Blackjack Rules:

In Blackjack the player competes against the dealer. The goal is for the player's hand to add up to 21 or come closer to 21 than the dealer's hand.

The game is played on a semi-circular table with 5 or 7 playing positions. Wagers are placed in the circles provided. Cards are dealt from a deck of cards called a shoe. Traditionally a shoe may contain anything from one standard 52-card deck no jokers to 6 or sometimes 8 decks.

Each of the player's hands is dealt two cards. The Dealer is also dealt two cards but only one card is face up. The card that remains face down is called the 'hole card'.

The dealer must hit on all hands totaling 16 or less and stand on all hands totaling 17 or more.

Face cards (the Jack, Queen and King) and 10s all have a value of ten.

An Ace has a value of either 1 or 11. Any combination of cards that contains an Ace card and whose value does not exceed 21 is referred to as a ‘soft hand An Ace adopts the value most beneficial for your hand. For example, an Ace and eight will add up to 19, but if the player chooses to take another card that would cause the hand's value to exceed  21, the Ace will revert to a value of 1.

If you are dealt an Ace and a 10 or face card this is called a BLACKJACK, and your hand will STAND automatically. If you beat the dealer with a BLACKJACK you are paid out at 3 to 2.

If you are dealt a pair you may SPLIT your hand. This means that your pair is divided into two separate hands with two separate wagers. A second wager equal to your original wager is automatically placed on your second hand. You play both hands as separate hands.

If you have SPLIT a pair of aces and then draw a card with a value of ten, this is not a BLACKJACK. Such a hand would have a value of 21. It beats the dealer's hand value less than 21 and ties called a PUSH against the dealer's hand value of 21, except if the dealer's hand is a BLACKJACK. This rule also applies to splitting pairs of cards with a value of ten. Should you split a pair of tens (or face cards) and then receive an ace, this hand is not a BLACKJACK.

If you split Aces you will receive only 1 more card to complete your hand. If the second card is a face card or 10 it is  not a Blackjack. You cannot split your hand(s) again.

If the value of your initial two cards is 9, 10 or 11 then you are allowed to DOUBLE. This is a wager that your hand total with your next card will be higher than the dealer’s completed hand. The wager costs as much as your original bet, but should you win you will be paid double of your total wager (or four times your original wager.)

If your hand beats the dealer's hand then you have won.

BUST Hand

All hands that exceed 21 lose, even if the dealer also goes BUST.

If the dealer goes BUST but the player's hand is under 21 the player wins.

Blackjack

All hands that are dealt an Ace and a 10 or a face card win, unless the dealer also has a BLACKJACK and then it's a PUSH.

Insurance Bets

All hands that purchased INSURANCE win if the dealer has a BLACKJACK you will break even; if the dealer doesn't have a BLACKJACK  the INSURANCE bet loses.

PUSH Hands

If the dealer's hand total and the player's hand total are the same than the hand is a tie or PUSH and the player's bet is returned.

Double Down

Doubling down is exactly what it sounds like; it is when you have been dealt a favorable hand, and wish to double your bet. Let's say that your first two cards are a 5 and a 6. This is a situation in wish you would want to double down, because the total value of your hand is 11, and you have a very good chance of landing either a 9, 10 or a face card, to more than likely win the hand. So, if you double your bet, you double your winnings. Basically, you want to double down on a 9, 10, or 11 total on your first two cards. The only thing to remember is that you are only allowed to be dealt one more card after you double down. So, if the total of your first two cards is 9 and you double down, and then you receive a 2, you are stuck with an 11 and must have that the dealer busts.

You should also double down when the dealer shows a weak first card, such as a 5, because the odds of the dealer busting have greatly increased in this situation. For instance, if the dealer then sees a 10 and a 7, he will bust and you'll win double your bet.

Other

If the dealer's hand and the player's hand are both under 21, the hands are compared. If the player's hand is closer to 21 the player wins, if the dealer's hand is closer to 21 the player loses.