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Blackjack
Blackjack, also identified as twenty-one and pontoon in British English, is one of the most well-liked casino card games in the world. Its forerunner was "vingt-et-un" which originated in French casinos approximately 1700, and which did not offer the 3:2 bonuses for a two-card 21. Much of blackjack's fame is due to the mix of chance with elements of skill and choice making, and the advertising that surrounds the practice of card counting, a skill with which players can twist the odds of the game in their good turn by making betting decisions based on the principles of the cards known to remain in the deck.
Rules
Blackjack hands are scored by their tip total. The hand with the uppermost total
wins as long as it doesn't go in excess of 21, which is called a bust. Cards
2 through 10 are worth their face value, and face cards (jack, queen, king)
are also value 10. An ace counts as 11 unless it would not work a hand, in which
case it counts as 1.
The goal of each player is to hit the dealer, by having the higher, unbusted hand. Note that if the player busts, he loses, still if the dealer also busts. If the player's and the dealer's hands have the similar point value, this is recognized as a "push", and neither player nor trader wins the hand.
After first bets are placed, the dealer deals the cards, either from one or two hand-held decks of cards, recognized as a "pitch" game, or more usually from a shoe containing four or more decks. The dealer gives two cards to each player, as well as himself. One of the dealer's two cards is face-up so all the players can observe it, and the extra is face down. (The face-down card is recognized as the "hole card". In European blackjack, the hole card is not really dealt until the players all play their hands.) The cards are dealt face up from a shoe, or face down if it is a playing field game.
A two-card hand over of 21 (an ace plus a ten-value card) is called a "blackjack" or a "natural", and is a routine winner. A player with a natural is typically paid 3:2 on his bet, although in 2003 some casinos in progress paying only 6:5 on blackjacks, a shift decried by longtime blackjack players.
This is the synopsis of how the play proceeds after the deal.
If the dealer has a blackjack and the player doesn't, the trader wins automatically.
If the player has a blackjack and the trader doesn't, the player wins automatically.
If the player and dealer together have blackjack, it's a tie (push).
If neither side has a blackjack, then the first player totally plays out his
hand, followed by the next player, and so on.
When all the players have over the dealer plays his hand.
The player's options for playing his hand are:
Hit (take another card)
Stand (take no more cards)
Double down (double the wager, take precisely one more card, and then stand)
Split (when the player has indistinguishable value cards, such as 8, 8, place
an extra wager and has each card been the first card in a new hand)
Surrender (forfeits half his bet and give up his hand. Surrender is not obtainable
at most casinos.)
The player's turn is over after any of the following happens:
He decides to stand.
He busts. (In which case he loses even if the dealer subsequently busts, this
is the source of the house advantage)
He doubles down and receives precisely one more card.
After all the players have over making their decisions, the dealer then reveals
the hidden gap card and plays his hand. House policy says that the dealer must
hit until he has at least 17, in spite of what the players have. In most casinos
a trader must also hit a soft 17 (such as an Ace and a 6). The table felt will
point to whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17.
If the dealer busts then all residual players win. Bets are usually paid out at the odds of 1:1.
Some common rules variations
One card split aces: one card is dealt on each ace, players turn is
over.
Early surrender: player has the option to give up before dealer checks for Blackjack.
Late surrender: player has the option to give up after dealer checks for Blackjack.
Double-down restrictions: double-down allowable only on certain combinations.