Blackjack
Blackjack is one of the most popular casino card games in the world. Much of blackjack's popularity is due to the mix of chance with elements of skill, and the publicity that surrounds card counting (keeping track of which cards have been played since the last shuffle).
Blackjack's precursor was "twenty-one", originated in French casinos around 1700. When blackjack was first introduced in the US it wasn't very popular, so gambling houses tried offering various bonus payouts to get the players to the tables. One such bonus was a 10-to-1 payout if the player's hand consisted of the ace of spades and a black Jack (either the Jack of clubs or the Jack of spades). This hand was called a "blackjack" and the name stuck to the game.
Blackjack hands are scored by their point total. The hand with the highest total wins as long as it doesn't exceed 21; a hand with a higher total than 21 is said to bust. Cards 2 through 10 are worth their face value, and face cards (jack, queen, king) are also worth 10. An ace's value is 11 unless this would cause the player to bust, in which case it is worth 1. A hand in which an ace's value is counted as 11 is called a soft hand, because it cannot be busted if the player draws another card. The goal of each player is to beat the dealer by having the higher, unbusted hand. Each player has an independent game with the dealer, so it is possible for the dealer to lose to one player, but still beat the other players.
In well-known and respected casinos such as BWin,
VC Casino,
Eurobet
you can find blackjack variations' details, read the rules and play with virtual or real money.
Example of a Blackjack game
The minimum bet is printed on a sign on the table -varies from table to table- and after initial bets are placed, the dealer deals the cards, either from one or two hand-held decks of cards, known as a "pitch" game, or more commonly from a shoe containing four or more decks. The dealer gives two cards to each player, including himself. One of the dealer's two cards is face-up so all the players can see it, and the other is face down. (The face-down card is known as the "hole card". In European blackjack, the hole card is not actually dealt until the players all play their hands.) The cards are dealt face up from a shoe, or face down if it is a pitch game. A two-card hand of 21 is an automatic winner.
The play goes as follows: If the dealer has blackjack and the player doesn't, the player automatically loses. If the player has blackjack and the dealer doesn't, the player automatically wins. If both the player and dealer have blackjack then it's a push. If neither side has blackjack, then each player plays out his hand, one at a time. When all the players have finished the dealer plays his hand.
The player's options for playing his or her hand are:
Hit: Take another card.
Stand: Take no more cards.
Double down: Double the wager, take exactly one more card, and then stand.
Split: Double the wager and have each card be the first card in a new hand. This option is available only when both cards have the same value. Sometimes two face cards will be considered acceptable for splitting, as each is 10 points.
The player's turn is over after deciding to stand, doubling down to take a single card, or busting. If the player busts, he or she loses the bet even if the dealer goes on to bust. After all the players have finished making their decisions, the dealer then reveals his or her hidden hole card and plays the hand. House rules say that the dealer must hit until he or she has at least 17, regardless of what the players have. In most casinos a dealer must also hit a soft 17 (such as an ace and a 6). The felt of the table will indicate whether or not the house hits or stands on a soft 17. If the dealer busts then all remaining players win. Bets are normally paid out at the odds of 1:1.
If the dealer's upcard is an Ace, the player is offered the option of taking Insurance before the dealer checks his 'hole card'. The player who wishes to take Insurance can bet an amount up to half his original bet. The Insurance bet is placed separately on a special portion of the table, which usually carries the words "Insurance Pays 2:1". The player who is taking Insurance is betting that the dealer's 'hole card' is a 10-value card, i.e. a 10, a Jack, a Queen or a King. Because the dealer's upcard is an Ace, this means that the player who takes Insurance is essentially betting that the dealer was dealt a natural, i.e. a two-card 21 (a blackjack), and this bet by the player pays off 2:1 if it wins.
Insurance is a bad bet for the player who has no direct knowledge nor estimation (e.g. through card counting) of the dealer's 'hole card' because Insurance has a negative expected value for the player. Insurance always pays 2:1, while the actual odds of a dealer having a blackjack are usually very close to 9:4 (2.25:1) depending on the amount of decks being used. Even for the player who has been dealt a natural (a two-card 21) it is unwise to take Insurance.