural twenty-one, the rest of the hand is played out as
usual and you will lose your insurance money. If you win the hand, you will get
back your original bet plus the same amount in profit. A hand that consists of
an Ace and any ten value card is called a
natural twenty-one
, or a
natural blackjack
. If you win with a natural blackjack, you will be paid off at
three-to-two, which means you get your original bet back plus 150% profit. (So
if you bet $50 and win with a natural twenty-one, you get $50 (your bet) plus
$25 (half of your bet), which is a total win of $75.
After all the players have made their decision the dealer will then play
his hand. The playing of the dealer's hand must follow certain rules. He must
hit until the total of his cards is 17 or higher, once the dealers hand is over
17 he must stand. . Some casinos let the dealer hit when he has a soft 17.
The Rules for each casino will be posted, so be sure to know which rules the
casino is playing by.
You win if either the dealer busts or has a total less than yours. The odds are
1:1. If the total is the same it's a draw or a push and your original wager is
returned to you. A black jack beats an ordinary 21 and is paid 3:2 odds.
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