So you've decided it's time to play Blackjack! You're not alone. Blackjack is an insanely well-liked game, one played by millions the world over. And whether you're an expert or a newcomer to the game, you can jump right in and play Blackjack online-and you're guaranteed to have a great time. Blackjack is a great game even for beginners, and if you're just coming to it now, learning to play Blackjack versus another card game counts as a wise move. Blackjack will give you a good introduction to odds, but it is less complicated than figuring out pot odds in a game like Poker. And while Lady Luck plays her part, Blackjack still requires you to think. There are definitely times when you should always, always hit-that is, ask for another card-and times when you should stand. But because of the luck component, it's far from a black-and-white game. You can play Blackjack and enjoy the opportunity (and even still win) without understanding what is known as basic strategy. It behooves you, of course, to learn basic strategy when you can, but some simple memorization will suffice. You need not be a math whiz to understand how to play Blackjack using basic strategy. See Blackjack Tips for some starting hints. The whole point of Blackjack is to score as close to 21 as possible, without going over, of course. The dealer gives you two cards and you have to decide, based on how close you are to 21-and how close the dealer’s two-card hand is to 21-whether you want additional cards. If you come closer to 21 than the Dealer, you win! But once your cards total more than 21, you've “busted,” which means you’ve lost the hand. When you play Blackjack, remember this point system: Aces can count as either 1 point or 11 points, whichever suits your purpose, face cards count as 10 points, and the remaining cards count at their face value. Technically speaking, though, “Blackjack” refers to when you score 21 points with your first two cards. In order to achieve Blackjack, you need an Ace and a 10-point card, so any face card, or a Ten, will do. For the specific, step-by-step details on playing a hand, see Blackjack Game Play. For more general information on Blackjack, see Blackjack Overview. |
