Hello friend! I welcome you to my website. Are you curious about the game of Blackjack and want to know how it is played? Well, this page has everything you need and more. I have explained every aspect of the game and also added a complete list of the best online blackjack casinos with the most amazing bonuses.
Blackjack is a game that appeals to both mathematicians and gamblers. It is one of the few casino games with a very low house edge of 1%, meaning that players have high chances of winning. Keep reading this online blackjack guide and in no time, you’ll surely be equipped with all the relevant skills to have an awesome gaming session!
The Best Selection of Blackjack Sites
The history of the Blackjack game
The game of blackjack has been played in different variations for centuries. In fact, according to literature from the 1500s, there was a very popular card game whose aim was to achieve 21 cards.
Subsequently, the game of 21 arrived in North America where it enjoyed great success. This is seen a result of the 10:1 bonus which was given to players who hit 21 cards. The game was later called blackjack because it was made up of an ace of spades and a jack of either club or spades. Although the reward later fizzled away, the given name stuck.
How to start playing blackjack
In this section, we’ll provide you with a clearer understanding of blackjack's most basic rules. Take note of the steps necessary for playing blackjack online below:
Blackjack: Basic rules
Blackjack is a type of card game where one or more players compete against the dealer. To understand the concept of blackjack better, we shall highlight the most fundamental rules.
The game has three major goals and they are:
- A: To hit the card value of 21 or get as close to it as possible.
- B: To get a higher hand compared to that of the dealer in order to beat his hand.
- C: To encourage the dealer to draw cards that will make his hand exceed 21, thereby making him ‘go bust.’
When a player succeeds in beating the dealer, they receive a double of their bet (1:1). However, if the player hits Blackjack (an ace plus a card that amounts to 10), the payout is 3:2. When a blackjack round begins, a player is given two cards.
Subsequently, these options are made available to the player:
- Stand: You choose not to draw more cards because the ones you hold are satisfactory.
- Hit: The player goes for an extra card. The player is free to draw as many cards as they want until they go bust ( Their hand exceeds 21).
- Double: The player goes ahead to double his bet because he judges his chances to be good. Afterwards, the player can draw another card.
- Split: If a player has two different cards or a pair with a value of 10, the player has two options; to either split the cards or double the bet. This provides the player with two hands, prompting the croupier to deal one more card to each hand. The player must then decide to hit, stand or double with regards to the two hands. In some games, double is not permitted after a split
Basic gameplay when playing online Blackjack
As you are aware the main purpose of blackjack is to obtain a hand of 21 cards. However, the entire game begins by a player stating their bet. Once the bet has been placed, the dealer will place two cards face-up in front of the player. Hereafter, the dealer also takes two cards.
The player will ultimately win the bet if the value of their cards is nearer to 21 than the sum of the dealer’s cards. Alternatively, if the dealers’ cards are greater than 21, then the player will also win. However, the player will lose his bet if the sum of his cards is larger than 21.
In terms of blackjack, the suits of the cards – hearts, aces, diamonds and clubs – do not matter. Only the numeric value assigned to the cards matter. Numbers 2 to 10 are all taken as they are, while the jacks, queens and kings are all awarded a weight of 10. Aces are interesting as their value can change depending on the preference of the player. In this regard an ace can either be valued at 1 or at 11.
Variations to the rules
There are exceptions to the rules that occur not only in blackjack but across games in online casinos. However, I will only touch on some of the most interesting forms today. One example is known as the Five Card Charlie, another is the dealer standing on a soft 17 or a player being allowed to double after splitting.
Dealer must stand on soft 17
Unlike what many blackjack players would like to believe, standing on soft 17 will not make dealers bust more often. There is absolutely no risk when they stand on the hand. When a dealer stands on 17, their chances of a bust is 29.1%. In addition, a dealer who stands on 17 will find it difficult to improve the hand. This is important because the best line of action for a dealer when a player makes a hand of 17 is to push. So in essence, a dealer who stands on 17 will have a very tough time securing a win.
Dealer must hit on soft 17
A dealer who hits soft 17 just secured the chance to make the 18, 19, 20, and 21 hands. These hands are sufficient to win on their own against the pat hand of a player. This is usually the case when the face-up card of the dealer is an ace and players utilize the basic strategy of hitting until they have 17 or better. The house wins when players go bust, regardless of whatever the final hand of the dealer is. However, when playing against punters who are still in action at the end, a dealer who hits soft 17 has a better chance of winning.
Surrender
This is a strategy that requires a player to fold their hand and forfeit half of the bet instead of the total amount used for the bet.
Resplit
If a player has any two-point cards or two cards that are similar, they can double bet and separate their cards into two different hands.
Doubling after split
Some rules allow doubling the bet after the split so that each hand may receive a double bet. When a bet is doubled on a hand, the player is entitled to draw one more card for that particular hand.
Resplitting
This occurs when a player who comes in possession of another ace after splitting aces decides to split the hand again for another bet.
Early surrender
This rule is rare to find in both online and offline casinos. It is very useful to players because it allows them to fold their hand before a dealer checks for blackjack.
6 to 5 blackjacks
If a player has a winning hand in 6 to 5 blackjack, the player receives $6 for every $5 they bet, which is an odd of 1.2:1.
Single deck vs multi deck
In many casinos, playing a single deck game of blackjack will offer a player a 6:5 payout, while multi-deck games offer a payout of 3:2.
Which values do the cards have?
Blackjack can be played in various ways, whether through a mobile blackjack, a web interface or a traditional casino. What all of them have in common is that the game is played with 1 to 9 decks of 52 cards each.
The values attached to each of the cards match their numerical value from 2-10. The face cards, which includes Jack, King, Queen, all count 10. An Ace can either be 1 or 11, depending on what the holder wants. A score achieved with an ace valued as 11 is referred to as soft-hand.
A soft-hand score of 17 is written as 7/17. The colour in which the cards appear has no effect. The primary purpose of the game is to reach a high score when all the cards are summed together. However, the score should not exceed 21. A blackjack, which is simply an ace and a card with a value of 10, wins every other card combination.
How do you count cards in Blackjack?
In earlier years, blackjack would be played with a single deck of cards or with an assortment of card decks, called the shoe. The knowledge that there was a limited number of cards within a single game, meant that it was entirely within a player’s reach to simply count the cards in order to figure out what was likely to occur.
The probability of a player being correct improved greatly as the number of cards became fewer. This is especially true for the gambler with an incredible short-term memory. Yet, this practice has become almost impossible today at physical casinos. Furthermore, it’s impossible within online blackjack where the card supply is infinite and randomised.
Bad news, counting cards is not possible anymore
Online casinos create an implausible environment for card counting within blackjack. This is due to the fact that there is a limitless supply of cards. Yet, the likelihood of card counting at the blackjack table in a traditional casino is still almost non-existent for many reasons.
One of the many reasons is that the dealer now make use of eight card decks within her shoe. Followingly, the blackjack dealer will make absolutely sure that the shoe is never completely finished.
Moreover, the shoe will be swapped out at the midway point of the game which makes counting cards improbable. Yet, this does not give the house a serious advantage over the player, rather online blackjack has managed to retain its low house advantage which is what made it so popular in the first place.
The online Blackjack strategy
Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games played by millions of people. The game of blackjack is easy to learn and has a very low house edge. Unlike slots and roulette, blackjack is a game of skills and wits. This means players need to employ different strategies and techniques in order to win.
The appropriate use of strategies in online blackjack is what separates winning players from those who consistently lose. In this section, we’ll talk about some of the major strategies a player can adopt while playing blackjack.
A good utilisation of the strategies will help a player reduce the house edge to the barest minimum. Therefore, pay close attention to the following strategies and give your blackjack games the boost they deserve.
Strategy: Dealer must stand on soft 17
If a player is holding an ace and a 6, this automatically generates a soft 17 hand for the player. A soft 17 include A-6, A-2-4, A-3-3. This is a total that is commonly misplaced in the whole game of blackjack. To make the most of the situation, gamblers must base their actions on their hand’s total value and the dealer’s up card.
Standing on soft 17 may not be favourable to every player, that is why players are advised to either hit or double down most of the time. This is because when you stand on a soft 17, you only have a 33.15% chance of winning.
Strategy: Dealer must hit on soft 17
The ace in a soft 17 has the ability to revert to a value of one, therefore the four 10 value cards pose no risk. Right from the very first hit, the probability of drawing a steady hand whose value falls between 17 and 21 is 61.53%. If the player stands resolute, their chances of winning are equal to standing on soft 17, because the dealer has to go bust if the player is to win.
Online Vs Offline Blackjack – which one is the best?
The main differences between playing online blackjack and playing blackjack at the casino tables is that an online casino has a limitless deck of cards, while a table uses a combination of eight card decks formulated into a shoe.
In addition, it has been reported that the advantage for online casinos with blackjack is significantly lower than for brick-and-mortar casinos.
A further advantage for online casinos is that the variety of blackjack games is much greater in online casinos.
Pros
- Play faster games
- Sign up bonuses
- Better rules of play
- Lower stakes available
Cons
- Higher loss rate
- Impossible wagering requirements
- Delay in withdrawals
- Easy to get addicted
Blackjack Lingo: The phrases you must learn
Whether you intend playing blackjack online or playing in a traditional casino, every serious player of blackjack should learn different terms and phrases used in blackjack. A knowledge of this ensures players easily understand a particular situation during gameplay and identify the best action to take when playing the game of blackjack. Some of the commonly used phrases include:
Hit
Hit is a common term used in the blackjack. It means requesting for another card from the dealer. If the new card raises the hand value over 21 points, the player’s wager will be lost and they must drop the cards.
Stand
Stand is another commonly used term in blackjack. Stand means not having an interest in requesting for another card. This often happens after the player receives two initial cards and find them to be favourable.
Double down
This occurs when a player has a promising hand and then decides to double the original wager. They do this by drawing one additional card.
Split
This is offered when the initial two-card hand of a player has two cards with the same value. The player is given the option to split them into two separate hands and the dealer gives him an additional card for each hand.
Surrender
Surrender is when your initial two-card hand has little chance of winning and you then decide to give it up. This will help you retain half of your original bet, instead of losing everything if you decided to continue playing.
Insurance
This is a side bet made if the dealer's up card is an ace. All players will be asked for insurance bets before the first gameplay is made.
Bust
This can happen to both the dealer and player. When the value of the hand exceeds 21, it results in a bust. When a player busts, he loses. When the dealer busts, the player wins.
Push
This is when a dealer and player have the same hand value. When this happens, the player's bets will be returned. There is no win or loss for the player in this case
Different types of blackjack
Also known as 21, blackjack is the most popular casino card games out there. It is one game that requires the most skill to survive its myriad of outcomes. The moment you grasp its concept, you will find it to also be the most profitable card game. Blackjack comes in various forms, take a look at some of them:
Blackjack surrender
This is a blackjack variant well known for the surrender move. The move is adopted by players who would rather give up their hand and lose half their bet instead of the whole amount.
Blackjack switch
This variant makes room for players to place bets on two hands. Later on, players can trade cards between the two hands. It is more popular in live and online casinos.
Live Blackjack
Live blackjack is a variant that lets you play the game of blackjack seated across from a real dealer and experience all the lights and sounds of casino gaming from the comfort of your home.
Atlantic City Blackjack
This blackjack variation is popular among players because of its low house edge. This variant provides players with better chances of winning, as long as the right strategy is properly applied.
European Blackjack
European Blackjack is a common blackjack variant used in most online casinos. Most variants used today all evolved from European blackjack. The rules on European blackjack are pretty much the same on other variants, however, unlike other variants, once the bets are placed, the dealer/RNG deals out the cards.
Perfect blackjack
This is a blackjack variation where players are permitted to place up to five blackjack bets and as much as five side bets. Another special thing about this game is the Perfect Pairs side bet that is placed before the player receives any card.
Ways to increase and decrease the house edge
The house edge in blackjack is the statistical advantage a casino has over a player. Each variant of the game offers a different house edge. Online casinos are always looking for ways to win against players and with a set house edge, they continue to succeed. However, there are diverse ways for players to beat them at their own game and TheGambleDoctor will show you how.
Count cards
This is a technique players use to keep track of the number of high and low cards that are remaining in the dealer’s deck. With proper observation, a player can determine the perfect time to raise their bets in order to win.
Shuffle tracking
Players use this strategy to observe how cards are put into the discard tray and shuffled. This will help them make a guess about the next cards that will be dealt when shuffling ends.
Identifying concealed cards
The player can get a head start in blackjack by using a distinctive mark on the backs of the cards to identify them. They can also do this by hole carding, which is basically sighting the front of a card dealt face down during the dealing process.
Have fun and good luck!
Both experienced and new players can agree that the game of blackjack is a must-try for every lover of online casino games. It is a game that provides good chances of winning if the player knows when to employ the best blackjack basic strategy. The strategies and tips unveiled in this guide are for you to double your chances of winning while having maximum entertainment during gameplay.
Ensure you gamble responsibly and if you start noticing any negative effect of gambling, head to the responsible gambling page of the online casino and you’ll get help as soon as possible. Have a great time making new and pleasant blackjack memories as you play the game. Good luck!
Frequently often asked questions about online blackjack
Yes, you can. But this can only be done on an online casino. Many online casinos offer demo games for players who do not have the funds to play with real money. So, select an online casino from TheGambleDoctor’s list and sign up to access high quality and exciting blackjack games.
As a blackjack player, you can't expect victory from every game. This is because certain measures have been put in place to prevent that from happening. One of such measures is the house edge. The game of blackjack has a house edge which ensures that in the long run, the casino has the upper hand.
The Return To Player percentages for the game of blackjack is different for each of the game's variations. Blackjack (Three-seat) has an RTP that is as high as 95.38%. For classic blackjack, its RTP is approximately 99.41%. The premium blackjack comes with the highest RTP among them all at 99.67%.
Yes. Card counting is a strategy primarily used in the Blackjack family to beat the casino. You can use this strategy to determine the nature of the next card, whether it will be beneficial to the dealer or you. By carefully observing the cards as they are dealt, you can successfully decrease the house edge by keeping tabs on the high and low valued cards.
Of course, you can. The game of blackjack is one that is easy to win if you know enough gaming strategies and how to apply them. Some strategies will allow you to win in the short term, but if you are looking for long term wins, then endeavour to learn more strategies. Luckily for you, thegambledoctor has a lot of blackjack strategies you can adopt for successful gameplay.
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