Blackjack rules

The play

Usually the Blackjack table seats about six players with the dealer standing opposite the players. Six or eight packs of cards are used. The dealer shuffles them and he places them in a special box called a “Shoe” and he deals them from this shoe.

In front of each player is a marked square and before he or she can play they have to place a wager in that square. The player is then dealt two cards, face up. The dealer gets one card face down and one card face up. The dealer then offers each player in turn more cards. The player has to accumulate cards as close to 21 and so has to decide when he has enough cards. As soon as the total exceeds 21 that player is bust. Each player has a turn and those who have stayed without busting now wait for the dealer to play. The dealer turns up the card that was face down. The rule is that the dealer must stay on 17 or higher. On a count of 16 or lower the dealer must draw another card.

A player with a higher count than the dealer wins an amount equivalent to the bet placed. Players whose total is lower than that of the dealer lose their bet. If the dealer’s total goes over 21and so busts, the remaining players win. Of course if a player has drawn a blackjack it was an automatic win unless the dealer has matched it in which case it is a tie and the bet is returned.

Players have other betting options open to them that they can take advantage of in the course of play. They are, Insurance, surrender, double down, even money and Split. These are described below: