Blackjack Introduction, Basics & Quick Tips

Special Blackjack Note April 2008 - As many of you may already know - and, perhaps for some, the reason you're here now - the recent Hollywood film '21' has taken the US, and indeed the globe, by storm over the past month or so. The film, based on a true story, is about a group of MIT students who, playing blackjack, employed sophisticated card-counting techniques to take - legally - literally millions of dollars from several Vegas casinos. An interesting and engaging story on it's own, the film has also led to another resurgence in popularity of the classic casino game of blackjack/21. If the film was your first introduction to the game, or even if you're a regular player at land-based casinos, a great way to try it out first-hand online is to take advantage of one of GamblingPlanet's exclusive bonus offers and play for free - with no committment - at one of our featured and profiled online casinos. Casino Tropez and several other sites featured on our pages are currently offering GamblingPlanet users a free no deposit required $15. If you're looking to take your '21' enthusiasm a bit further, this is a wonderful opportunity to do so!

Blackjack Introduction

You've heard all of the talk and now you're ready to play the game that gives players the best 'edge' against the house, correct? Well, before you dive in, check out some of the rules and basics we've outlined below - along with some blackjack tips - before you make that plunge to play blackjack games online. It's true that this is one of the best games out there and one which gives the player quite a bit of control. Nonetheless, you should be aware of the basics and potential pitfalls before jumping right in. We've tried to help below by providing below a quick summary of how to play blackjack that we hope will offer all of the details you need in order to get started with confidence.

Approaching the table - most land-based establishments have tons on their main floor and if you're playing online, you'll see the appropriate logo/button as soon as you sign-on - you'll notice that there is one dealer and normall between 1 to 5 players plopped down in front of him/her. Before the dealer begins issuing cards, players set their wagers down on the table. Depending on the table at which you're playing, these can range from a $1 minimum to a $500 maximum. Don't fret to much about this though - minimum and maximum bets are generally very clearly indicated at the table.

Players can make wagers with any of the chip denominations available and once all of the participants have put down their cash (chips, actually) and selected the `Deal' option, the game begins. After it has begun, it is not possible to change bets, however, players are able to increase the amount of their bet by taking advantage of options such as 'double down', 'splits', or 'insurance' (although, this final one is not usually recommended).

Getting Started - Basics

Each player competes 1-on-1 with the dealer or croupier and the goal is to have a hand which totals 21, or beats the dealer's hand by coming as close to 21 as possible without surpassing it or "busting." If the first two cards you get are an ace and a ten (or, any other face card) that's a `blackjack` or "a natural" 21 and this will pay 1.5x the original wager. This, in fact, always beats a hand that totals 21 by adding the values of more than the first two cards. A face card is counted as 10 and cards from 2-10 are counted according to their normal value. Aces can be counted as either 1 or 11. A "hard hand" is a hand that does not contain an ace or contains an ace that can only be counted as 1 so as not to bust. A dealer's ace always counts as 11.

Each player receives 2 cards and the aim is to reach the number 21 with your cards, or to be closer to 21 than the dealer/croupier, who of course is also a playing. Players can receive as many cards as they wish (this is achieved by "hitting"), or they can choose to "stand" and receive no more cards. When a tie occurs between the player and the dealer, the hand becomes a "push" and the player keeps his bet. Generally speaking, dealers are required to hit when they have 16 or less, and will stop when they have 17 or more.

Course of Play - Options

During the course of play, players must not only decide whether to 'hit' or 'stand', but also have other options at times that add a few wrinkles - and potential for higher payouts! - to the game, including:

'Doubling down' - Players may double a wager during a game, but only after they've been dealt two cards. If you choose to double down at that point, you receive one more card and one more card only as you cannot hit again after deciding to double down.

Split - splitting, surprisingly enough, offers the choice of breaking one hand of cards into two. It offers the chance to win (or lose) twice in the same game. Aces aside, any pair of cards can be split into two hands. This will result in a second bet equal to the first, and also allow you to play both hands on an individual basis. Once you have split your hand into two, you may take as many hits on each hand as you want. If a pair of aces is dealt to you, you can only get a "normal" 21.

Insurance - if the deal shows an ace, you can opt to "insure yourself", in the case that the dealer has a 10 or a face card concealed. If indeed the dealer's card is a 10 or a face card, you get your insurance bet back, and get paid at 2-1 odds. However, if the dealer has a card that's not a 10 or a face card, you lose your insurance bet.

Early surrender - as a player, you have the option here of 'surrendering' before the dealer checks for his/her 21.

Late surrender - Here the player has the option to surrender AFTER the dealer checks to see if he/she has a BJ.

Terminology & Quick Tips

To bring it all into perspective a bit, every player should be aware of and familiar with the following terms whether you want to play in a land-based casino or if you wish to play blackjack online:

Hit: take another card
Stand: keep the cards you have
Double Down: Receive ONLY one more card, and double the bet.
Split: Divide a pair into two hands - the initial wager will be placed on one, and a second wager of equal value will be placed on the other.
Insurance: If the dealer shows an ace, sometimes (if available at that particular table) you will be given the option of placing a side-bet, called insurance to counter the chance of the dealer having a natural 21. Strategically speaking, this is never a good option and most people generally advise against it.

As with most online casino games, there is of course to opportunity to first get your feet wet - before depositing any money - and to play free online blackjack. This should be an available option at most online destinations and really is a great (and inexpensive!) way to become familiar with the rules and terminology of the game. See below for more general tips and strategy options. Remember, the more you know going in, the more comfortable you are making decisions at the table.

Hard vs. Soft Hands and Other Strategy Tips

Again, this really is one of the few games available where player decisions truly affect the outcome of the game. In other words, if you're somone who likes to control your own destiny (as much as possible at least - remember, the house always maintains an edge), internet blackjack might just be the game for you. Having a good strategy is vital if you want to maximize your chance of winning. Without a solid understanding of basic strategy, you are essentially throwing your money away. The important thing to remember here is that there are several rules of thumb which should always be followed - unless of course, you're one of those risk-takers who throws caution to the wind (not recommended, but hey, everyone enjoys playing their own way).

First of all, you must be able to tell the difference between, and act on, hard hands, soft hands, and pairs (although this last one is pretty obvious). A soft hand is when you have an Ace (which counts as either 1 or 11) which makes it possible for your hand to have two different totals. A hard hand is one without an Ace. A pair, of course, is two of the same number. Below we provide a breakdown of the 'mathematical' formula to follow which - over the long-term - maximizes your chances for success. While we feel this is rather easy to remember - in a general sense, of course, and with a little practice - another way to approach decisions is to simply 'assume' that whatever card is beneath the dealer's visible card (or, depending on where you're playing, the card that dealer is about to receive) is, or will be, a 10. With that total in mind, compare it to your own and hit/stand accordingly. So, if you have a total of 15, it would be a good idea to 'stand' if the dealer is showing a 6 (assuming he has a 10 as well, this takes him to 16 - a likely scenario for him to bust). However, if you have a 15 and the dealer is showing a 10, you might want to hit as there is a good chance - again, assuming he has a 10 coming his way - that the dealer is sitting on 20. This general rule of thumb is perhaps the best and easiest approach to adopt and remember, but the list below provides a bit more detail.

Common Mathematical Formula to Follow

Hard Hands
8 or less, always hit.
9, double down if the dealer has 3 thru 6 - otherwise hit.
10, double down if the dealer has 2 thru 9 - otherwise hit.
11, double down is dealer has 2 thru 10 - otherwise hit.
12, hit if dealer has 2 or 3, stand if he has 4 thru 6 - otherwise hit.
13 to 16, stand if the dealer has 2 thru 6 - otherwise hit.
17 to 21, always stand.

Soft Hands
A-2 or A-3, double down if the dealer has 5 or 6 - otherwise hit.
A-4 or A-5, double down if the dealer has 4 thru 6 - otherwise hit.
A-6, double down if the dealer has 3 thru 6 - otherwise hit.
A-7, double down if the dealer has 3 thru 6, stand on 2,7, or 8 - otherwise hit.
A-8 or A-9, always stand.

Splitting Pairs
8-8 or Ace-Ace, always split.
2-2 or 3-3, split if the dealer has 2 thru 7 - otherwise hit.
4-4, split if the dealer has 4 or 5 - otherwise hit.
5-5, double down if the dealer has 2 thru 9 - otherwise hit.
6-6, split if the dealer has 2 thru 6 - otherwise hit.
7-7, split if the dealer has 2 thru 7 - otherwise hit.
9-9, split if the dealer has 2 thru 6, 8, or 9. Stand on anything else.
10-10, always stand.

Insurance

What is it exactly? Well, if the dealer's upcard is an Ace, players are presented with the option of taking insurance before the dealer checks his 'hole card' (which could be a face card, of course, giving the dealer 'blackjack' and discouraging everyone at the table!).

Players wishing to take insurance can bet an amount up to half their original bet and this is placed separately on a special portion of the table, which usually carries the words "Insurance Pays 2:1". You're essentially betting here that the dealer was dealt a natural and, if you're right, this bet pays off 2:1. It's called 'insurance' because it, in effect, can protect the original bet if the dealer hits a blackjack.

Insurance, however, is generally a bad bet because it has a house edge of 2 to 15%, depending on number of decks used and visible 10-cards. Basically, taking insurance amounts to betting that the dealer's hole card is a ten or face card. Since in an infinite deck, 4/13 of the cards are tens or face cards, an unbiased insurance wager would actually pay 9:4, or 2.25:1. Because the bet only pays 2:1, the house has a very strong advantage here.

Multiplayer Version

If you're interested in learning more about this game or perhaps are already in love with it and looking for other variations, you should seriously consider checking out the Multiplayer variety. One of the hottest online trends around, it increases the excitement of the traditional variety as it allows you to no longer compete just against the dealer alone, but other players as well! Jackpots can get pretty lucrative and from everything we have heard and seem, this new format seems to be all the rage. To learn more about it, check out our relevant pages and see if this might be your cup of tea.

Practice Makes Perfect!

Remember, nobody becomes an expert right away. In order to 'play like a pro', it goes without saying that you're going to need to practice and hone your abilities. Accordingly, we strongly encourage taking advantage of opportunities to play for free before jumping in and playing for real cash. Once you get the hang of it and feel comfortable and confident, you might be ready to play for real. Of course, you shouldn't get discouraged if you loose a few hands in the beginning - remember, that's going to happen no matter how good you are! The objective is to win MORE hands that you lose and to make wise bets. After a few rounds, you'll start to develop a rhythm that you can work with.

Generally Accepted Tips/Strategies

Although formally endorsed by everyone, the tips below are held as 'common knowledge' by many players and represent solid general strategy for the long-run. We include them here for your convenience and information. Some of these tips repeat much of the information above, but if you're looking for a more condensed summary of some of the most commonly accepted and easy to remember strategies, the list below should suffice as a terrific starting point.

Never split your 10s.
Always split your Aces and 8s, no matter what card the dealer is showing.
Unless you are counting cards, never take insurance (as previously stated; see above).
You should stand on a hard 13 through 16, but only if the card the dealer is showing is a 6 or lower. If the dealer’s showing card is a 7 through an Ace, you should hit.
If the dealer is showing a 4, 5 or a 6, you should stand on a hard 12.
If the dealer’s showing card is a 2 or a 3, or 7 and higher, you should hit a hard 12.
You should continue to hit until you have at least 17 if the dealer’s up card is a 10.
You should hit a soft 17 if the dealer’s up card is a 10.

Where to Play

Europa Casino