What is Blackjack?

Blackjack is one game that few people are likely unfamiliar with. Whether it’s been played at an online casino, in a brick and mortar casino, as a computer game, played at home, or witnessed being played in a popular movie, it’s a casino game that really gets around. It’s known either as blackjack or 21 (twenty-one) wherever and however it’s played, and it’s a relatively simple card game that involves trying to make a total hand of 21 or blackjack without going over that card count and the goal is for a player to end up with a better hand than a dealer.

How to Play Blackjack

Blackjack is relatively simple to play. To start off with any online casino it’s necessary that players register an account and fund it if they plan on playing for real money. Playing for fun money is always an option as well, however, winnings acquired will not be converted to actual money of course. All bets need to be placed before any hands are dealt and there is only one betting round for each game of blackjack. Players need to either move the chips in the value of their choosing to place their bets if that’s the format the online casino is using, or they simply need to use the designated box to select their bet amount. All online casinos will have a table limit for maximum amount per bet as well as a minimum bet.

Once bets are placed, players will receive their first couple of cards. Depending upon whether it’s a shoe game or not, all cards might be visible to everyone at the blackjack table, with the exception of the dealer’s cards. Once players have received their first two cards they use the appropriate button to select whether they’d like to stand and keep the cards they’ve already got or if they want to receive another card, at which point they click hit. Players can continue that way until they are as close to 21 or at 21 and are ready to stop receiving cards in hopes of beating the dealer. With blackjack, the dealer has to stick on 17 giving the player the automatic opportunity to win with a higher hand value. Of course, if a player goes over 21 it is an automatic loss.

Once everyone is finished receiving their cards, the player’s cards are compared against the dealer and payouts are distributed directly.

Blackjack Strategy

There are some that swear by blackjack strategies, and it does involve some level of strategy since players need to determine whether to hit or stick.

The most common strategy that you'll likely hear about is card counting.  To expell a myth right away, you cannot card count in online casinos so don't bother trying.

There are blackjack strategy software programs that promise to help players improve their online game, but with cards all the luck of the draw and these software programs do nothing to help you more than a basic strategy guide. These guides typically come in the form of charts that can be printed out to tell players whether they should hit, stick or split depending upon the faceup card that the dealer is showing, as well as the specific cards players have in their hands.

To make the most of your game when you play blackjack, print off some this Blackjack Strategy list and follow it when playing.  They'll increase your chances as much as possible and after a while you'll naturally know how to play each of the Blackjack hands you're dealt.