How to Play Blackjack in Las Vegas

 

Blackjack, also known as 21 is one of the most popular casino card games in the world. The rules of blackjack are quite simple, which is a major reason for the game's enduring popularity. In Las Vegas casinos, blackjack is played on a semi-circular table, with the round portion of the table facing the players, and the straight edge side facing the dealer. Most blackjack tables accommodate seven players and every blackjack table will have the words, "Insurance Pays 2 to 1", also, "Dealer must Hit Soft 17" or "Dealer Must Stand On All 17's".

 

The Game:

 

The object of the game is to get a hand with a value as close to 21 as possible without going over. A hand that goes over 21 is a bust. The players at a blackjack table do not play against each other, they play against the dealer. Each player only has to beat the dealer's hand.

 

At the start of a game, each player is dealt two cards and is then offered the opportunity to take more. The hand with the highest total wins as long as it doesn't exceed 21. A hand with a value over 21 is called a "bust" and it is an automatic loser.

 

Cards 2 through 10 are counted at face value. The following cards jack, queen, and king are also worth 10. An ace's value is 11 unless this would cause the player to bust, in which case it is worth 1. A hand in which an ace's value is counted as 11 is called a soft hand, because it cannot be busted if the player draws another card.

 

The best possible hand in Blackjack is a combination of an Ace with a 10-card or a face card. This is an automatic 21, when counting the Ace as an 11, and is called, "Blackjack", or a Natural. It cannot be beaten, unless the dealer has the same, which would be a Push, a tie.

 

The minimum bet is printed on a sign on the table and varies from casino to casino and table to table. For example Minimum $5, Maximum $500.

 

Watch the Video below to learn more:

 

 

Note:

Your opponent in blackjack is the dealer. Each player's goal is to beat the dealer by having the higher, unbusted hand. Note that if the player busts he loses, even if the dealer also busts. If both the player and the dealer have the same point value, it is called a "push", and neither player nor dealer wins the hand. Each player has an independent game with the dealer, so it is possible for the dealer to lose to one player but still beat the other players in the same round.

 

Blackjack Tips: Four easy rules on when to hit and when to stand

1. If your hand is 11 or less, always hit. You can't possibly bust, so the extra card will only help your hand.
2. If your hand is 17 or greater, and the dealer is not showing a Seven or higher, always stand. The risk of busting if you hit is very high.
3. If your hand is 12 to 16, and the dealer is showing an up card likely to bust (see illustration above), always stand. Although this is a weak hand, it will still win if the dealer busts.

   Exception - If the dealer has a Two or a Three showing, hit if you have 12.

4. If your hand is 12 to 16, and the dealer has a Seven or higher showing, always hit. The dealer is far more likely to get a better hand than yours unless you can improve it. There's a risk of busting, but in this case you have to take that risk.

Exception: If you're holding a soft Ace, you can be more aggressive than these rules indicate. You might even hit on a 17, depending on what the dealer is holding.

Although basic blackjack strategies can get infinitely more complex, these four rules are the core of most of the strategies in use today.

Be Warned:

This website encourages you to play responsibly by betting within your limits and by recognizing that over time the house will come out ahead.

 

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