This game arrived in North America when French colonists moved there, and it soon spread throughout the whole continent. When the game started to gain popularity in Nevada in the 1930s it was still called 21. To try and get more people playing the game, some casinos offered a bet where a hand that had the Jack of Clubs or Spades as well as the Ace of Spaces would pay out at odds of 10-1. This was later removed, but the name Blackjack remained.
It is a game that has never stopped evolving – it continues to do so even to this day, thanks largely to the Internet. There are always new versions of this game being created in order to keep people interested in playing it.
The Basics of Blackjack
This game has very simple rules, which is probably one of the main reasons why it has become so popular. The aim of the game is to get a hand as close to the value of 21 as possible without going beyond it. If your hand totals more than 21, you go bust.
It is important to remember that when you are playing blackjack online you are not competing against the others at the table, you are simply competing against the dealer. The only hand that you need to beat is the dealers.
The four card suits are not important in this game. The cards with numbers on have the value of the number that written on them, while a Jack, Queen, and King are worth ten. If you have an Ace, you can decide whether it will act as a one or as an eleven.
In order to join a game at a casino, you need to first place a bet. Once all the players have placed their bets, each player is given two cards. The dealer then gives himself two cards, with one of the cards face up and the other face down.
Each player must then decide whether their hand is close enough to 21 to beat what the dealer has. If a player thinks that they have enough, they can stand. If a player wants to take a risk and get closer to 21, they can request a hit and they will be given one more card. If the player still hasn’t gone above 21, they must then decide whether they want to stand or take another hit.
Once everyone at the table have made their choice, the dealer will turn over their second card. If his total is more than 17, he has to stand. If his total is lower than 16, he has to take a hit. These are the rules, the dealer never gets to decide himself.
If the dealer ends up going bust, then every single person at the table that is still in the game will win. If the dealer doesn’t go bust, all the players’ hands are compared to the dealer’s hand, with the higher total winning. If the player has a higher total, he will get a 1 to 1 payout. If the player has the same total, he gets his bet back. If a player has 21, they will receive a 3 to 2 pay out.
Other Decisions a Player Can Make
After everyone has been dealt their cards, you can double your wager if you wish. However, if you do this, you have to take an additional card. Any wins from this will payout 2 to 1. This is known as doubling down.
If the dealer’s face up card is an Ace, players have the option of buying some insurance. By buying insurance, you are basically betting that the dealer will have a blackjack. If they do, there will be a 2 to 1 payout. This is known as insurance.
After the dealer has looked at his hand and declared that he does not have blackjack, the players at the table can fold and receive half of their wager back. This is known as an Early Surrender.
Some Bits of Etiquette to Keep in Mind
After you finished eating at the restaurant in the casino, you probably gave a nice tip to show appreciation for the delicious food that you received. However, did you know that you should also think about tipping your blackjack dealer? This is known as toking and although it is not required, it is considered the correct thing to do.
To keep with the restaurant theme, if you want to stand, give a small wave of your hand and say “stand”. This is a similar movement to what you would do if you are in a restaurant and the waitress asks you if you would like another drink. If you want a hit, make a come here motion, like you would if you were trying to politely attract the attention of waitress in a restaurant. Hand signals are important as it is often very hard to hear over the noise.
Once you have placed your bet, it is common courtesy not to touch your chips. If you do, the dealer might think that you are trying to increase your wager because you realized you have a good hand. Also, just like you wouldn’t touch the food of the person sitting next to you at a restaurant, don’t touch the chips of the people sitting beside you at a blackjack table.