Before you put on your best clothes, place your money in a suitcase, and head over to the casino, it’s best to take a few minutes and learn how to play Blackjack.
The Pack
If you’re just joining the world of gambling, then let’s start with some of the basics.
While the standard 52-card pack is shuffled, most casinos shuffle more than one deck together. The 6-deck game is the most popular, which amounts to 312 cards.
In addition to 312 cards, the dealer places a blank plastic card at the bottom of the deck. This card is never dealt but it indicates when it’s time to reshuffle.
Goal Of The Game
The aim of the game is simple: beat the dealer by getting as close to 21 as possible, but don’t exceed it!
Card Value
It’s up to each individual player to see if their ace is worth 1 or 11. Face cards are worth a score of 10 and the other cards are their pip value.
Pro tip: an ace and a face card automatically add up to 21, so remember that while playing!
Betting
Each player places their own bets before the deal begins. The minimum and maximum number of bets differ from casino to casino, however the general limit is from $2 to $500.
Shuffle And Cut
The dealer mixes and shuffles all the cards and chooses one player to cut. The plastic card is placed so the last 60 to 75 cards are not used.
By not dealing to the bottom of all the cards, professional card counters have a harder time counting cards and cheating, making the game fair for everyone.
The Deal
Once all bets have been placed, the dealer gives each player a card facing upwards and keeps one for themselves. During the second round of cards, the players receive yet another card which faces upwards, but the dealer’s card is now facing downwards.
Virtual Blackjack allows all the cards to be faced upwards, under the condition that no cards are touched before the actual game begins.
Moreover, once the dealer has given cards to every player, the dealer turns the card which they have faced down. If the total is 16 or under, the players have to take another card. Once the dealer’s cards amount to 17 or higher, the dealer must stand. Now that you have a good understanding of how Blackjack is played, here are some online live blackjack casinos worth checking out where you can put your knowledge to the test!
What Happens With Pairs?
Say you get two cards with the same amount, like two fives, what happens then? The player may choose to treat the cards as two separate hands, which is when an equal amount of bets has to be placed on the second hand.
Winning Tactics
You’re in it to win it, and this basic strategy is the one to follow if you’re still new to the game:
- The player should not stop drawing until a total of 17 is reached when the dealer’s up card has numbers like 7,8,9,10, or ace.
- But, if the dealer’s card has numbers like 4,5, 6, it is recommended to stop drawing as soon as a total of 12 or higher is reached by the player.
Best Sites To Play On
Now that you know all there is to know about the game, it’s time to see what characteristics you need to keep an eye on when choosing a site:
Stellar Reviews
If you find a site which has one bad review after another, then that site is definitely not the one for you. Find a site which has amazing reviews and is highly regarded by its players.
Vast Payment Options
Find a site that allows you to pay using more than one payment method and that its deposit and withdrawal times are short, allowing you to transfer and earn money as quickly as possible.
Customer Care
Alright, imagine you’re in the middle of a game of Blackjack. You’re feeling good and winning big. Then, the game starts to glitch and after a few seconds of rebuffering, you’re transferred out of the game and back to the lobby.I can only imagine how frustrated you’d be.
Your best bet would be to contact the customer care team.
Which is why it’s important to check at the ways you can contact the team before you start playing. Can you only get in touch with them via email? Or can you call or chat with them?
Final Words
Remember, if you don’t want to come across as awkward or unprepared for a game, learn the rules prior to going to the casino. Also, choosing which site to play on is just as important, so do your research, choose wisely and bet safely!