Blackjack Rules
Object of the Game
The player attempts to beat the house, represented by the dealer, and by obtaining a hand total that is equal to or less than 21 so that his total is higher than the dealer's.
Card Values
Each card has the same value as its index except for the ace and the picture cards. All 10's and picture cards are counted as 10. The ace can be valued as either 1 or 11, at the option of the player. The suits have no value in blackjack.
Number of Players
The game has one dealer and usually from one to seven players.
Number of Decks
Generally from one to eight decks are used. Single and double deck games are dealt by hand. When more than 2 decks are used, a device called a card shoe is used to hold the un-dealt cards.
Blackjacks
When a player is dealt an ace and a 10-valued card as his first two cards it is called a "blackjack" or "natural" and generally is paid one and one-half times his original bet. If the player and the dealer both have blackjacks, the player pushes with the dealer and no money is won or lost.
The Deal
Each player is dealt two cards in sequence, one at a time, either face up or face down, depending on the house rules, in a clockwise direction. The dealer also receives two cards, one face up and one face down.
Player's Action
If it has not been determined that the dealer has a blackjack, the players are allowed to take certain actions on their hands.
If the player wants another card, he can inform the dealer for a hit. In a face up game where the players do not touch the cards, the player does this by scratching the surface of the felt with his finger(s). In a face down game where the players hold their initial two cards, the player would use his cards to scratch the felt. The player may take as many hits as he wants as long as he doesn't "bust".
If the player does not want anymore cards he should inform the dealer that he wishes to stand. In a face up game the player does this by waving his hand in a lateral motion with palm down. In a face down game the player would tuck his first two cards under his bet.
A player may double the amount of his initial bet after looking at his first two cards. This is referred to as doubling down and once this is done the player receives one additional card only. In face up games the player informs the dealer that he wishes to double down by placing an additional bet equal to his initial bet in the betting circle and announce "double down". In a face down game the player would also turn his first two cards over. The dealer would then deal one card to the player (face up in a face up game, face down in a face down game) and then move on to the next hand. Many casinos place restrictions on when a player may double down. Some casinos only allow doubling down on hand values of 10 or 11, some do not allow doubling down on soft hands, some do not allow doubling down after splitting. The less restrictions placed on doubling down, the more advantageous it is for the players.
If a player's initial two cards are identical in value, he may split them by betting an amount equal to his original bet on the second card. He then draws additional cards on each of the split pairs, playing each hand (from his right to his left) in turn. Most casinos place a limit on the number of times a hand may be split, usually from 1 to 3. When aces are split, a player is normally permitted to draw only one additional card on each ace.
Some casinos allow the player to surrender his first two cards. When a player surrenders his hand, he immediately gives up half his bet without playing his hand out. On early surrender, the player gives up half his bet regardless of whether the dealer has a blackjack or not. On late surrender if the dealer has a blackjack the player loses his entire bet.
Busting
If a player's hand ever exceeds a total of 21, he has busted and loses the hand regardless of the dealer's total. When a player busts, his cards and his bet are immediately collected by the dealer.
Push
If a player and the dealer have the same total, and this same total is 21 or under, the hand is a tie, or a push and no money is won or lost. The only exception to this rule is that a blackjack always beats a hand value of 21.
Dealer's Play
Once all the players have acted on their hands, the dealer flips her unexposed (hole) card over and draws cards until she has a total of 17 or above. Some casinos require the dealer to also hit soft 17s.
Insurance
When the dealer's exposed card (upcard) is an ace, the players are allowed to make an insurance bet equal to half of the amount of their initial bet. If the dealer has a blackjack, the players will be paid at 2-to-1 on their insurance bet. If the dealer does not have a blackjack, the insurance bet is lost.
