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The game of blackjack, or 21, is one of the most popular table games offered in gambling establishments. The players are against the dealer and the tables accommodate up to seven players. Casinos are playing with a single or double deck, or four to eight decks of cards in a shoe.


THE "BURN" CARD
After the cards are shuffled and cut by a player, the dealer removes one (or more in some casinos) of the top cards and places it face down into the discard tray. This is called the "burn" card, and players are prevented from seeing it. Sometimes you can, and you should make every effort to do so. The reason the dealer burns cards is to make the life of card counters more difficult.


THE GOAL OF THE GAME
In this game the dealer is your only opponent. The object of the game is to beat the dealer by obtaining a total of 21 points or as close to 21 as possible, without exceeding it. If you exceed 21, it is called a "bust" and you automatically lose. But always remember: you are actually playing to beat the dealer, not to get as close to 21 as possible. After all, it is possible to beat the dealer while holding 10 or 11 points.
If you don't bust and your total is higher than the dealer's total, you win even money, e.g., if you bet $2 you win $2. If your total is the same as the dealer's, it's a tie or "push" and you neither win nor lose.
If your first two cards are a 10 value card and an Ace, you have a natural blackjack, a total of 21, and you automatically win unless the dealer also has a natural blackjack. In that case, it's a push. However, if you win, the payoff is three to two. A $2 bet wins $3.


THE VALUE OF THE CARDS

Cards from 2 to 10 are counted at their face value.
Kings, Queens, and Jacks count as 10.
Aces count as 1 or 11.
The suits of the cards do not have any meaning in the game.


PLAYING THE GAME
You place a bet. The dealer deals the cards: 2 face up cards to you and one face up to himself. These cards are opened to view. The dealer deals himself a second card, face down, called the hole. This is the card that makes the game a challenge.

In Blackjack, there are three types of hands you can have:

In the game of Blackjack, you also have the ability to make decisions regarding your hands. You may Stand, Hit, Split Pairs, Double Down, Surrender or Buy Insurance.

1. Stand
The player has the option of standing at any time. If you are satisfied with the total of your hand, you can indicate to the dealer that you don't want any further cards by waving your hand palm down over your cards.

2. Hit
If you are not satisfied with the total of your hand, you may ask the dealer for another card. To ask the dealer for another card, simply point to your cards or use a scratching motion on the table. The dealer will give you a card every time you do that. If by taking an additional card you exceed 21, you bust. When you have enough cards, you then stand as noted above in #1.

3. Double Down
After being dealt your first two cards, if you think that one more card will make your hand better than the dealers, you may place an additional wager on the table, next to your original bet and you will receive just one more card. You will not be able to take any further cards. This is great to use when you have a total of 10 and 11.

4. Split
When you are dealt two cards of the same value (10,10 or 6,6) you have the option to split the cards. In other words you can use the cards to make two hands out of one. Of course you must make an additional wager for the new hand that is created. When a hand is split the dealer will separate the cards and place one on the right and one on the left. You will play the hand on your right until you are satisfied and then the one on your left. You may play either hand until you break or reach a total you are satisfied with. In the case of A, A the house will allow you to split these but you only get one extra card and any Blackjacks are paid at even money, not 3 to 2.

5. Insurance
Insurance is perhaps the least understood of all the commonly available rules for Blackjack. This is not necessarily a bad thing because the insurance bet is normally a poor bet for the player, with a high house advantage. However, that's not always the case. If the dealer turns an up card of an Ace, he will offer "Insurance" to the players. Insurance bets can be made by betting up to half your original bet amount in the insurance betting stripe in front of your bet. The dealer will check to see if he has a 10_value card underneath his Ace, and if he does have Blackjack, your winning Insurance bet will be paid at odds of 2:1. ) This is why the bet is described as "insurance", since it seems to protect your original bet against a dealer blackjack. Of course, if the dealer does not have blackjack, you'll lose the insurance bet, and still have to play the original bet out. The basic strategy player should simply never take the insurance bet, even the "even money" variety. "Card counters" on the other hand can often detect situations where more than one third of the remaining cards are ten valued, and the bet is then a profitable one. So, unless you know the bet is favorable, just ignore it.

6. Surrender
This is the least known and understood but a very valuable option. If you have a lousy stiff hand, especially 15 and 16, and the dealer is showing a 9 or higher, you should consider this option and you will lose only half of your original bet. It's a good option to have. This is a rare option in most casinos.


HOW THE DEALER PLAYS HIS HAND
The dealer must play his hand in a specific way, with no choices allowed. The dealer must continue to take cards ("hit") until his total is between 17 and 21 or busts. The dealer stands on a soft 17 (in other words if he holds an Ace and a 6).