Blackjack is a comparing card game where each player competes against the dealer. The game can be enjoyed by players of all ages and skill levels, which makes it a popular casino card game all around the world. It is particularly popular in the USA and other English-speaking countries. In many places, Black jack has also become a popular pastime for casual players not limited to casinos. An alternative French name of the game is Vingt et un, which means 21.
You can play Blackjack with one or more decks of 52 playing cards and typically 3 to 8 people, one of which is always the dealer. The dealer has a special position and is not considered a player,but rather an impartial dealer serving all players and performing the functions of dealing and resolving hands.
At first, the dealer sets up the game by shuffling all playing cards and dealing two cards to each player and two cards to themselves. All player cards are dealt face up, while only one of the dealer’s cards is face up.
The important number of the card game Blackjack is 21: The game’s objective is to have a hand value of 21 (or as close to 21 as possible) without crossing this threshold.
Your hand value is made up of the combined value of your two hand cards. Face cards (Kings, Queens, and Jacks) score 10 points, Aces score 1 or 11 points (your choice), and all other cards score their face value.
So after dealing, each player decides if they keep their current hand, i.e., if they stand, or if they take another card, i.e., hit. If you hit and the next card in your hand crosses the threshold of 21 points, you bust. The game continues in this pattern until all players stand or bust.
Then, the dealer reveals their face-down card and hits if their hand is worth 16 points or less. With 17 points or more, the dealer must stand. After that, you compare the hands and determine the winners:
- If the dealer busts, all players who have not bust win.
- If the dealer stands, the player’s hands are compared to the dealer’s hand, and the player(s) with the hand value closest to 21 win(s).
Of course, some luck is involved due to the random distribution of cards. But Blackjack is not just a gamble since skill is required when deciding to stand or hit. You need to be able to use strategy, card counting techniques, and adjust your playing style based on the rules and conditions of the game to increase your chances of winning in the long run. However, even with the best strategy and skills, luck still plays a role in the outcome of individual hands and sessions.