Basic rules of Blackjack

Gambling houses with its variety of entertainments have more and less popular games. From card games Blackjack and Poker are very well-known ones. For some gamblers Blackjack is considered as the easiest and more interesting one. This game is also known as Twenty-one because its main target is to collect 21 points without exceeding it. Usually, in Blackjack 6 or 8 decks are used. Blackjack rules are not that difficult to understand but, anyway, they much differ from the rules of games of chances, slots for example.

Value of gaming cards

According to blackjack rules, values of cards can be divided as follows:

• Picture cards such as King, Queen, Jack are valued at 10 and because of this are called 10's
• Aces have either 1 or 11 points
• Cards from 2 till 9 have their direct values

Hand that has an Ace is called "Soft". Gamer can choose value of this card depending on other cards.

Quantity of Gamblers and Value of Bets

Each table for Blackjack is marked according to the value of stakes (5$-100$, 25$-500$, 25$-1000$). Quantity of gamers is restricted by so called "boxes" - specially drawn rectangles for making bets. One player can make stake either on one or several boxes. All gamers are played against casino represented by a croupier. Bets can be made on agreement on one box by several players.

Process of the Game

Before starting a game, all players make their bets by laying down chips with particular values on occupied box. After that, dealer passes to each player one card and takes one for himself, following which a second card is distributed among players. So, dealer has one card, players have two. Croupier plays with each player separately.

Gambler starts hitting more cards in order to get better value than croupier does and achieve no more than 21 point. In compliance with, dealer tries to improve his combination by picking up cards until value will reach 17 points. Game goes on until either croupier or player will win.

Additional possibilities of gamblers

Having two cards gamblers, have additional possibilities such as:

• Doubling Down. If player has favorable combination of cards he can double his bet and receive only one additional card.
• Splitting pairs. Player has a possibility to split one hand (two cards of the same value) in two different hands. Two combinations are playing separately. Moreover, gambler should make one more bet for additional hand.
• Insurance. If croupier's first card is an ace, he will offer insurance, what means that player should make his original bet half as much bigger as the previous one. In case if dealer will have 10's under his ace (in other words Blackjack), he will pay doubled insurance.
• Surrender. If original two cards are not acceptable for player, it is possible to skip the game by losing half of the bet.

Dealer, in comparison with player, has no such additional possibilities.