Blackjack game – a game of chance where a player attempts to “beat” a dealer to be closest to twenty-one without going over – is one of, if not the most popular casino gambling games worldwide. This is a fun, fast & often cerebral form of gambling that tens of millions of people enjoy around the world on a daily basis. It’s easy to learn & a blast to play with a group of people, but it is a game that many professional gamblers take seriously and, although it takes only minutes to understand the rules, it may take years to become a consistent winner.

The game of blackjack is usually played by 1 to 8 players who aren’t playing against each other, but the dealer. Each player gets 2 cards face up to the dealer’s 2 cards – although 1 of his remains face down to encourage a little mystery & a slight house edge. Goal of the game is simple: To get to twenty-one points without going over, & while bettering the dealer’s hand with at least one point. All numbered cards (2-10) represent their declared value, while face cards (Jack, Queen, King) are given a value of 10 and an ace, depending on how the player wants to use it, has a value of either eleven or one. A Blackjack is a perfect hand, and is obtained when the player’s first 2 cards are a combination of a ten or face card & any ace. This hand can not be beaten by the dealer, but is considered a tie.

A typical hand of twenty one plays out something like this: Player number one & player number two “Ante”, meaning they place a bet according to the table rules. The dealer deals player number one a 10, player number two a king, & himself 1 card face down. He then deals player number one a 9 (giving him a total of 19), then player number two a 3 (giving him thirteen total), & deals himself an eight. The default rule in the Blackjack game is the player to always assume that the dealer has a ten or face card as his face down card. With that in mind, number one player has decided to “Stay”, to no more cards. Player number two however, with just thirteen points total, knows he probably has less than the dealer, so he “hits” to take another card. His card appears as a queen, adding ten to his 13, giving him twenty-three in total. This is over twenty-one so he “busts” & loses his bet. The Dealer then turns over the face-down card, there is a 9, giving the dealer a total of seventeen In almost all casinos the dealer must “stay” at 17, then player number one wins & is paid 1:1 on his original bet.

There are many other rules for this popular game & many betting strategies & tricks to use to give the player a certain advantage over the dealer, but the basics are pretty easy to understand. All the best online casinos will feature blackjack in one variation or another. Blackjack happens to be one of the most player-friendly online gambling games in terms of odds, often the house has less than a 1% advantage over the player, making the game about as low risk as you can find in any gaming establishment.

By George Schmingy
George Schmingy is an avid blackjack enthusiast and writer of many articles concerning blackjack strategy.