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Card games have been around for a long time – both for fun and money. Blackjack is a prominent name in that category. It originated in French casinos in the early 1700s and is still being enjoyed by thousands of players in different continents. So, this guide on how to play blackjack for beginners will not lose any relevance any time soon.
In the modern age, blackjack found its way not only into people’s homes but also their computers. The rise of digital platforms shifted many games to online versions. That said, not everybody knows basic blackjack rules. Our beginners’ guide to blackjack is here to help you figure out this game with a long history behind it.
How to Play Blackjack for Beginners Hello, I’m the blackjack innovator and in this exclusive video for OnlineGambling.com I will be discussing the basics of the casino game blackjack. This is a video designed for beginners and I will be providing you will all the information that you will need to be able to sit at any online or even live. The rise of digital platforms shifted many games to online versions. That said, not everybody knows basic blackjack rules. Our beginners’ guide to blackjack is here to help you figure out this game with a long history behind it. What Is Blackjack? Many people refer to blackjack. Beginner’s Guide to Blackjack. The purpose of this “blackjack for beginners” page is to provide a detailed buy also easily understood introduction to the game. Too many guides to the game get really. Blackjack begins by selecting a seat at the table. Typically, a blackjack table allows for five to seven players. Whenever you see an empty seat at a blackjack table, you may assume it’s for your taking (unless chips or a coat are holding the spot for a player who just stepped away for a moment or unless some player is playing two hands).
What Is Blackjack?
Many people refer to blackjack as Twenty-One so you might be already familiar with the term. The main thing you should know about blackjack for beginners is that players collect a better hand of cards than a dealer without exceeding twenty-one. The participants aren’t competing against each other but against the casino itself.
Blackjack gained massive popularity in World War I, but its roots go back a century and a half before that. It was originally called Vingt-et-Un, which is French for twenty-one. After its introduction in North America, the rules slightly changed, and gambling houses started offering bonus payouts. One of them was for having an ace of spades and a black jack. As you can see, this black jack bonus payout was the game’s namesake.
In the 1950s, four men began analyzing Blackjack from a scientific point of view. They discovered the best “Basic Strategy” for the game, which soon gained worldwide renown after its publication in the Journal of the American Statistical Association. The men, Roger Baldwin, Wilbert Cantey, Herbet Maisel, and James McDermott are referred to as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and were inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame in 2008.
Essential Terminology to Know
Before we discuss blackjack rules for beginners, it’s time to focus on the meaning of the most commonly used terms. There are so many of them that it’s easy to get confused. Essential terminology includes:
- Bust – Getting more than twenty-one.. If you stand on less than twenty-one, but the dealer has more, it’s still a loss.
- Hit – Asking for another card. Players do it after they receive two opening cards and think that an additional card would put them in an advantageous position.
- Stand – To stop asking for additional cards. This occurs when you’ve reached a high total and don’t want to be dealt any more than you need.
- Double – Doubling the bet you’ve already placed and asking for another card. This move can only be made at the start.
- Split – Playing with the same cards separately. For instance, two 10s can be divided into two different hands so you can put up a bet for each one.
- Surrender – Abandoning your hand while losing only 50% of your bet.
- Push – A tie. If you and the dealer have an equal hand total, no one wins (provided both hands are not over twenty-one).
- Hard hand – A hand that doesn’t include an ace or if the ace is already assigned a value of one.
- Soft – Any hand that includes an ace
- Natural – Getting an ace and a ten-card with your first two cards. To put it differently, it’s twenty-one or blackjack.
Is it Possible to Win at Blackjack?
The short answer is yes. The truth is no player is going to be winning every time but the possibilities are still undeniable. There are hundreds of techniques that help you master this game. Some of them focus more on the statistical elements of the game, others are more about betting styles. We think that there is a chance to win with any method if you use it appropriately.
The basic rules of the game are easy to learn. The difficult part is actually guessing the most likely card that will be dealt next. Casinos add their own rules to minimize player’s chances of winning. Therefore, you need to react instinctively to the cards on the table. Knowing what you can do and what you should do depends on the particular situation you’re in.
Make sure to bet in consistent patterns. If you start big, you might quickly lose it and you’ll simply walk away disappointed. There is a widely known piece of advice telling you to constantly increase your bets. If you add a little subtlety in your betting patterns, you will receive psychological boosts that will keep you going.
Starting small and slowly increasing your pace is the best way to approach blackjack. So, you can indeed win. But you should trust the process without relying on big winnings straightaway.
Blackjack Etiquette
Learning the rules is not enough. There are unspoken rules in blackjack for beginners and other casino players. Remember that if you break a rule by accident, it’s not going to be the end of the world. If you want your experience to run entirely smooth, keep these points in mind:
- Use hand signals. No one forbids you to say your decisions out loud, but you should also indicate them with gestures. The moves are intuitive. For example, if you decide against hitting, show it with your hands. The reason is that the dealer has to be absolutely certain about your next move, and they might hear something different in a noisy environment.
- Don’t give your money directly to the dealer. Casinos have cameras to prevent any cash transactions. For this reason, everyone always operates in a way that is observable to the camera. Giving them money will be considered cheating.
- Never touch chips when the bet is placed. As an extension from the previous point, chips should be kept in one place. If you fail to meet this rule, you risk having troubles with security. Plus, there is no reason for you to touch them, so it shouldn’t be hard.
- Keep advice to yourself. Even if you see someone making a stupid decision, suppress the urge to comment on that. After all, it doesn’t matter how well others are doing. If you try teaching them how to play blackjack, it’s simply going to change the social dynamic but won’t help you in any way.
- Don’t ask other players questions. Another scenario is that you might be sitting next to a professional player. You might be itching to ask for their opinion, but it’s better to wait until they finish playing. You’re free to do so afterward if your curiosity is strong enough.
Playing Blackjack Online
Online blackjack for beginners is a step forward from traditional casinos. The biggest perk you’re gaining is convenience. You can enter the game and leave it at any time without having to physically move. You eliminate the need to drive to the casino and spend many hours there to justify such a long trip. Especially with mobile devices, you have full casino functionality at the palm of your hand.
Also, learning how to play blackjack for beginners at home is significantly easier. You have plenty of online resources to refer back to. For example, if you have a losing streak, you can log off and study educational material available for free. You can open our guides on another browser tab and check the rules from time to time. The more prepared you are, the better your odds of winning will become.
Land-based casinos aren’t known for favorable odds, payouts, and house edges. Moving to the web versions ensures better conditions since they’re more diverse and have a bigger pool of players. Also, they have fewer expenses so they can offer better deals without it causing them financial trouble.
Online blackjack platforms are not that different from a regular set-up. Practically all the rules still apply, so if you’ve had some experience playing in a casino, it will also give you an advantage online. Because of the digital format, the processes will run more quickly. Even though professional dealers don’t take a lot of time to draw cards, the speed of an online game is unmatched.
The only downside is there is no possibility of card counting. If you take the time to learn how to count cards in blackjack for beginners, you will not be able to apply this knowledge in an online casino. Unless you’re an absolute genius, your attempts at card counting will be unsuccessful.
Useful Tips and Tricks
How do you win at blackjack as a beginner? Even if you use the right technique, your success often comes down to your mental attitude. We’ve gathered some tips for blackjack beginners that aren’t about the specific rules of the game. Instead, we want you to focus on how you behave:
- Accept your losses. No matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to always beat the casino. It’s statistically impossible to win every time, so you have to be prepared for that. The good news is that it’s statistically impossible for the house to always win as well.
- Study educational materials, but don’t psych yourself out. There are tons of resources with all kinds of techniques and strategies. Find a balance between applying professional advice and trusting your gut. At times, they will be contradicting each other so approach every bet on a case-by-case basis.
- Keep it entertaining. Obviously, it’s nice to gain profits along the way, but it shouldn’t be the only driving force for playing blackjack. People rarely make smart decisions out of desperation, and you will only hurt your chances of winning.
- Don’t rush. There is no pressure to act extremely fast. You should think over your decisions, assess all possibilities, and act only after that. This rule is especially easy to follow with online gaming when there are no other players putting pressure on you.
- Don’t drink too much. It’s normal to indulge yourself with a drink. But you can quickly lose your focus if you go overboard. As you’ve just learned, there are a lot of moves and combinations to keep in mind.
- Eliminate the distractions. Just like with drinking, you should pay close attention to what’s happening. Otherwise, it’s very easy to make devastating mistakes. If you’re in a land-based casino, don’t try to peak at what other people are doing at the table or over the bar. If you play online, make sure no one’s bothering you.
Why Blackjack Is One of the Best Casino Games
With either online or brick and mortar, blackjack remains a popular choice for many people. There are many reasons for why the game has remained a player favorite for so long. Let’s take a look at the top three:
- Blackjack is a quick game to get a hold of. The blackjack lessons for beginners are easy to understand. The main idea is also simple: you have to beat the dealer without going bust. Even though the game can become more complicated if you go into details, it doesn’t have to be. Even the most novice players have a great time.
- Blackjack is available for low stakes. The game is accessible for those of you who aren’t willing to spend a lot of money. It’s up to you to stay within $5 or $10 betting minimums betting limits or go further. You can still make a decent profit, but you also don’t risk blowing all your money.
- Blackjack changes with strategy. Players have an impressive level of control over the game. Depending on your skills, you can influence your outcomes and leverage the house edge in many different ways. Play at your own pace. As you pick up more refined techniques, slowly start implementing themt during the game.
Now that you know the basic rules of blackjack for beginners, it’s time to try your knowledge on Bob Casino. With our welcome bonus and an intuitive interface, your experience will undeniably be positive. Sign up and use the tricks you’ve just learned in practice.
Table Of Contents
This is everything you ever wanted to know about how to play Blackjack like a pro but were too ashamed to ask.
Bryce Carlson, Edward O. Thorp, Arnold Snyder, Russ Hamilton, Don Johnson.
If these names don't ring any bells, then you're probably here to pick a trick or two before your next beer-and-Blackjack session with the guys.
Though gambling is not necessarily your passion in life, you certainly deserve to see their baffled faces as you show them how to play Blackjack.
And who knows?
Maybe in time, you'll get to sit at the big shots' table and make some serious dough.
Do you want to play easy Blackjack game online? Visit this page and get an immediate bonus to play low stakes Blackjack games!
+18. Gamble responsibly. T&Cs apply.
Blackjack 101
Since this is a guide on demand – made especially for rookies without any real experience or proper Blackjack skills – I'll start by introducing the game.
Blackjack might not the easiest way to spend your free time, but it is a good choice when you play Casino games.
Personally, I think it's the best game on the Casino floor.
You can play Blackjack in that shiny new casino just around the corner or join millions of thrill-seekers who've replaced classic tables for online simulations.
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+18. Gamble responsibly.
Play NowOf course, you can always host a Blackjack party at your home - if your friends share your passion. Some Casinos chips and a few decks of French playing cards are all you need to get the game going.
Whatever your choice is, you'll need a solid knowledge the basics of Blackjack, of the rules, and of the best strategy to play and to increase your winning odds.
Which One Is the Spade Again?
Blackjack For Beginners Free
Like you can not learn a language before you studied its alphabet, you need to start from the basics if you really want to learn how to play Blackjack.
That's why this Blackjack guide starts from the A-B-C of the game.
I'm going to call this 'first lesson' How to Play Blackjack and What the Cards Mean.
This may be the last chance for you to clear any confusion surrounding card symbols and to finally learn to read them right.
Don't miss it.
Let's start from a classic deck of French cards because that's what you need to play Blackjack.
Yes, these are the same cards your grandfather use to play Slapjack, Crazy Eights, and Three-Card Poker.
In total, the deck features 52 cards divided into four different suits:
- Clubs (♧)
- Diamonds (♢)
- Hearts (♥)
- Spades (♤)
Spades and clubs are coloured in black while diamonds and hearts are coloured in red.
But since we are on PokerNews, I'm assuming you knew that already.
A traditional deck has 13 ranks and each suite has one card per each rank.
The first card is the ace (A), but it's not exactly the equivalent of a 1. In fact, this card can be the highest-ranking card of the deck.
The following ten cards form a string from two (2) to ten (10/T), while the last three are the Jack (J), Queen (Q), and King (K).
These last three cards are called the face cards.
Oh Wait, How Much Did I Just Score?
But 'I just want to learn how to play Blackjack', you say?
'I don't need you to remind me of my grandpa and his dusty old cards!'
I hear you, but be patient.
I'll get to that in less than a minute.
The reason I needed to dust off your grandfather's old deck of cards is that Blackjack has some restrictions when it comes to using suits.
In fact, suits are of value only in some variants of this game.
Since this is a Blackjack for dummies guide, you are free to ignore them now.
What's Really Important Here Is Getting to Know Your Ranks.
Since there are four suits, and each suit has one card of each rank, the math says that there are only four cards of each rank in the deck, right?
Scoring in Blackjack depends on the ranks a player holds in his or her hand, and his or her ability to count them according to the rules:
- Each ace is worth either 1 or 11 points.
- For all cards that belong to the two-to-ten string, the rule is the same – their rank equals their point value. If you hold a 5, for example, you hold exactly 5 points.
- Every face card, be it a Jack, a Queen, or a King, is worth 10 points.
So - let's see now how much did you just score.
Translate the ranks of cards you hold to their point value and add it all up.
That's really as easy as that. Your score in Blackjack is the sum of the value of your cards - not one point less than that.
And Now for the Easy Blackjack Rules (Finally).
When you play a game of Blackjack, you always play against the dealer.
Don't think about the other players at the table. Regardless of how many of you sit to play at the same time, there are always only two hands in play – the player's hand versus the dealer's hand.
And the winning hand in Blackjack is, you guessed it, the higher hand. Which, if you are lucky enough to get it, is also the one that gives its name to the game: a Blackjack.
A Blackjack is a hand 2-card hand that totals 21 points.
This is not an easy one to get, be sure of that. But it is also the one you'll be always hoping to receive. Every. Single. Time. You play.
But What about the Losing Hand?
The losing hand, the dead hand, or the bust, is every hand with a total sum of 22 or higher.
That's because as soon as you geo over the 21-point limit, you are out of the game. Regardless of the dealer's score.
Unfortunately, that's not the only losing hand in Blackjack. Because each hand that is one point short compared to the dealer's score…it's a losing one.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how to play Blackjack for dummies.
Blackjack 102
Your typical casino Blackjack table has enough space for seven players plus a dealer and includes the following phrases and/or signs:
- Blackjack plays x to y
- Dealer must draw to 16 and stand on all 17s
- Pays 2 to 1
- The table limits (min / max bet allowed)
Beginners Guide To Blackjack
What's That Nonsense on the Table?
Remember how a Blackjack – which is a hand with 2 cards that total 21, and is higher than the dealer's – automatically wins the game?
Well, that's almost true.
If the dealer also holds a 21, then the result is a so-called Push, meaning that your initial bet is returned to you and you neither win nor lose.
Blackjack pays 3 to 2, or in some Casinos, Blackjack pays 6 to 5, refers to payoffs and odds.
If you win against the dealer's hand, your initial bet is paid off 3 to 2, or in some casinos, 6 to 5.
With Insurances pays 2 to 1, you're offered to put an additional bet on whether or not your dealer will get a Blackjack.
Your hand can lose against the dealer's hand, but then you might cover your lost bet with a win on an insurance bet. Word to the wise, you can drop them both.
$5 minimum, $500 maximum is simply a reminder of the smallest and the largest amount of money you can put on the table.
A good guide on how to play Blackjack online should always direct you to play your first games on websites where the minimum bet is small enough to be beginner-friendly.
That's why I want to give you two choices:
- You can use these demo games to practice Blackjack online
- Or you can play cheap Blackjack games here
Should I Hit or Should I Stand?
Blackjack begins after all players have exchanged their money for chips and placed them on the designated spot on the table as their bets.
The dealer then deals the cards – two of them for each player, including himself.
The cards can be dealt either face down or face up, apart from the dealer's own two cards, of which one is always dealt face up and another face down.
The dealer then peaks to check if he's been dealt a Blackjack.
Poker Instructions For Beginners
If not, the players are invited to hit or stand, though there are three more options to choose from – splitting, doubling down, or surrendering.
How you play your hand depends on the cards both you and the dealer have.
When you go for hitting, you're dealt one additional card.
If you choose to stand instead, you're keeping the cards you have.
To qualify for splitting, you need to have two cards of the same rank.
You'll receive two cards more, one for each of the cards you've originally been dealt, pay a side bet, and then start playing with two independent hands.
Both their bets and their payoffs are independent too.
When you double down, you need to place an additional bet, after which you'll receive one card more to add to your original hand.
Blackjack Rules For Beginners
The rules for surrendering vary from one casino to another, in a sense that some offer an early surrender option – to drop out of the hand before the dealer checks his cards for a Blackjack – and others a later surrender option, in which you must wait until after he's done that.
Either way, you agree to give up a half of the bet and are free to walk away with the rest.
How Do I Choose to Play a Hand?
The basic Blackjack strategy for beginners relies on knowing how to discern a hard hand from a soft one. The simplest way? Look for the aces!
If there's no an ace in it, or if that ace counts not as 11, but as 1, then you've got yourself a hard one, and you don't have much wiggle room.
Hard hands cannot count on aces to lower the total down and can be dangerously close to surpassing the limit of 22, which automatically makes them bust. Hitting is here quite a risk.
In a soft hand, however, you can count an ace either as a 1 or 11. It means that if another card is, say, a 9, you have either a total of 10, which makes you eligible for hitting or a total of 20, which could make your hand a bust if you choose to hit and receive anything but another ace.
But wait, there's more.
All this would be of little value if you were to leave without these Blackjack tips for beginners:
Always check the dealer's face up card before you take action.
If it's anything between 2 and 6, there's a good chance the dealer's hand will go bust, so don't take unnecessary risks. If it's 7 through ace, take your chances and play the hand aggressively.
Skip placing the side bet for insurance pays 2 to 1.
Experts calculate that this bet gives the house the advantage of almost 6% over the player. It's dumb because even if you score a Blackjack, your hand will pay off only the original bet.
Be smart enough to take your time and don't get burned.
The dealer might be rushing, so avoid the first base chair. Also, start small and give yourself a moment to assess the situation. Blackjack is only fun if you know how and when to move on.
Oh, and take a primer from a Blackjack expert.
When asked how to play Blackjack for beginners, gambling expert John Marchell spilt the following pearls of wisdom:
'When your hand is 12-16 and the dealer shows 2-6, stand. In the same situation, hit only if the dealer has 7-ace. Always split aces and 8s and double 11 versus the dealer's 2-10, and hit or double aces-6.
Also, blow off the guy who claims to be a Blackjack expert.'
That's how Bryce Carlson, Edward O. Thorp, Arnold Snyder, Russ Hamilton, and Don Johnson began counting their cards, after all.
Memorize this, try it on your friends, and stop if you're losing.
And though it won't save you if you're bad at math, we wish you good luck.
Where Can I Practice Blackjack Online?
Now, to the million dollar question:
what's the best online Blackjack site for a beginner?
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