At Harlequin Fun Casino, we have a team of professional croupiers who are not only experts in the field of casino gaming, but who are also really friendly and approachable. They’ll explain all the rules of each game if you or any of your guests are not sure how to play. They’ll walk you through the casino games step by step, and help you as you play!
However, if you’re a complete beginner and you really want to be able to play well on the night, here is a quick breakdown of how to play Blackjack in it’s simplest terms!
How to Play Blackjack…
Blackjack is played with anything up to eight decks of cards. Each card is worth a different amount. Cards 2 to 10 are worth their face value, Kings, Queens, and Jacks are worth 10, and Aces can be used as either 1 or 11. The object of Blackjack is to hit a 21, or as close to 21 as you can without going over. You are playing against the dealer. You want to hit closer to 21 than the dealer. For example if you hit 20 and the dealer hits 19, you win!
The best total of all is a two-card 21. This is known as “A Blackjack”. This is when you hit an Ace and a card with a value of 10 (Either a ten or a Jack Queen or King). Blackjack pays 3 to 2, so if you get “A Blackjack” on a $5 bet, you will win $7.50 instead of the usual $5 pay back on every other winning hand. However, if the dealer also has “A Blackjack”, the hand pushes. “Push” means, you just get your money back, but don’t win anything. But if the dealer goes on to draw 21 in three or more cards your blackjack is still a winner with its 3 to 2 payout.
Blackjack tables are normally D-Shaped, and there is space for a maximum of seven players. The dealer stands at the top of the table facing the players. In real casinos, there is a placard or notice which tells you the minimum bet on that particular table. It will also tell you any “House Rules” as certain rules vary from casino to casino. (We’ll get to that later)
The playing cards are shuffled and then dealt from the card shoe. In some casinos in Las Vegas, only one or two decks of cards are used, and the dealer deals from the hand. To start, each player must place a bet by putting any number of their casino chips into the box in front of them. (Usually a square or a circle clearly marked on the baize). Once all bets have been made, the dealer will then deal everyone two cards. They are dealt face-up if from a card-shoe, and face down if dealt from the hand. One of the dealer’s cards is turned face-up so the players can see it and the other is dealt face-down.
Now each player must decide what to do with the hand they have been dealt. They add up the value of the cards they have been given, and must decide if they would like to be dealt another card to make their total closer to 21. If they decide they want another card, they tell the dealer to “Hit”. Hopefully, this card will not make their total over 21. If it does, then they “Bust” and lose the chips they bet. If not, the hand stays and the next player is asked what he or she wants to do with their hand.
Once all the players have decided what to do with their hands, the dealer must play his hand. The dealer plays according to set rules: The dealer must keep drawing cards until he hits past a 16. If he hits a 17, he must “Stand” which means he is not allowed another card to try and get to 21. (In this situation, any player who has 18 or more wins.
Blackjack Vocabulary…
“Hit”: If you want to take another card, you must ask the dealer to “Hit”. You must ask him by making a gesture of some kind. You can also say the words “Hit” or “Hit me” but a visual gesture must also be present. This is because in a real casino, the cameras must be able to catch you asking for a card.
“Stand”: If you Stand, you decide you don’t want any more cards. You hope that the amount you have is enough to beat the dealer.
“Double Down”: If you are holding 9, 10 or 11, you might want to “Double Down.” This means that you can double the bet you put down before you were dealt the cards. You want to do this because there are more ten value cards in a deck than anything else, so it’s more likely you’ll get a ten and your hand will be strong. This is not always true, but it’s often worth the gamble. Some casinos will let you double down on any hand, but most restrict it to a hand that equals ten or eleven. When you “Double Down” you can only receive one more card. If you have a 10 or 11, you are hoping it will be a ten! If it’s a 2, you are not allowed to hit another card. This is why they call it gambling!!
“Split”: If you get dealt two cards equal in denomination, you can split them into two separate hands. You need to add a bet to the second hand when you do this. This is a good idea if you get dealt two Aces as there’s a greater likelihood of you hitting a ten on each.
“Insurance”: If the dealer’s face-up card is an ace, you may take “insurance,” which essentially is a bet that the dealer has a 10-value card down to complete a blackjack. Insurance, which may be taken for half the original bet, pays 2 to 1 if the dealer has blackjack. The net effect is that if you win the insurance bet and lose the hand, you come out even. For example, the player has 18 with a $10 bet down. The dealer has an ace up. The player takes a $5 insurance bet. If the dealer has blackjack, the player loses the $10 bet on the hand but wins $10 with the 2 to 1 payoff on the $5 insurance bet.
