Blackjack

Rules

 

Blackjack is a banking game, therefore players are opposed to the house, represented by the dealer. 6 52-card decks are used.

Cards Value

Suits being irrelevant, the numerical value of a card is what matters.  The cards 2 through 9 are counted at their face value. Face cards such as Jacks, Queens, Kings and tens have a value of 10. An Ace has a double value and may be counted as 1 or 11 at the player’s discretion.

Object of the Game

The object of the game is to beat the dealer, which occurs when the numerical value of a player's hand is higher than the value of the dealer’s hand and does not exceed 21. If that should be the case, then the hand is considered 'bust' and is an automatic loser regardless of what happens after with the dealer’s hand. Should the player’s card total be less than the dealer’s, where the dealer’s hand does not exceed 21, then the player loses. However, should the dealer’s hand exceed 21 then the dealer 'busts' and the player wins. Should the player bust then the dealer wins despite the fact that he may bust later.

Betting

Players place their bets before the playing round begins and therefore before they have an opportunity to see the cards. Winning wagers are paid even money with the exception of 'Blackjack' and 'insurance' bets. Betting limits vary from table to table and casino to casino.

Blackjack

When the player is dealt a two-card 21 he has a 'Blackjack', represented by an Ace and any 10-valued card – Jack, Queen, King or a 10. Blackjack is paid at the ratio of 3:2, and a player wins 1½ times his original wager. 'Blackjack' is an automatic winner unless the dealer also has 'blackjack', in which case it’s a tie called 'push'.

Soft and Hard Hands

Any hand that contains an Ace and which can have two values is called a 'soft' hand. Whereas A-6 may have value of 7 or 17 due to the double value of the Ace, the hand A-2-10-5 is valued 18 because the Ace can only be counted as 1, not 11 otherwise the hand would be 'bust' at 28.

Hands that do not include an Ace and hands that include an Ace where the Ace can only equal 1 and not 11 are called 'hard' hands.  10-5 is a 'hard' hand and so is the hand 6-8-A-5 with a value of 20.

Dealer: Rules

The dealer has no free will and must automatically follow the rules when shuffling, dealing, paying off, drawing his hand or standing with it. Rules may vary from casino to casino and from one gambling jurisdiction to another.

Dealing

After all bets have been made by the players, the dealer deals the cards clockwise starting with the first player on the left side.

If the dealer has 'Blackjack' it’s an automatic winner and all players lose unless they also have 'Blackjack'. If the dealer does not have a Blackjack, he continues to deal the cards to every player until all players bust or are satisfied with their hands. After all the players have finished with their hands, the dealer draws the cards for the house. If the dealer 'busts', all the players who have not busted are paid. If not, the value of the dealer's hand is compared to the hands of each player: those who have higher card totals are paid even money. Should the player have the same total as the dealer then it’s a tie called 'push' and the wager remains intact.

If a player has 'Blackjack', it’s an automatic win for a player paid at 3:2 ratio unless a dealer also has 'Blackjack'.

When all the bets have been settled, a new round of play begins.

Hitting and Standing

If the dealer has a hand with a numerical value of 16 or less he must draw an additional card. On the other hand, if his hand has a card total of 17 or more, then the dealer must stand.

Player: Options

Players have multiple options not available to the dealer. This is not the case for our 'live' version of the game: the particularities of this variant will be expalined briefly below.

Splitting

If the two cards dealt to the player are of the same numerical value, then the player has the option of splitting his pair into two new hands.  To split a hand, a further wager equivalent to the original one must be added. The player is then given the option of drawing to complete the hands. It is sometimes possible to split more than once according to the variant played and the house rules applied. Aces usually are permitted to be split only once. Furthermore, in the case of split Aces the player is allowed to draw only one additional card to each Ace. If a 10 is drawn to a split Ace it is not considered to be 'Blackjack' but is a hand equal to 21 paid at even money and not at 3:2. The same applies to splitting tens – a drawn Ace does not create 'Blackjack'.

Doubling

If the sum of the player's first two cards is such that he believes he can beat the dealer by drawing just one more card, then he may 'double down' by adding a bet equivalent to his initial wager, after which the player will be dealt only one more card. The totals on which a player is allowed to double down vary greatly from casino to casino and variant to variant.

Hitting and Standing

The player is not bound by any rules, and may stand with any first two cards or may draw multiple times providing that 21 is not exceeded. The exception is 'Blackjack' which requires no further action.

Insurance

When the dealer's visible card is an Ace, players are given the option of 'insuring' their hand by placing a side-bet on whether the dealer's second card will be a 10, resulting in 'Blackjack'. Insurance is paid 2 to 1 but the original bet is lost to the dealer’s Blackjack. As a result the player breaks even – the original bet lost to the dealer's 'Blackjack' is recuperated thanks to a winning insurance bet. If both the player and the dealer have 'Blackjack' then the result is a push on original bet and a win on insurance bet.

Options are limited for 'Live' Blackjack

When a table is broadcast over the internet, there may be a number of players at the same table far in excess of the amount of seats available.

Under these conditions it is obviously impossible for the player to have certain options, as his choices may conflict with those of other players playing the same hand at the same time.

House rules

 

The objective of Black Jack is to draw close to 21, without exceeding this score. A hand with a higher total than 21 is said to bust.

The cards are valued as follows:
Ace: worth 1 or 11, according to the hand's score attained up to that particular moment;
Picture cards: King (K), Queen (Q) and Jack (J) worth 10;
Cards 2 through 10 are worth their face value.

The croupier opens the game for bets which can be placed until the Rien Ne Va Plus is displayed. Successively, the croupier delivers one card face-up to each player, drawing himself or herself for last, and a second card face-up only to the hands.
The croupier deals the game following the rules of basic strategy as shown in the table beneath:

The basic strategy is an accumulation of precise indications, based on statistical foundations, regarding the best move to act upon according to the particular phase of the game. Its exercise will lead to the reduction of the banker's advantage. Such strategy allows the possibility to undertake all situations of the game without the interaction of the player.

The winnings are to be calculated according to the following rules:
1. If a hand busts the player loose the wager placed even if the croupier busts as well.
2. If both the player and the croupier have the same score value, the hand is to be given as void (neither player nor croupier wins the hand).
3. If the score of the player's hand exceeds that of the croupier's, the winning is to be paid out equal to the bet laid by the player.
4. An initial two-card hand of 21 (an ace plus a picture card, or an ace plus a 10) is called a Black Jack. It is to be paid 3:2. The Black Jack always beats a 21 consisting of more than 2 cards. In case the croupier attains also a Black Jack, the hand is to be given as void.

Croupier's obligations
The croupier must not breach this rule: 16 or less the croupier must hit, whilst on 17 or more he is forced to stand.
For the croupier the ace's value is always 11, unless this would lead to exceed 21, in which case it is worth 1 (ex. 5 + Ace + 8 = 14 and not 24).

Surrender
In particular phases of the game the player will be offered the possibility to early-opt out from the game, before comparing the result of the player's hand with that of the croupier's, to forehead of an offer of early cash produced by the system on statistical premises. The decision must be taken within a definite timeframe ruled by a timer.
Accepting the early cash, the player collects directly the offer, hence renouncing from progressing the game on that particular hand, cashing directly the offer. The offer is to be cashed even in case the croupier has to be forced to give void the game in progress, since, accepting the early cash, the player does not participate in the game on that hand anymore.
If an initial two-card hand, or a hand with the cards afterwards delivered, attains a score inferior to 11, the player ought to hit a supplementary card without being offered any early cash.
An initial two-card hand, or a hand with the cards subsequently delivered, attains at least 17; it is not to be offered neither further cards nor early cash offers anymore.
The basic strategy foresees, in particular instances, the doubling (D) and the split (P). The player in order to double the initial wager laid or to take part in both hands of split, should demand this in an explicit manner.

Double (D)
The player, in automatic mode, does not double the initial bet; however the player can opt in doing so in an explicit way. In any case, the hand will be delivered one supplementary card only. The player can opt not to participate in the hand, accepting the early cash.

Split (P)
The croupier splits the cards into two separate hands.
The player, in automatic mode, places bets only the first hand (on his right); however he can opt to lay bets on the second hand as well, wagering an equal bet as in case of the prior house.
The player can decide at any time not to participate in the split accepting the early cash.
The croupier deals the game by delivering out cards on the first hand of the split, then, once the hand is concluded, passes on to the second hand.
The player is allowed to split only once per hand, even if more splitting opportunities arise, whilst no double can be laid.
A split of Aces is to be delivered one card only for each hand.
If the two initial cards of a split hand add up to 21, the hand is not Black jack but is to be counted as 21.

Insurance
When the croupier's first card is an ace, the player can opt to place half the initial laid bet, placing insurance in case the croupier has black jack. If the croupier pursue to a Black Jack, the insurance laid is to be paid back 2:1, in all other instances the insurance is lost. The insurance and the bet placed are independent.
Particular rules of the game
1. If following the delivery of the cards the croupier notices at the beginning of the game that some cards are still placed by mistake in their rack, the hand is nullified and the cards ought to be reshuffled.
2. If the croupier, due to a mistaking interpretation, delivers a card to a hand, even breaching the basic strategy rule scheme, this is to be void.
3. If from the sabot (shoe) any cards had to be draw face-up, the croupier is liable to "burn" the cards, terminate the hand, thus proceed to reshuffle the entire "sizain", paying attention that no other cards in face-up position not to be revealed to the players.
4. The croupier must carry the hand till the end, even though all the players have exceeded 21, and all the bets lost.
5. If the croupier having attained a hand between 17 and 21, mistakenly draws another card, this should be "burnt".

Strategy

 

Basic strategy is based upon a player's point total and the dealer's visible card and the bulk of basic strategy is common to all blackjack games, with most rule variations calling for changes in only a few situations.

As with all other games, there is no 100% successful strategy, however by familiarizing yourselves with basic strategy you may reduce the house edge to very manageable proportions.

Estimates of the house edge for blackjack games quoted by casinos and gaming regulators are generally based on the assumption that the players follow basic strategy and do not systematically change their bet size.

Most blackjack games have a house edge of between 0.5% and 1%, making blackjack the cheapest casino table game. Casino bonus promotions, or favorable 2:1 blackjack payouts may even allow the player to acquire an advantage without deviating from basic strategy.

Once again, common sense is the best blackjack strategy. Exploit favorable streaks, do not 'chase' losses and call it a day when results call for an early exit.

History

 

Blackjack inherited all of its distinct features from various French and Italian games that were played in Europe from 15th to 19th centuries. The important elements of the game make-up which can be traced to these different games are the following:

• The concept of a target number: in order to win, a player must be closer to the numerical value than his opponent.
• The 'bust' rule: immediate loss in the case in which the target number is exceeded, regardless of events in the subsequent flow of the game.
• A double value of the Ace, counted as one or eleven at the player’s preference.
• An Insurance option.

The concept of the target number was the core idea of games such as "Thirty-One", "Baccarat", "Seven and a Half", "Vingt-un", "Quinze" and a few others. Historical records prove that the game "Thirty-One" was the earliest card game that required a player to add up the numerical values of the cards and get a hand closer to the target number than his opponent. The first reference to that game appeared in 1440 in an anti-gambling sermon of an Italian monk Bernadine of Siena (1377-1444). Thus, in terms of the game concept, the forerunner of the modern Blackjack is the 15th century Italian game of "Thirty-One".

According to Scarne, the rule of 'busting' when going over the target number was seen first in history among the rules of the 17th century Italian game of "Seven and a Half" ("Sette e Mezzo"): Blackjack inherited this rule from its Italian predecessor.

The first game that counted Ace as 1 or 11 at the player’s choice was a French game "Vingt-Un". "Vingt-Un" in French means "Twenty One". Most historians further agree that "Vingt-Un" was an offshoot of "Thirty-One". Giving the Ace an additional value of one seems to be motivated towards increasing the flexibility in drawing options within the decreased limits imposed by the smaller target number. In essence the rules of "Vingt-Un" are the same as the rules of modern Blackjack. The only missing link between two games is the insurance option.

That missing link appears for the first time in history around 1800 in the French game of "Trente et Quarante", which appears to be the Blackjack predecessor responsible for the insurance option in modern Blackjack.

Blackjack appears to be a composition of four popular predecessors, two French and two Italian, and this simple consideration goes a long way towards explaining the allure of this popular game.