Blackjack is one of the most popular card game that is played both online and offline i.e. at land-based
casinos across the whole globe. Usually blackjack is played by gamers for fun but most of the players
enjoy gaming for higher stakes.
Blackjack started with the name "Vingt-et-Un" ("Twenty-one") which is a French game, which came
in casinos in the early 1700s. When French settlers brought the game to the New World, blackjack
was not as popular as it is today, so in order to lure the player’s casinos gave certain incentives to the
players.
One of these was the celebrated payout of ten-to-one for the ace of spades and a "black jack" (jack of
spades or jack of clubs), hence the name of the game. Although the big payouts are a thing of the
past, the name has stuck to this day.
Players compete against the dealer, rather than each other, for the best hand. Two cards are
received by each player and the dealer. In a single-deck or double-deck game, the cards are face
down. In a game using a multi-deck shoe, the cards are face up. The objective is to get a point total
as close to twenty-one as possible, without going over that score.
The cards' suits are irrelevant. All face cards (kings, queens and jacks) are worth ten points each.
Aces are valued at either one or eleven, depending on the current hand total score. If a hand's total
score goes over twenty-one, the hand is "busted" and the player loses. If the dealer’s hand is higher
than the player's and still under twenty-one, the player loses.
Players lay their bets down at the start of a blackjack hand, or at different specified points during the
hand. Some of these include making a "double-down"or "split" bet. The player has numerous
choices ahead of him when he receives his first two cards.
He can choose to "hit" (take another card). A player can hit his hand until his score is at or above
twenty-one. The player can signal for a hit by tapping his finger on the table.
A player can also choose to "stand" or "stay" (stop taking more cards). The player can signal his
intention to stand by either waving his hand over his cards or tucking his cards under his chips.
There is an alternative to “double down”. The alternative is that player can by make another bet and
can get one more card. Double down cab ne signaled by player by placing his second best alternative
to the first bet.
If matching pair is being received by a player, then he has the option to go for "split" the hand. The
matching pairs can be spitted into two different hands and for these spitting hands the player can get
another card one for each. For this the player needs to place another bet for his new hand and the
betting amount should be same as the original bet amount. Two fingers can be shown for spitting the
hands and for placing the additional bet.
Surrender is the last option that a player can have. Instead of losing the whole bet player can go for
surrender thereby losing half of the bet placed. Most of the casinos have surrender option and also
the hand signal is available.
The blackjack players who are expert always try to make their decision using advanced chart that is
based on computed options.
