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Today
Blackjack is one of the
casino’s most popular games and a lot of the credit for this
popularity goes to a bestselling book released in America in the 60’s
that attempted to blow the lid off the mathematical secrets of the
game. So controversial was this book that purported to give the player
a chance to learn how to play even, if not with a slight edge, to the
house that the casinos tried to change the rules of the game. However,
blackjack was enjoying massive success around the world as the number
one table game and it was that popularity that saved it from these
changes. The casinos were forced to come up with ways to increase the
odds in their favour without tampering with the rules themselves and
that meant the addition of multiple decks and shuffling machines.
Consequently the game that took its name from the bet a player would
make if dealt the black-suited cards: a jack and an ace of spades, has
stayed the same since it originated in France in the 1700’s.
Whether you are playing online or in a
land-based casino the rules stay the same. The only changes are in
terms of table etiquette, which obviously ceases to be relevant when
playing online. Because it is essentially a single player game where
you pit your cards against a dealer, Blackjack transfers very well
into the world of Internet gambling. The dealer in this game is very
much like a computer; he/she must follow the dealer rules absolutely
with little room for strategy or thought. It’s worth checking the
table that you play on, whether that be software or land based, for
information on the house rules for whether the dealer stands on all
17’s or if they choose the option of a slight house advantage and hit
a soft 17. This basically means that the dealer must take cards until
reaching a value of at least 17 with the ace counting as 11 unless the
total is over 21. If it’s a soft 17 the dealer can count the ace as 1
or 11.
The game of
blackjack is very basic to learn because
the aim of the game is simply to get cards in your hand with a value
closer to 21 than the dealer’s hand. If you exceed 21 this is called a
“bust” and you have lost the hand. The values of the cards are as
marked for the cards 2 through to 9, the royal cards are all worth 10
and the ace is the most desirable card because it can be counted as 1
or 11 depending on how it best suits your winning hand. The suits are
totally irrelevant in blackjack.
When the game commences the dealer deals
you two cards and it is this point that the etiquette differs
depending on the form of blackjack you are playing. If you are at a
real casino table you will play out your hand with the dealer as he
moves around the table player by player. It is only at the end that he
will reveal his hand. All you have to go on is a single card that he
has turned up.
The two types of casino black jack are
“face-up” or “shoe” which is a perfect way to start for a novice
player. The cards are all visible which means you can ask for advice
from the dealer and other players, it won’t affect the outcome of the
game so no one minds. The other option is “face down” and for the more
experienced player it offers a slight advantage. These games differ in
the way that you ask the dealer to deal you another card, a “hit” or
to stop dealing, a “stand”. These requests are clear hand movements to
eliminate confusion and also for the benefit of the surveillance
camera. Online Blackjack is even simpler, with a hit being a click of
the mouse.
The most desirable hand is obviously the
blackjack itself as this pays the player three to two: $15 for a bet
of $10. It only occurs when a player is dealt an ace and a 10 in the
first two cards, any other combination is considered a ‘twenty-one”
and consequently doesn’t payout three to two. A player blackjack
always beats a dealer blackjack.
There are obviously more specifics and
strategies to learn in order to play blackjack like an true card sharp
but the best way to learn is to get stuck in and give it a go. With
the free software available online the fun of this popular card game
is only a click away.
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