Thanks to technology and the miracle called the internet, blackjack has, together with other online casino games, managed to reach a broader audience worldwide.
An extensive list of online casinos that can be found on the internet allows you to play blackjack regardless of where you are. Every site targets particular countries, making sure that people around the world get the most out of their online gaming experience. For example, online blackjack UK sites have the best terms and conditions for UK citizens.
However, all this won’t matter much if you don’t know anything about blackjack and its rules. If you are looking for detailed instructions on how to master the basics of the famous card game and play it online, this article is everything you need.
Basic Rules
To master the gameplay of online blackjack, especially if you want to invest real money, you need to learn some basic rules and the sequence of the game. The ultimate goal in blackjack is to get a total value of 21.
Even though it sounds very easy, getting exactly 21 is not very likely to happen often. Moreover, the fact that your cards combined must not go over 21 makes the whole process even more challenging.
In blackjack, every card carries a certain value. Cards from 2 to 10 are worth the number written on the card itself. Cards with pictures known as face cards are worth 10. The only exception is the ace which is worth 1 or 11.
The dealer gives two cards to each player and two to himself. His goal is usually to get to 17, and follow the ‘soft 17’ rule. Ultimately, whoever has the hand closest to 21 is the winner and gets the money — it can be either the player or the dealer.
Now when you know that blackjack is legendary and have learnt the basics, let’s move on to the strategy part.
Placing Initial Bet
Before anything else, the players must place a bet. They can do so by selecting appropriate chips corresponding to their desired investment amount. The minimum required betting limit is most often pinned somewhere on the screen.
In-Game Playing Options
Once all players have placed their initial bets, they get their first two cards and have to act accordingly. Depending on the cards they hold, players have several options to choose from:
- Hit – Hitting is probably the most basic move a player can make in blackjack, and it means you would like to get an additional card. Hitting is usually done when you have low-value cards and you hope that one more card would get you closer to, but not over 21. Don’t go for this move if there’s a risk to go over 21.
- Stand – Stand is the opposite move. When a player chooses to stand, it implies that they don’t need any more cards and are happy with those they already have.
- Split – Split is one of the most exciting strategies as it can double your earnings, even though it can be quite risky. Splitting is possible only if a player initially got two identical cards and wants to divide them into two different bets.
For example, you have a pair of 8s. If you split them, they will be treated as two separate hands, each of which will now be worth 8. Then, you need to hit the two hands separately and hope at least one of them will be a winning hand.
When going for this move, you need to match your initial bet. To learn more about aces and eights, and splitting, read this article.
- Double Down – Double down is a move that should make your hand a winning one. If your initial cards are almost perfect but you would like to get one final card, it is the double down move you should opt for. After that, you won’t be able to hit anymore and will have to pay twice the initial bet.
Basically, these are all the blackjack rules you need to know as a beginner. Now, all that’s left for you to do is practise until you become better and then find a trustworthy online casino to start winning real money.
