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Blackjack is certainly up there when it comes to casino card games, and for good reason. This classic game has been around for centuries – it’s even descended from one of the oldest known card games.
With its mix of random chance and player decision-making, it’s easy to see how Blackjack has stood the test of time. But for players looking to play a game of online Blackjack, it’s essential to have a solid grip on the standard rules of this classic game.
The nitty gritty of Blackjack
Before we dive into the specifics of the rules, it’s good to have a quick refresher on how the game of Blackjack works. It’s quite a straightforward game at its core, with all players aiming to get a hand value that’s closer to 21 than the dealer’s.
Any hand that goes over 21 in value has gone bust, removing them from the game. The dealer also has the potential to go bust before the end of the game, in which case all remaining players receive a payout.
In online Blackjack, the dealer is the software itself, powered by a random number generator (RNG), which randomly determines the outcome of each card draw.
The rules of online Blackjack
At the start of a game of online Blackjack the player is dealt two cards, with the dealer also receiving two cards. The player will only be able to see one of the dealer’s cards – known as the upcard – until after their turn has concluded.
This allows the player to make decisions based on the value of the dealer’s upcard, as well as the value of their own hand.
There are several options that players have available during their turn, which include:
- Hit – taking an additional card to increase the total value of their hand. There’s no limit on how many times a player can hit, until their hand goes bust.
- Stand – keeping their hand at its current value and ending their turn. Once a player stands, that’s the final value of their hand.
- Double down – doubling their initial bet in exchange for just one more card. No matter the value of that extra card, the player must stand after doubling down.
- Split – splitting their initial hand into two separate hands, which are then played independently of each other. This option is only available when both initial cards are the same value.
- Surrender – forfeiting half their wager to end their hand early, withdrawing from the game. This is only permitted in some formats of Blackjack, not all.
Dealer rules
The actions of the dealer in Blackjack are determined by a strict set of rules, no matter whether they’re a live dealer or a digital one. This means that the dealer is always guaranteed to act in the same way, no matter what cards are in play.
These are:
- The dealer must hit until their hand value is at least 17.
- The dealer must stand once their hand reaches 17 or higher.
Some games will rule that the dealer must hit on a ‘soft’ 17 – made up of a hand containing an Ace acting as 11 – whereas others will allow them to stand.
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In terms of basic Blackjack rules, that’s it! Different varieties may have slightly different rules or changes to the flow of play, but knowing these rules should be enough for many online Blackjack games.
