How to Play Blackjack? A Complete Walkthrough
Table of Contents:
- Exploring the history and roots of blackjack
- A guide on how to blackjack: Basics and essentials of the game
- Applicable strategies in blackjack
- How does it feel to be a dealer in blackjack?
- Frequently asked questions
1. What Is a Blackjack and What It Used To Be? Reviewing the History of the Game
What is blackjack? To answer this question and how this name originated, one needs to return to the late Age of Discovery, particularly, to European colonies in North America. This is where the gambling houses offered players a ten-to-one payout, which was referred to as a blackjack. “Why?”, you might ask. Because the cards that you needed to qualify for the bonus included an ace and a black jack.
Although the answer to “what is a blackjack?” has changed throughout centuries (today, a blackjack is any ace plus any picture/ten), most of the rules have remained the same since the game’s invention. Which, by the way, remains a complete mystery. It is unknown who, when, and where invented blackjack, but it is clearly a successor of an ancient game called Twenty-One.
Undoubtedly, the answer to how to play blackjack would be different from instructions on how to play twenty-one, especially when it comes to the casino version of the game, but similarities in the rules are clearly visible. The origins of twenty-one are obscure, but it is clear that the game was popular in early 17th-century Spain. It is mentioned in Miguel de Cervantes’s “Rinconete y Cortadillo,” written around 1601.
2. Don’t Know How to Blackjack? Not a Problem!
So much for history! It’s time to move to blackjack, how to play it, and, of course, how to win! Blackjack, unlike poker, involves competing with the house, meaning that casinos are always seeking for a way to keep their advantage. Players (both a dealer and a visitor) are trying to collect more points than their counterpart, yet not over 21. The points are derived from the cards in each hand, with different values for different cards. This is the shortest possible answer to how to play blackjack casino games, which, however, doesn’t provide you with much insight into the gameplay itself. For example, what is double down in blackjack? Let’s find out!
The players are provided with a variety of choices to make during their turn. They are summarized in the table below:
| Hit | Stand | Double down | Split | Surrender |
| Request an additional card | Don’t take a card | Doubling down allows you to place an additional wager (but no more than you initially bet) | Having 2 cards of identical value in a hand allows you to split them into 2 separate hands | Not available after any other decision has been made |
| Not available if your hand has reached the value of 20 | You will be then dealt out one more card but obliged to stand until the round ends | You will play 2 independent hands. However, some restrictions may apply in different casinos | Abandon the game and lose half of your bet |
3. How to Play Blackjack Casino Games? Ways to Decrease the House Advantage
Anyone willing to know how to win at blackjack has to possess profound knowledge of the game’s mechanics and rules, along with an established strategy. Luckily, blackjack is dependent on skill, not on luck, meaning that you can gain an advantage in the game. There are plenty of books, guides, and tips on blackjack, so make sure to review them all carefully. Knowing when to hit or stand in blackjack is not sufficient to succeed in the long run, which creates a necessity for deeper research.
4. How to Deal Blackjack? Main Rules and Basic Aspects of Dealing in Blackjack
Although dealing is simpler than playing blackjack professionally, understanding how to deal blackjack still requires significant time and effort. Professionals must know the etiquette of dealing, gestures, and the rules of behavior at the table. The dealers need to understand every single rule in blackjack, when to hit or stand, and the order in which the cards should be dealt. Amateur dealers, of course, don’t need to go that deep, but possessing developed skills in the game is still required.