3/24/2022

How To Deal Blackjack Start

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Table Of Contents

The Basics As with all casino table games, don't forget to check the minimum bet at the table. Your next move at the Blackjack table is to place a wager in the betting area, which is usually a circle or square. If you happen to place the wager in the wrong area, don't worry, the Dealer will let you know. In basic Blackjack etiquette, you can do this by softly scratching your cards against the Blackjack table to indicate to the dealer that you want another card – when it’s your turn, of course. If you start out with a King and a 5, that’s a hard total of 15. Remember, because a King = 10, and 10 + 5 = 15. To begin, you will need plastic poker chips. These are a must if you want to play a game of blackjack 21 at home. There are many different kinds of chips available, from cheap plastic ones to elegant clay ones such as those found in the casino. There are even some places that will allow you to order personalized chips!

This is everything you ever wanted to know about how to play Blackjack like a pro but were too ashamed to ask.

Bryce Carlson, Edward O. Thorp, Arnold Snyder, Russ Hamilton, Don Johnson.

If these names don't ring any bells, then you're probably here to pick a trick or two before your next beer-and-Blackjack session with the guys.

Though gambling is not necessarily your passion in life, you certainly deserve to see their baffled faces as you show them how to play Blackjack.

And who knows?

Maybe in time, you'll get to sit at the big shots' table and make some serious dough.

But some places still deal blackjack the old-fashioned way — with one deck of 52 cards. Most of the casinos in northern Nevada (Reno, Lake Tahoe, and Wendover) still use one deck of cards at many of their blackjack tables. If you aren’t sure how many decks the casino is using, just ask. Eyeing table bet levels.

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Blackjack 101

Since this is a guide on demand – made especially for rookies without any real experience or proper Blackjack skills – I'll start by introducing the game.

Blackjack might not the easiest way to spend your free time, but it is a good choice when you play Casino games.

Personally, I think it's the best game on the Casino floor.

You can play Blackjack in that shiny new casino just around the corner or join millions of thrill-seekers who've replaced classic tables for online simulations.

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Of course, you can always host a Blackjack party at your home - if your friends share your passion. Some Casinos chips and a few decks of French playing cards are all you need to get the game going.

Whatever your choice is, you'll need a solid knowledge the basics of Blackjack, of the rules, and of the best strategy to play and to increase your winning odds.

Which One Is the Spade Again?

Like you can not learn a language before you studied its alphabet, you need to start from the basics if you really want to learn how to play Blackjack.

That's why this Blackjack guide starts from the A-B-C of the game.

I'm going to call this 'first lesson' How to Play Blackjack and What the Cards Mean.

This may be the last chance for you to clear any confusion surrounding card symbols and to finally learn to read them right.

Don't miss it.

Let's start from a classic deck of French cards because that's what you need to play Blackjack.

Yes, these are the same cards your grandfather use to play Slapjack, Crazy Eights, and Three-Card Poker.

In total, the deck features 52 cards divided into four different suits:

  • Clubs (♧)
  • Diamonds (♢)
  • Hearts (♥)
  • Spades (♤)

Spades and clubs are coloured in black while diamonds and hearts are coloured in red.

But since we are on PokerNews, I'm assuming you knew that already.

A traditional deck has 13 ranks and each suite has one card per each rank.

The first card is the ace (A), but it's not exactly the equivalent of a 1. In fact, this card can be the highest-ranking card of the deck.

The following ten cards form a string from two (2) to ten (10/T), while the last three are the Jack (J), Queen (Q), and King (K).

These last three cards are called the face cards.

Oh Wait, How Much Did I Just Score?

But 'I just want to learn how to play Blackjack', you say?

'I don't need you to remind me of my grandpa and his dusty old cards!'

I hear you, but be patient.

I'll get to that in less than a minute.

The reason I needed to dust off your grandfather's old deck of cards is that Blackjack has some restrictions when it comes to using suits.

In fact, suits are of value only in some variants of this game.

Since this is a Blackjack for dummies guide, you are free to ignore them now.

What's Really Important Here Is Getting to Know Your Ranks.

Since there are four suits, and each suit has one card of each rank, the math says that there are only four cards of each rank in the deck, right?

Scoring in Blackjack depends on the ranks a player holds in his or her hand, and his or her ability to count them according to the rules:

  • Each ace is worth either 1 or 11 points.
  • For all cards that belong to the two-to-ten string, the rule is the same – their rank equals their point value. If you hold a 5, for example, you hold exactly 5 points.
  • Every face card, be it a Jack, a Queen, or a King, is worth 10 points.

So - let's see now how much did you just score.

Translate the ranks of cards you hold to their point value and add it all up.

That's really as easy as that. Your score in Blackjack is the sum of the value of your cards - not one point less than that.

And Now for the Easy Blackjack Rules (Finally).

When you play a game of Blackjack, you always play against the dealer.

Don't think about the other players at the table. Regardless of how many of you sit to play at the same time, there are always only two hands in play – the player's hand versus the dealer's hand.

And the winning hand in Blackjack is, you guessed it, the higher hand. Which, if you are lucky enough to get it, is also the one that gives its name to the game: a Blackjack.

A Blackjack is a hand 2-card hand that totals 21 points.

This is not an easy one to get, be sure of that. But it is also the one you'll be always hoping to receive. Every. Single. Time. You play.

But What about the Losing Hand?

The losing hand, the dead hand, or the bust, is every hand with a total sum of 22 or higher.

That's because as soon as you geo over the 21-point limit, you are out of the game. Regardless of the dealer's score.

Unfortunately, that's not the only losing hand in Blackjack. Because each hand that is one point short compared to the dealer's score…it's a losing one.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how to play Blackjack for dummies.

Blackjack 102

Your typical casino Blackjack table has enough space for seven players plus a dealer and includes the following phrases and/or signs:

  • Blackjack plays x to y
  • Dealer must draw to 16 and stand on all 17s
  • Pays 2 to 1
  • The table limits (min / max bet allowed)

What's That Nonsense on the Table?

Remember how a Blackjack – which is a hand with 2 cards that total 21, and is higher than the dealer's – automatically wins the game?

Well, that's almost true.

If the dealer also holds a 21, then the result is a so-called Push, meaning that your initial bet is returned to you and you neither win nor lose.

Blackjack pays 3 to 2, or in some Casinos, Blackjack pays 6 to 5, refers to payoffs and odds.

If you win against the dealer's hand, your initial bet is paid off 3 to 2, or in some casinos, 6 to 5.

With Insurances pays 2 to 1, you're offered to put an additional bet on whether or not your dealer will get a Blackjack.

Your hand can lose against the dealer's hand, but then you might cover your lost bet with a win on an insurance bet. Word to the wise, you can drop them both.

$5 minimum, $500 maximum is simply a reminder of the smallest and the largest amount of money you can put on the table.

A good guide on how to play Blackjack online should always direct you to play your first games on websites where the minimum bet is small enough to be beginner-friendly.

That's why I want to give you two choices:

  • You can use these demo games to practice Blackjack online
  • Or you can play cheap Blackjack games here

Should I Hit or Should I Stand?

Blackjack begins after all players have exchanged their money for chips and placed them on the designated spot on the table as their bets.

The dealer then deals the cards – two of them for each player, including himself.

The cards can be dealt either face down or face up, apart from the dealer's own two cards, of which one is always dealt face up and another face down.

The dealer then peaks to check if he's been dealt a Blackjack.

If not, the players are invited to hit or stand, though there are three more options to choose from – splitting, doubling down, or surrendering.

How you play your hand depends on the cards both you and the dealer have.

How To Deal Blackjack At A Casino

When you go for hitting, you're dealt one additional card.

If you choose to stand instead, you're keeping the cards you have.

To qualify for splitting, you need to have two cards of the same rank.

You'll receive two cards more, one for each of the cards you've originally been dealt, pay a side bet, and then start playing with two independent hands.

Both their bets and their payoffs are independent too.

When you double down, you need to place an additional bet, after which you'll receive one card more to add to your original hand.

The rules for surrendering vary from one casino to another, in a sense that some offer an early surrender option – to drop out of the hand before the dealer checks his cards for a Blackjack – and others a later surrender option, in which you must wait until after he's done that.

Either way, you agree to give up a half of the bet and are free to walk away with the rest.

How Do I Choose to Play a Hand?

The basic Blackjack strategy for beginners relies on knowing how to discern a hard hand from a soft one. The simplest way? Look for the aces!

If there's no an ace in it, or if that ace counts not as 11, but as 1, then you've got yourself a hard one, and you don't have much wiggle room.

Hard hands cannot count on aces to lower the total down and can be dangerously close to surpassing the limit of 22, which automatically makes them bust. Hitting is here quite a risk.

In a soft hand, however, you can count an ace either as a 1 or 11. It means that if another card is, say, a 9, you have either a total of 10, which makes you eligible for hitting or a total of 20, which could make your hand a bust if you choose to hit and receive anything but another ace.

But wait, there's more.

All this would be of little value if you were to leave without these Blackjack tips for beginners:

  • Always check the dealer's face up card before you take action.

    If it's anything between 2 and 6, there's a good chance the dealer's hand will go bust, so don't take unnecessary risks. If it's 7 through ace, take your chances and play the hand aggressively.

  • Skip placing the side bet for insurance pays 2 to 1.

    Experts calculate that this bet gives the house the advantage of almost 6% over the player. It's dumb because even if you score a Blackjack, your hand will pay off only the original bet.

  • Be smart enough to take your time and don't get burned.

    The dealer might be rushing, so avoid the first base chair. Also, start small and give yourself a moment to assess the situation. Blackjack is only fun if you know how and when to move on.

  • Oh, and take a primer from a Blackjack expert.

    When asked how to play Blackjack for beginners, gambling expert John Marchell spilt the following pearls of wisdom:

    'When your hand is 12-16 and the dealer shows 2-6, stand. In the same situation, hit only if the dealer has 7-ace. Always split aces and 8s and double 11 versus the dealer's 2-10, and hit or double aces-6.

    Also, blow off the guy who claims to be a Blackjack expert.'

That's how Bryce Carlson, Edward O. Thorp, Arnold Snyder, Russ Hamilton, and Don Johnson began counting their cards, after all.

Memorize this, try it on your friends, and stop if you're losing.

And though it won't save you if you're bad at math, we wish you good luck.

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One of the popular myths surrounding blackjack in casinos is that the average player can get an edge over the casino if he just plays his hands correctly. In other words, a lot of people think that you can win at blackjack just by mastering basic strategy.

But basic strategy isn’t enough to win at blackjack in most instances.

You need an additional strategy – an advantage technique – to get an actual edge over the casino in blackjack.

This might mean counting cards, but there are other ways, too. I’ve written extensively about counting cards in blackjack in the past.

But today I want to take a different approach.

Here’s how to win at blackjack WITHOUT counting cards.

How To Deal Blackjack Start

The First Step to Winning at Blackjack Is Mastering Basic Strategy

In blackjack, you have a finite number of potential situations to deal with. The dealer can only have one of the following face-up cards: ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10.

And you can only have one of a handful of potential totals, starting with a total of 3 and going up to a total of 21.

And many of those situations offer obvious strategic decisions. You’d always stand with a total of 21, for example. It’s an automatic winner. You’ll also always stand with a total of 20. You have far too many ways to bust in this situation to ever make it worth your while to hit in that situation.

The same holds true for a lot of your smaller totals, too. Any hand totaling 11 or lower is impossible to bust, so you’ll always at least hit in that situation.

But for many hands, you must compare what you’re holding with the dealer’s face up card to determine the playing decision with the highest expected value. In a lot of these situations, your expected value is negative. Imagine having a hard total of 16 against a dealer’s face up 10, for example. You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t in that situation.

But, in those situations, some plays have a lower negative expectation than others. Your job is to make the play that loses the least amount of money in the long run.

Luckily, basic strategy is easy to memorize and implement. When you use basic strategy for every blackjack decision, you reduce the house edge to its theoretically lowest possible number. In most casinos and under most rules, this means that the basic strategy player faces a house edge of 1% or less.

You still can’t win in the long run with a house edge of 1% or even 0.5%.

But your probability of being a winner in the short run improve dramatically.

An average blackjack player with no knowledge of basic strategy is probably giving up between 2% and 4% of their house edge.

Advantage Play Techniques and Blackjack

An advantage play technique is a way of playing a casino game that gives you an edge over the casino. The most common advantage play technique is counting cards, but that’s not your only option. You can win at blackjack without counting cards, even though it’s probably the easiest way to get an edge.

How To Deal Blackjack Startup

How does card counting in blackjack work?

Counting cards is just a means of roughly tracking the ratio of high cards (aces and 10s) to low cards in the deck. When the deck has a higher proportion of high cards, the player is more likely to get a blackjack. That’s a 2-card hand that totals 21, and players love this hand because it pays off at 3 to 2 odds.

Bet $100 on a hand of blackjack, get dealt a natural, and you’ll get a payout of $150.

Card counters raise the size of their bets when their probability of getting a blackjack goes up based on the count.

Blackjack

And counting cards isn’t hard, either.

You just subtract 1 from the count every time you see a 10 or an ace.
You add 1 to the count every time you see a card worth between 2 and 6 points.

If you’re playing in a game with multiple decks, you adjust that running count to account for the extra decks of cards in play. That’s as simple as estimating how many decks are still in the shoe and dividing the running count by that number.

For example, if the running count is +8, and you estimate that there are 4 decks left in the shoe, the true count is only +2.

Why does this matter?

Because you raise your bets proportionally related to the count. You’ll bet more when the count is +8 than you would if the count was +4.

Not everyone wants to learn how to count cards, though.

You Can Win at Blackjack Without Counting Cards by Getting Lucky

The house edge in blackjack is a long-term phenomenon. In other words, your short-term results might look like anything. You’re mathematically expected to lose between 0.5% and 1% of your action at
the table in the long run.

But, in the short run, anything can happen.

So, one way to win at blackjack without counting cards is to keep your session short and walk away when you’ve won a specific amount of money. This is called having a “win goal.”

Most gamblers who use win goals set a win goal based on a percentage of their bankroll. For example, you might sit down at a $10 blackjack table with a $200 bankroll for the session. Your win goal might be 50% of that $200 – or $100. In that case, if you ever get to a point where you have $300 or more in chips, you walk away from the table and book your win.

Since blackjack is a negative expectation game, you’ll have more losing sessions than winning sessions over time.

But, unless something weird happens, you WILL inevitably have some winning sessions.

Another Way to Win Is to Bet Really Big and Negotiate Better Rules
Don Johnson is a living example of a blackjack player who won really big at the game without counting cards. He won over $6 million on blackjack in a single evening. Here’s how he did it:

How To Deal Blackjack At Home

To start with, he had mastered basic strategy. Everyone who’s ever been interviewed about him said that he played perfect cards. If you want to duplicate Johnson’s success, start with mastering basic strategy.

The next thing he did was negotiate with the casino. High rollers like Johnson, who bet $10,000 or more per hand, don’t have to play by the same rules as the average casino-goer.

It’s common for high rollers to get loss rebates. This means that the casino offers a player a discount on his losses. For example, if the casino is offering a 10% discount on your losses, and you lose $100,000, you only really lose $90,000 because of the rebate.

Some casinos also give high rollers bonus money to gamble with up front just to get them started gambling. Online casinos do this all the time, but brick and mortar casinos save this kind of treatment for their higher rollers.

Don Johnson negotiated a 20% loss rebate on his action the night he won all that money in Atlantic City.

On top of that, he negotiated specific blackjack rules that reduced the house edge to a tiny percentage. They played with a hand-shuffled, 6-deck show, and the dealer was forced to stand (rather than hit) a total of soft 17.

In total, all the rules changes wound up making this blackjack game a game with a house edge of only 0.25% — making it almost an even money game.

But on top of that, because of his loss rebate/discount, he was only risking 80 cents for every dollar he stood to win.

He had to buy in for a million dollars, but he was guaranteed a 20% discount on his first $500,000 in losses. Also, he wasn’t required to lose the entire million. He could lose the $500,000, quit, and get his $100,000 rebate – leaving him with “only” a $400,000 loss.

How To Deal Blackjack Start Up

On the other hand, if he started winning – which he did – he could just keep playing.

And that’s how he won over $6 million without counting cards.

Other Advantage Techniques in Blackjack

Counting cards isn’t the only strategy for getting an edge at the game of blackjack. Advantage players use other techniques, some of which are well-known.

Dealer tells is one of these techniques. This describes the tendency that a dealer has to give some kind of physical clue after looking at his or her down card. The savvy blackjack player can then adjust his decisions based on the information he gleaned from the dealer tell.

Shuffle tracking is another advantage technique. The idea is that even though decks of cards get shuffled and randomized, they don’t get completely randomized.

How To Deal Blackjack Starter

If you can keep up with clusters of cards that are heavy with 10s and aces, you can raise the size of your bets when the dealer gets close to using those cards.

Hole carding is similar to dealer tells. It’s when a dealer accidentally reveals his actual down card when he looks at it to check for blackjack. The advantage of knowing which 2 cards the dealer has is obvious from a strategic perspective.

Other advantage play techniques exist that advantage players don’t share in public, too.

How To Deal Blackjack Starting

Conclusion

Counting cards is definitely the easiest way to win at blackjack, but you can without this technique. It’s harder to do, though, and I recommend learning to count cards if you’re serious about becoming a blackjack winner.

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