Blackjack for beginners
Blackjack is a thrilling game that can be played in person or online. Starting online is recommended for beginners as it allows you to get the hang of the rules, terminology and signals that may pop up during gameplay without the pressure of learning in front of a real-life dealer and players that have mastered their techniques. Online blackjack is an exciting way to keep the excitement alive, whether you want to play with a live dealer or virtually, you can experience the joy of this much-loved game anytime, anywhere!
The Origin
Nobody knows for sure where Blackjack originated from, but research leads us to believe that it originated in French casinos in the 1700s. The game was then known as ‘Vingt-et-Un’, which translates to ‘twenty-one’.
From 1700s France to your smartphone, Blackjack consists of the perfect balance of strategy and luck, making it one of the easiest to access, compelling casino games out there.
Card Values
It’s up to the individual player if their ace is worth one or 11. Jacks, Queens and Kings are worth 10 whilst every other card is valued as the number stated on the card.
Time to play
The aim of the game is simple: try to beat the dealer by getting a hand as close to 21 as possible, without going over. It’s likely that a casino will use multiple decks of cards shuffled together, so it is harder to keep track of the cards that are in play.
To begin, each player places their bets using chips. Minimum and maximum bets are established at the start of the game. After the dealer has shuffled the cards, they will ask one of the players to cut the deck and the last 60-75 cards will not be used. This means that players who keep track and count the cards in play cannot use this tactic to win. The dealer will then give one card face up to each player, rotating clockwise, and then again for a second round. The dealer will receive one card face up and the other will be face down.
If a player’s initial cards add up to twenty-one, this is called a ‘natural’ or ‘Blackjack’, meaning the dealer will award them with 1.5x their bet. If the dealer has a natural, they collect all the bets of the players who do not. If a player and the dealer both have naturals, that player gets to keep their bets and the dealer collects everyone else’s.
The person to the left of the dealer starts, and must decide if they want to ‘stand’ or ‘hit’. This is when you must evaluate your cards and work out if asking to ‘hit’ and receiving another card will tip you over 21, or if you’d rather ‘stand’ and keep your cards as they are. If the total of your cards is 16 or less, you must take another card. The dealer must also take cards until the total is seventeen or more. At this point, the dealer will ‘stand’. The winner is whoever’s cards add up – or are closest to – Twenty-one.
