Blackjack, sometimes called 21, is a card game in which the player's hand competes against the dealer's hand. Here I discuss the rules of the game as well as strategies that will maximize a player's chances of winning at Blackjack. The rules will pertain to classic Blackjack only, variants of the game available at casinos will always have the different rules prominently displayed so that players are not confused.

Rules

In Blackjack, each hand is played separately against the dealer's. The round starts after the player has placed a bet and has received an initial two cards. In classic Blackjack, the dealer deals himself one card face down and the second face up. The hand with the highest value not exceeding 21 wins. Should the player and dealer have the same value showing at the end of the round, it's a tie and players take back their original bet, this is called a "push."

The dealer always plays according to predetermined rules, if the value of the dealer's hand is below 17, he "hits", or draws another card, if it is 17 or above, he "stands" with the value shown. The exception is when the dealer has a soft 17, which means one of the two cards is an Ace, and will result in the dealer either hitting or standing depending on the rule in that variation of Blackjack. The option is always displayed on the Blackjack table itself, for example "Dealer Stands on All 17s".

There are always four options for a player to choose from when playing each hand of Blackjack. When a player Hits, it means the player wants another card. To Stand means the player is satisfied with his or her hand and wants no more cards. Doubling down is when the player doubles the initial bet for that hand on the condition that only one more card will be coming. Splitting a pair is an option when the initial two cards have the same value, the player will put in a second bet equal to the first and then play two hands instead of just one. The fifth option that is sometimes available is called Surrender, if a player does not like the hand they were dealt they can give up the hand and take back half of their initial bet.

Strategy

Sticking to a strategy card is the best way for a player to maximize the chances of winning the game. Look up your hand on the left side of the card and compare it to the dealer's face-up card shown along the top of the card.