What is blackjack?
Blackjack is a classic casino game with a simple objective: to have a hand with a total value of cards higher than that of the dealer, but not exceeding 21 (also known as “bust”).
The standard version is played with a deck of 52 cards, but the game has evolved over time to include many variations, for instance Blackjack Switch, which is played with six to eight decks of 52 cards.
Unlike other popular casino games such as online slots, blackjack is not a totally luck-based game. There are various skills and blackjack strategies you can employ to increase your chances of success.
It’s worth mentioning that you can play two main versions of blackjack at Indian online casinos— RNG-based blackjack and live dealer blackjack. RNG blackjack games use a computer algorithm to determine the outcomes and card values.
Meanwhile, live blackjack titles are real-life games hosted in professional studios and streamed live to your device.
Blackjack basic rules
Here are some essential points you should know about blackjack before you get started:
It’s a classic card game played between players and the dealer with one or more 52-card decks.
Players can take different actions in the game depending on their cards – hit, stand, double down, and split.
Some blackjack variations allow you to place side bets.
Having a two-card hand worth 21 is called “blackjack”.
If you beat the dealer with a hand closer to 21, you get a 1:1 payout.
If you land a blackjack – an ace and a face card – you will typically get a 3:2 payout.
In most variants, the dealer must hit on any hand valued at 16 and below.
How to play blackjack – step-by-step guide
Blackjack’s gameplay is straightforward. The great thing about online blackjack is that it allows you to play the game at your pace, making it fun for both beginners and experienced players.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to how to play:
Choose from our selection of free blackjack games or visit an online casino to play blackjack for real money. Load the game on your device’s browser to start playing.
You do this by moving chips equivalent to the amount you want to wager on the table. Be aware that every blackjack game has betting limits (the minimum and maximum amounts you can wager).
After placing your bet, you’ll be dealt two cards face up. The dealer will also receive two cards, one face up and the other face down. If the dealer’s face-up card is a face card or ace, they may be able to check their face-down card to see if they have blackjack, depending on the variant you’re playing. If they do, you lose the round instantly unless you also have blackjack, at which point you get your bet back. You instantly win if you have blackjack for an initial hand and the dealer doesn’t.
If no one has a natural blackjack as their initial hand, the game continues with you taking a playing action. There are four possible actions you can choose from depending on your cards – hit, double down, split, or stand.
Once you and the dealer use the stand action to end your turn, the two hands are compared. If you have a hand worth closer to 21, you win, but if not, you lose. If you and dealer have a tie, the result is a “push”, meaning no one wins and your bet amount is returned to you.
Blackjack card values
It’s essential to understand the card values in blackjack before you start playing. They are as follows:
Ace: 1 or 11
2: 2
3: 3
4: 4
5: 5
6: 6
7: 7
8: 8
9: 9
10: 10
Jack: 10
Queen: 10
King: 10
Blackjack hand values
In most card games including blackjack, your starting hand can make all the difference in whether you win the round. With a good starting hand in blackjack, it becomes difficult for the dealer to outplay you.
However, it’s not only about the cards that you have. It can also help to use the right playing strategy to improve your chances of winning.
With that in mind, let’s discuss some of the best starting hands in blackjack:
This is the best starting hand you can have in blackjack. When your two initial cards form blackjack (an ace and a card worth 10) – also known as a “natural” – and the dealer’s upcard is not a face card or an ace, that means you’ve already won the game. This is because no matter how often the dealer hits, they will never get blackjack.
A hard hand in blackjack is a hand containing an ace valued at 1 or no ace at all. The risk of busting with a hard hand is higher than with a soft hand, which naturally affects the strategy you should employ.
Of course, some hard hands can be strong. For instance, a hard 20 (two 10-value cards) is a great hand against a dealer’s 8 up-card, with a winning probability of 79.18%.
The only hand that can beat a hard 20 is a natural blackjack, which is not easy to achieve with 8 as the dealer’s upcard. Due to how good the hard 20 hand is, you should never split the cards, as this may reduce your odds of winning.
A soft hand is any combination of the numbered cards (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9), along with the ace card, which can be counted as a 1 or 11. A soft hand therefore gives you more flexibility than a hard hand, as you can draw another card and not be in immediate danger of going bust.
For instance, a soft 18 comprises an ace worth 11 plus 7. Some people like to hit on soft 18 as the ace can revert to 1, but it’s entirely up to you. In other words, you can play the hand as worth 8 or 18.
Card counting in blackjack
A common question asked in blackjack is whether card counting is allowed. The simple answer is yes, although it’s frowned upon and could result in you getting banned if you’re caught doing it.
At online casinos, you can practise this strategy, although it’s extremely difficult, as many online blackjack games will shuffle the cards after every hand, thereby resetting any count you might be trying to keep. They also employ random number generator (RNG) technology to ensure the outcome of each card drawn is completely random.
Finally, many online casinos have automated detection systems in place that are triggered if any unusual play patterns or betting strategies are detected. If this happens, you could be barred from playing.
To stand a better chance of success when it comes to card counting, we’d recommend playing live dealer games, as these allow you to watch the action unfold in real time.
Blackjack key terms
Understanding the rules of a casino game is important if you want to learn how to play and win from it. Blackjack isn’t any different, and the game has some basic rules. However, some blackjack variations have additional rules, such as the option to place side bets or surrender your hand.
You can check the rules of an online blackjack game by accessing the information menu in the game. That said, here are some basic blackjack terms you should know:
Blackjack is played with one or more 52-card decks. The number of decks used in the game depends on the variant you’re playing. At the beginning of the game, after bets have been placed, the dealer will deal all players and themselves two cards each from the deck.
In blackjack, you play against the house, not other players. In RNG blackjack games, you play by yourself against the dealer. However, in many land-based blackjack games and live dealer versions, multiple players can be on a table and play against the dealer at once.
Every blackjack game has a betting limit, which you cannot bet below or above. You put your chips on the table to place bets. Each chip has an amount it corresponds to, usually written on it.
If your hand exceeds 21 in blackjack, it is called going bust, and you lose the game. When you bust, the dealer does not need to check their face-down card. The dealer can also bust in a game, which means they also lose.
This is one of the four playing actions in blackjack, and it is used to request an additional card from the dealer to be added to your hand. There is no limit on how many times you can hit, but once you exceed 21, you lose.
You can use this action to double your bet in the middle of a round. When you do, you can only take one more card before you then must stand. Many players like to do this if their initial hand is worth 10 or 11.
This option is only available when the two initial cards you are dealt are a pair. This lets you split the pair to form two new hands, but you must place an extra wager of the same amount as your opening bet to do so.
You use the stand action to hold your card total and end your turn. After that, the dealer will play their own hand.
This happens when the dealer and player have the same hand values, meaning the round is essentially a tie. If this occurs, no one wins or loses, and your bet is returned.
The house edge is the mathematical advantage a casino has over the player, displayed as a percentage. Blackjack has one of the most favourable house edges, ranging between 0.5-2% depending on which version you’re playing.
This is a side bet that allows you to wager on your initial hand being two of the same cards of the same suit. In this variant, you can also bet on your two cards being a coloured pair (either both red or both black), or a mixed pair (one red, one black).
This optional side bet can be taken when the dealer’s first card is an ace and you think they may have blackjack. Insurance bets are equal to half of your original wager and pay out 2:1 if the dealer has blackjack.
The blackjack surrender rule allows you to “surrender” half your bet as an alternative to hitting or standing. You forfeit the round, but get back half your bet amount. Be aware that not all variants offer this option.
Top tips on how to win at blackjack
While luck is always a factor in casino games, there are strategies you can employ to improve your chances of success in blackjack. Here are some universal blackjack tips and tricks:
Stand on hands of 17 or higher: The chances of busting at this point are much higher, so we’d recommend standing and hoping that your hand is higher than the dealer’s. The only exception would be if you have a soft hand, in which case you only need stand on hands of 19 or more with the flexible ace.
Assume the dealer’s face-down card is valued at 10: Given 16 out of 52 cards in a deck hold this value, it’s a reasonable assumption to have, although of course there are no guarantees.
For pair hands, always split aces and 8s: Splitting 8s is a known strategy to limit your losses and improve your hand. Meanwhile, splitting aces gives you two chances to hit 21. On the flip side, you should never split on 4s, 5s, or 10s.
Always hit on a hand worth less than 12: You’re guaranteed not to go bust regardless of whether your hand is soft or hard, so this is a safe strategy to employ.
Gamble responsibly: Always practise responsible gambling and never bet more than you can afford to lose.
Playing blackjack in a land-based casino
Blackjack is a popular table game, and it’s available in the lobby of most land-based casinos. Playing this game at real-life casinos follows the same rules and steps discussed earlier.
The only difference is that you walk up to the table with actual chips, and you may be able to play alongside real players. As for everything else, it’s pretty much the same, depending on the blackjack variant.
Practise blackjack for free
We would never recommend playing blackjack for real money until you’ve first familiarised yourself with the rules and gameplay. Playing blackjack games for free is a great way to do this, as you can practise blackjack strategies without risking your bankroll.
We offer hundreds of free blackjack games right here at Casino.in, with no sign-up, download, or deposit required. Check out some of our favourite titles below and start playing for free today:
Play blackjack for real money
Once you’re practised playing for free, you can start playing for real money. You will need to sign up to an online casino and deposit funds into your account to do this.
We’ve compiled some of the top casinos in India that offer blackjack below, and boast generous welcome bonuses to newly registered players:
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Blackjack is a card-based table game played between the player and dealer. The game’s objective is to have a hand with a total card value closer to 21.
The best blackjack hand is called a natural or simply “blackjack”, and comprises an ace and a second card worth 10. This hand guarantees an instant win unless the dealer also has a natural blackjack, which results in a push (or tie).
Yes, blackjack is a legal to play in India. However, you must be of legal gambling age and play at a licensed online or brick-or-mortar casino.
The best Indian online casinos for blackjack are licensed by a top regulatory body such as the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and offer rewarding bonuses and promos, high-quality games, and exemplary customer support. You can find the best blackjack online casinos in India listed on our site, with our highest-rated casino being Casino Days.
The operator boasts a collection of 5,000+ games, including popular blackjack titles Blackjack Supreme, 6in1 Blackjack, and the exclusive Casino Days Blackjack.
Yes, you can. You must wager real money in the game or use a casino bonus to win real money in blackjack. If you’re using a casino bonus, consider the wagering requirements and other terms and conditions before opting in.
Also known as face cards, jacks, queens, and kings are worth 10 in a game of blackjack.
An ace can be worth 1 or 11 in blackjack, depending on whether it’s in a soft or hard hand.
This varies depending on the blackjack format you’re playing. In RNG blackjack games, you play by yourself, at brick-and-mortar casinos it typically ranges between two and seven, while live blackjack games can feature up to hundreds of players at once.
The number of decks in a blackjack game varies depending on which variation you’re playing, but it usually ranges between one to eight 52-card decks. You only need one deck of 52 cards to play classic blackjack.
