Blackjack Guide - How to Play
Learn How to Play Blackjack
Different from slots, blackjack is not a totally luck-based game. Nevertheless, you don’t need sophisticated skills to learn how the game works. In fact, you can understand the entire gameplay within minutes and start playing for real money. However, it is 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. On the other hand, live dealer blackjack games are real-life blackjacks hosted in a land-based casino or a software developer’s studios and made available to play online through some sophisticated technologies.
Here are some essential points you should know about blackjack.
- It is a bank game played between players and the dealer.
- Blackjack is played using 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 players to place side bets
- Having a hand with card totals of 21 is called a “blackjack
How to play Blackjack step-by-step?
Blackjack’s gameplay is pretty straightforward. The game’s objective is to have a hand with a total value of cards higher than that of the dealer but not exceeding 21. If your hand goes above 21, it is called a burst, and you lose the game instantly, regardless of the dealer’s hand. Online blackjack allows you to play the game at your pace, making it fun for newbies and pro players. Let’s explain how to play blackjack step-by-step.
This is the first step of the game. You place your bet by moving chips equivalent to the amount you want to wager on the table. Be aware that every blackjack game has a betting limit, the minimum and maximum amount you can bet.
After placing your bet, the dealer will deal you two initial cards face up and also deals himself two cards, one face up and the other face down. If the dealer’s face-up card is a face card or Ace, he may check quickly check his face-down card to see if the hand is a blackjack. If it is, you lose the game instantly unless your hand is also blackjack, and you get your bet back. But this depends on the blackjack variation you are playing. You instantly win if you have blackjack for an initial hand and the dealer does not.
If no one has a natural blackjack as their initial hand, the game continues with the player taking a playing action. There are four possible actions you can choose from depending on your initial cards— hit, double down, split or stand.
Once the player and dealer use the stand action to end their turn, their hand is compared. If the player has a hand with a card total closest to 21, he wins. But if not, he loses. If the player and dealer have a tie, the game goes to a push. Nobody wins, and the bet is used for the next round.
Playing Blackjack in a Real-life Casino
Blackjack is a popular table game, and it is 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 that you can see. But as for everything else, it is pretty much the same, depending on the game’s variation.
What Makes a Good Blackjack Hand?
In most card games, including blackjack, your starting hand can make all the difference in whether you win the game round. With a good starting hand in blackjack, it becomes difficult for the dealer to outplay you. But it’s not only about the cards that you have. It would help if you also used the right playing strategy to improve your chances of winning. Nevertheless, let’s discuss some strong starting hands in blackjack.
This is the best starting hand you can have in blackjack. When your two initial cards form a natural blackjack (an ace and a face card) and the dealer’s up-card is not a face card or an Ace, it is safe to say you’ve already won the game. This is because no matter how often the dealer hits, they never get a natural blackjack.
This is the next strong hand you can have in blackjack. A hard 20 is when you have two face cards, such as a king and a queen. It is a good hand against a dealer’s 8 up-card, and the winning probability is 79.18%. The only hand that can beat a hard 20 is a blackjack, which is not easy to achieve with 8 as the dealer’s up-card. Not to mention that the dealer is at risk of bursting if he hits too much. Due to how good the hard 20 is, you should never split the card, as this may reduce your winning probabilities.
The hard 11 is another good starting hand. In fact, some players may play aggressively with this hand and double down against a dealer’s Ace or 10 up-card. This hand is good because, with only one hit, you can get lucky to get a blackjack or closer to it. However, be careful when playing aggressively with a hard 11, as there is still a probability of losing with the hand.
What Are Some Basic Blackjack Rules?
Understanding the rules of a casino game is important if you want to learn how to play and win from it. Blackjack is not any different, and the game has some basic rules. However, some blackjack variations may have additional rules, such as side bets, surrender, etc. You can check the rules of an online blackjack game by accessing the information menu embedded in the game. That said, here are some basic rules in blackjack you should know.
Blackjack is played with one or more 52-card decks. The number of decks used in the game will be determined by the variation you are playing. At the beginning of the game, after placing bets, the dealer will deal all players and himself two initial cards from the deck.
Unlike poker, blackjack is a bank game. So you get to play against the house and not other players. As a result, only one player can play blackjack against the dealer. However, in many land-based blackjack games and the live dealer version, 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 in the blackjack. But be aware that each chip has an amount it corresponds to, usually written on it.
If your hand exceeds 21 in blackjack, it is called a burst, and you lose the game. When you burst, the dealer does not need to check his face-down card. The dealer can also burst in a game, which means he loses.
This is one of the four playing actions in blackjack, and it is used to request an additional card from the dealer to get your hand closer to 21. 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 hand. When you do, you can only take one card (use hit once) before you stand. It’s a good option to use when you have a solid hand.
This option is only available when the two initial cards you are dealt are a pair. The playing action lets you split the pair to form two bets, but you must place an extra wager of the same amount as the opening wager.
You use the stand action to hold your card total and end your turn. After that, the dealer will take his own actions— hit or stand.
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Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)
Blackjack is a card-based table game played between a player and a dealer. The game’s objective is to have a hand with a total card value closest to 21.
The best blackjack hand is the natural blackjack (21). This hand guarantees an instant win unless the dealer also has a natural blackjack and the game goes to a push.
Yes. Blackjack is a legal game to play in India. However, you must be of the legal gambling age and play at a licensed casino.
The best Indian online casinos for blackjack are licensed by a top regulatory body, offering incredible bonuses and overall high-quality services. You can find the best blackjack online casinos in India on our platform.
Yes, you can. You must wager real money in the game or use a casino bonus to win real money in blackjack. If you are using a casino bonus, consider the wagering requirements and other terms and conditions of the bonus.
