Cameo Casino Games - Blackjack - how to play blackjack

Blackjack

Learning how to play this exciting casino game is simple and the basics of it can be picked-up quickly by all types of casino game players. It is precisely this games simple play that makes it the most popular table game at online casinos today.

In this casino game, players are playing against the dealer, not each other. This makes the game a bit more social and fun to play at casinos. Also, players are able to guide their hand’s destiny by using skill. There are not too many other casino games out there that provide players to make meaningful decisions during game-play that actually change the outcome of their bets. These decisions are easy, too.

To play this game well, you will want to understand the basic strategy that is utilized by blackjack players.

How Blackjack is Played

A typical game of blackjack offers space for anywhere between 5-7 players. The table layout is simple and one of the easiest to get to know when it comes to table games. Because of card counting, most blackjack games are dealt using multiple decks.

After you choose a blackjack game to play, you will be able to get in on the action at the beginning of the very next hand. This game moves pretty quickly so you will not be waiting long. After the last hand is complete, you will be prompted to place your bet. Each table has a minimum and a maximum bet. Be sure you are playing at a table that you can afford to play at. After all player bets are placed, the dealer will quickly deal each player a card faced-down – including himself. Right after that, another card will be dealt to each player faced-down. The dealer’s second card will be faced-up for all to see. Now, each player has a total of two cards.

Card values are simple. Face cards are all valued at 10. Aces can be used as a 1 or 11. All other cards are worth their face value. For example, a 3 is worth 3, a 10 is worth 10, and a jack is worth 10. The object of this game is to obtain a hand closest to the value of 21 or exactly 21 without going over 21.

At this point, players decide whether they want additional cards based on the value of the first two they are holding. For example, if your two cards are valued at 20, you would stay, believing that your hand was as close to 21 as it would probably get without going over 21. The odds of you getting an ace dealt to you next (to get a perfect 21) would be slim, so you would want to stick with what you have here. Now, this game is pretty simple, but you will have to make decisions that will cause different outcomes in your final hand. You will simply make these decisions based on what the dealer’s revealed card is and your own hand’s value -not the other player’s hands because you are not playing against them – just against the dealer. Keep in mind that you will see other player’s hands and you may want to make decisions about your hand and whether to take additional cards based on what you see going on with the other player’s cards. Do not get caught up in the ideology that just because the player before you received a face card and busted that you will too. Stick to the basic blackjack strategy of when to hit, stand, double-down and split (see below). This will give you a better chance to come out on top when playing blackjack.

Hitting and Standing

Once you have totaled your initial two cards, you will either decide to take another card (hit) or stand with what you have. You are allowed to take as many additional cards as you want, providing that you do not go over 21.

Doubling Down

This is the option to double your initial wager in a potentially advantageous situation. For example, a good time to double down would be if you were holding a soft hand valued at anywhere between 13-18 and the dealer’s upcard is a 5 or 6.

Splitting

If your initial two cards are a pair, you have the option to split them into two new independent hands. If you chose to split your pair, you will need to put up another bet equivalent to the first one. Then, the dealer will deal another card to the first hand, resolve the hand with you, and repeat the same thing again with the second card. There are obviously times when it is and isn’t a good idea to split your pair. For example, you would never want to split 10s, 4s, or 5s, but you would always want to split aces and 8s. If the dealer’s upcard happens to be a 6 or less, you will want to also split all other pairs.

There you have it. This is the very basic coverage on how blackjack is played at online and land casinos alike.

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