Blackjack

Blackjack rules

Blackjack, also known as Twenty-one, Vingt-et-un (French for Twenty-one), or Pontoon is originally a French game and was first played during the 17th century. Since then it has become the most popular casino game of all times. The Blackjack name comes from a Las Vegas casino where they offered a 10-to-1 payout if the player's hand consisted of the ace of spades and a black Jack (either the Jack of clubs or the Jack of spades). This hand was called a "blackjack" and the name remained even though the bonus payout was soon abolished. 52 cards are enough to play this game, but casinos routinely use a few decks of cards to keep abreast of those amusing themselves to count the cards.

Aim of the game

The aim of Blackjack is to get as close to 21 as possible without overshooting it. The cards value is their nominal value, except for figures, that are worth 10 points each and the ace that's worth 1 or 11 according to the player�s choice. To reach 21 a minimum of two cards, a figure and an ace, is needed. All the players play against the bank.

Playing Blackjack

Blackjack is played around a semi-circular table. The players sit on the circular side with the croupier of the bank sitting on the straight side.
Now that we visualized the game, let�s see the rules step by step.
First, players place the amount they intend to play in front of them on the table. Then, the croupier distributes 2 cards to each player and to himself, starting on his left. One card is face up, the other face down, so that only the players can see it. If a player is lucky and receives 21 points with that first deal (called a natural of blackjack), he signals it and gets his bets back plus half the amount of his bet. If the bank gets a natural, the croupier gets all the bets, unless one of the players also has a natural. In this case the player gets his bet back.

If the bank doesn't have a natural, the game continues. The croupier will ask the person on his left if he wishes to receive an additional card to complete his hand and gives new cards until the player says �Reste� or �Stand�. If the value of the cards exceeds 21, the player is busted and looses his bet. The croupier will repeat this until all the players have been served and then serve himself. Once he is satisfied with his cards, the face down cards are shown. If the bank is bust, it pays the player 1:1. If he is not bust, he will pay players who have more than him on a 1:1 basis. If the player and the bank have the same total of points, it is a draw and the player keeps his bet. The bank is winning the bets of those players whose point total is inferior to its own.

Each played card is deemed �burnt� and set aside.

Our Blackjack tips: With regard to nature of the game, long-term or mid-term strategies are not applicable in Blackjack. A short-term strategy taking into account the probability of a card to come out is the only option. We have created a �Decision tips table� that will be invaluable to optimize your game.

Blackjack Advantages

Blackjack is one of those rare casino games where the odds are almost the same for the player and for the bank. So, take advantage of it!