Using a 52-card deck, players try to get closer to 21, the total value of their cards, than the dealer. The house has a mathematical edge in blackjack, but the rules are easy to understand. Using basic strategy, players lose less than 1% of the action over the long term. Blackjack players can turn the odds in their favor by increasing their bet in favorable situations.
The starting hand in blackjack is the player’s ten-valued card and the ace. This hand beats all other hands and is called a natural. Using basic strategy, the player will try to draw cards until the total of their cards is close to 21, which is the best way to win.
If the dealer’s face up card is an ace, players can make a bet called insurance. Insurance costs 50% of the initial bet and pays a 2 to 1 payout if the dealer gets blackjack. If the dealer does not have blackjack, the player loses his bet. The player can also discontinue playing his hand.
Some casinos allow a player to split a pair of Aces. These split hands may be doubled or stand. However, if the player splits two Aces, he will only receive one additional card on each hand. It is not recommended to split 10’s. This is a bad play for most players. The house edge on a split 10’s hand is almost always negative. The same holds true for splitting two Ten’s.
Blackjack has a house edge of less than one-tenth of one percent, making it one of the lowest edges in the casino. However, if the dealer’s first card is an ace, the house edge is higher. This makes it less likely that the dealer will have blackjack. This is why most casinos allow a player to surrender. However, surrender is not offered if the dealer has Blackjack. The player can still surrender his or her hand if the dealer’s second card does not result in blackjack.
There are four types of blackjack. Each type has its own rules. For instance, European Blackjack only deals the dealer’s second card after all the players have finished acting. This is because the dealer’s first card is face down. The rules for European Blackjack differ by casino. However, in all types, the goal of the player is to draw cards until the total card value of their hand is near 21.
Split hands are also played one at a time. However, if the player splits a pair of Tens, he or she is not allowed to double. This is because the house edge for a six to five blackjack increases by 1.4 percent.
Another way to reduce the casino’s edge is to play a “team” game. In this type of game, all the players take turns being the dealer. If the player does not want to be the dealer, he or she can place a side bet in the same place as the main bet. The side bet must be equal to or greater than the main bet.
