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Roaring 21
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Blackjack is the easiest casino game to learn well enough to play competently, and the hardest to learn well enough to actually beat. The goal of this page is to get you to that first bar — competent play — in one focused read. Everything you need is here: how cards are valued, what each player option does, when to use it, and the handful of beginner rules that prevent the most expensive mistakes.
If you are brand new, start at the top and read through once. If you already know the basics, the section links below let you skip straight to what you need. For the longer historical background see our page on the history and origins of blackjack. Our page for first-time blackjack players covers the casino-floor etiquette you will not find in a rulebook, and how to play blackjack at home covers the home-game version of the rules.
Browse the explore blackjack index for related topics, or the online blackjack hub for where and how we evaluate games.
Click below to jump to the corresponding section
Blackjack Game Basics
The object of the game of blackjack is simple and straightforward: as a player you want to get cards totaling 21, or as close to 21 as possible without going over. In order to win, the total of your cards must be higher than the total of the cards held by your opponent. In blackjack your opponent is always the house, who is represented by the dealer.
No matter how many other players are sitting at the table, the dealer is the only one who must be beaten in order for you to win a hand and collect a winning bet. There can be multiple winners and losers on each hand dealt at the blackjack table because each player is competing against the house. Originally, blackjack was played with a single deck of cards. This is almost never the case nowadays. A minimum of two decks are used in most casinos, and more commonly you will find games which use six to eight decks. The decks are shuffled together and placed in a shoe.
A shoe is a plastic tray which sits to the left of the dealer. The shoe was introduced to increase the house’s edge over the player and to discourage card counting. While there are many systems available which propose to teach card counting for today’s blackjack player, the best advice is to forget it. Not only is it extremely difficult to maintain an accurate count into a six- or eight-deck shoe, the penalties for getting caught far outweigh the potential returns.
Stick to basic strategy and focus on making the right play on every hand instead of trying to count cards. Players who want a fuller breakdown of every chart decision can study our blackjack basic strategy page, and once the numbers are second nature, the blackjack rules page is worth a revisit to pick up rule-variant nuances.
Blackjack Card Values
Each playing card used in blackjack is assigned a specific numeric value. Cards numbered from 2 through 9 are assigned face value. All 10s and face cards—jack, queen, and king—have a value of 10. An ace is the only card in blackjack which has two possible values. It can be counted as either 1 or 11.
These totals are important to remember because they ultimately make up the value of your hand. Let’s look at an example. To begin the game you are dealt a King of Spades and the Six of Hearts. The total of your hand at this point is 16. In blackjack, suits do not matter.
The Eight of Hearts has the same value as the Eight of Spades. Both count as 8 toward your total. Because aces are assigned two possible values, hands which contain an ace but do not form a blackjack are referred to as “soft” hands. For example, an ace and a 6 is a soft 17. Players can attempt to improve these hands by taking an additional card without the fear of exceeding 21. A hand which does not contain an ace is referred to as a “hard” hand.
A hard 17 would be a 10 and a 7.
Some Information About the Ace Playing Card
The term ace originated in dice games, where it referred to the side with only one dot. In early card gambling, the ace was the lowest value and usually a bad draw. In fact, the term was long used to mean bad luck in Europe. A few games as far back as the 16th century featured high aces, but it would not become a common practice until the 18th century.
The same French Revolution that drove the game 21 to America also changed the way the ace was perceived in games. Suddenly, it was politically incorrect to have the royal cards at the top of the deck, especially after the French king lost his head. To remedy this, French gamblers brought the lowly ace, a symbol of the common man, to the highest value.
At the same time, the royal face cards were stripped of their crowns and reduced to personified representations of ideals such as liberty and democracy. The arrival of Napoleon would restore the monarchy, but the ace kept its new status.
Today, the ace is one of the most important cards in a blackjack hand due to its ability to change between 1 and 11 as needed. The only way to win a natural blackjack, and by extension a higher payoff, is to have an ace as part of the hand. At the same time, an ace that might otherwise have contributed to a bust can be brought down to a 1 and possibly save the gambler from an expensive loss.
What Does “Blackjack” or “Natural” Mean?
A blackjack or “natural” occurs whenever the value of the initial two cards received by the player or dealer totals 21. In order for this to happen, one card must be an ace and the other must be a 10-value card (10, jack, queen, or king of any suit). It is possible to make a total of 21 with more than two cards, but a natural blackjack is always comprised of the initial two cards received in a hand of play.
Whenever a player or the dealer receives a blackjack, the hand is won without further play. If you receive a blackjack there is no need to do anything further with your hand; the dealer will pay your winning bet and collect the cards. If the dealer has blackjack, everyone at the table loses and a new hand is begun.
The exception to this is when both a player and the dealer have blackjack. In this case the hand is a push, or tie. No win, no loss.
Getting a blackjack is rare but very favorable. Instead of collecting even money on your initial bet, a blackjack will yield a return of 3:2. If your initial bet was $10, you’ll be paid $15 for a winning blackjack.
Selecting a Blackjack Table to Play At
First, let’s talk about how a blackjack table is laid out. The dealer stands behind the table, which is a semi-circle, and faces the players. There are multiple seats at each table. In most cases the maximum number of players at a table is six, but some tables provide space for as many as seven players.
Each table has a minimum bet which will be posted on a placard that is visible to everyone. The minimum bet is the smallest bet a player can make in order to receive cards in a round of play. Blackjack tables can have minimum bets which range from as little as $1 to $500 or more.
The primary consideration when selecting a table is the amount of funds the player has available to play with. This playing capital, or bankroll, will help determine the appropriate level at which to play. As a general rule, you should have at least 50 times the minimum bet in wagering capital in order to give yourself a good chance for success.
Online Blackjack Table Selection
If you’re playing blackjack in an online casino, the table selection process is a little different. Many online casinos have a virtual lobby which lists the tables available and the minimum bet required to play at each. When you have found a table with the minimum bet that suits your bankroll, you simply highlight it and click.
In online blackjack play it is also common to play head-to-head against the dealer. In other words, you will not observe other players at the table. The only people present will be you and the dealer.
This may be interesting: what to do when the blackjack table limit goes up.
Where to Sit at a Live Blackjack Table
In a live blackjack game the seat to the immediate left of the dealer is known as first base and this player is the first to receive cards in a round of play. At the opposite end of the table, just to the immediate right of the dealer, is the seat known as third base. This player will receive cards and act last of all the players in a hand.
The advantage of sitting in the third-base seat is that you see all of the decisions made by other players before acting on your hand. By the same token, sitting in the first-base seat means you will act first without the benefit of seeing which cards come out of the shoe as the remaining players act on their hand.
Buying Blackjack Chips at the Casino
Once you have selected a table and sat down to play, it is time to purchase the casino chips which are used in the game. To purchase chips in a live game, place your money on the table before you. When the dealer completes the game in progress, they will count it in full view of everyone at the table and exchange it for chips.
Chips at the blackjack table come in a variety of colors which can vary from casino to casino, but the most common colors are as follows:
Buying Chips Online
In online play, the process of buying chips is a little different. You will have already funded your account before selecting a table. Once you select the table you will most often be prompted to enter the amount of your funds which you want to put in play for this game.
How Are Cards Dealt in Blackjack?
Once all players who wish to receive cards have posted at least the minimum bet, the dealer begins to deal the cards and a new game begins.
In games which involve multiple decks, the dealer begins by dealing one card face-up to the player on the immediate left and continues around the table. The last card to be dealt in this first round goes to the dealer and is also dealt face-up. Next, the dealer deals a second face-up card to the players in the same order. The final card of this second round goes to the dealer face-down and is referred to as the dealer’s hole card.
Blackjack Player Options
If a player does not have blackjack, there are several options available:
Stand. A player who stands on the first two cards is indicating that they feel they have a total higher than the dealer. To indicate that you wish to stand, wave your hand across the top of your cards. Read more about hit or stand.
Hit. This means that the player wishes to improve the total by taking another card. The dealer will deal the player an additional face-up card. If the new total is over 21, the player has gone bust. Find out more about hit or stand in blackjack.
Double down. Rules for doubling down vary from casino to casino. Some casinos permit the player to double down on any two cards while others only allow it when the player holds a total of 9, 10, or 11. The player places chips equal to the original bet next to the original wager and receives one additional card only.
Split. You may split any pair of cards you were originally dealt. For example, if you received two 8s, by placing an amount of chips equal to your original bet on the table these 8s can be split into two separate hands. Find out more about splitting aces and eights.
Insurance. If the dealer has an ace as the up-card, you will be offered insurance. Before the dealer peeks at the hole card, you can place a side bet equal to half of your original wager. If the dealer has blackjack, insurance pays 2:1 while your main bet loses. If the dealer does not have blackjack, the insurance bet is lost and the hand continues normally.
Every serious analysis of blackjack reaches the same conclusion: insurance is a losing bet for anyone who is not counting cards. The correct play for a non-counter is to decline insurance every time, including on a natural. Read more about insurance in blackjack.
Surrender. Some casinos will allow you to surrender your hand. If the dealer does not have blackjack, you can forfeit half of your original bet and the hand is over. Read more about surrender in blackjack.
Blackjack Dealer Options
After all players have acted on their hands, the dealer turns over the hole card and reveals the total of the hand.
When the total of the dealer’s cards equals 16 or less, the dealer must take an additional card. When the total equals 17 or above, the dealer must stand. In some casinos the dealer is required to hit a soft 17. This rule is very unfavorable to the player and should generally be avoided.
Cashing Out Winnings at the Casino
A player can choose at any time not to begin a new hand and leave the blackjack table with the balance of the chips. The dealer may ask the player if they wish to color up the chips. This means converting smaller-value chips into higher denominations before heading to the cashier.
Cashing out online: leaving a game of blackjack online with your winnings is simple. Locate the button which says “Leave Game” and click it. You’ll be returned to the casino lobby and the balance of your chips will be added back to your account.
3 Simple Blackjack Rules to Remember
- Don’t split tens. Two ten-value cards gives you a total of 20, the second-best hand you can have at the blackjack table. Splitting them is a losing proposition.
- Always split aces and 8s. Splitting aces gives you a chance to make a blackjack on each of the new hands. Eights should be split because their total is 16, one of the weakest hands in blackjack.
- Always double down on 11. There are more ten-value cards than any other card in the deck, and the odds of improving strongly are favorable.
How to Start Playing Blackjack Today — the 5-Minute Quick Start
- Find a table that pays 3:2 on blackjack. If the felt says “Blackjack pays 6 to 5,” walk to the next table.
- Buy in for at least 20 times the minimum bet. A $10 table needs around $200 in front of you to absorb the natural swings of the game.
- Bet one unit per hand until the flow of the game feels automatic.
- Print a basic-strategy chart and keep it next to your chips.
- Decide your stop-loss and stop-win before you sit down, then honor them.
Blackjack Glossary: Common Terms
Blackjack – the best possible two-card hand in blackjack, made up of an ace and a 10-value card.
Bust – having a hand which totals over 21.
Double Down – doubling the original wager after seeing the first two cards and receiving one additional card only.
Even Money – taking insurance on your own blackjack when the dealer shows an ace, guaranteeing a 1:1 payoff instead of risking a push.
First Base – the seat immediately to the dealer’s left.
Hard Hand – a hand that does not contain an ace counted as 11.
Hit – taking an additional card.
Hole Card – the dealer’s face-down card.
Insurance – a side bet equal to half of the player’s original bet when the dealer shows an ace.
Push – a tie between dealer and player.
Shoe – the tray containing multiple decks of cards.
Soft Hand – a hand containing an ace counted as 11.
Split – dividing a pair into two separate hands.
Stand – choosing not to take another card.
Surrender – forfeiting half the original wager and ending the hand.
Third Base – the seat immediately to the dealer’s right.
Up-Card – the dealer’s visible card.
Blackjack FAQ
Is blackjack easy to learn?
Yes. The basic rules are easy to learn in one session. Playing well takes practice, but beginners can improve quickly by using a basic strategy chart.
What is the best blackjack table for beginners?
A table with a low minimum bet, a 3:2 blackjack payout, and clear posted rules is usually the best place to start. Avoid 6:5 tables if possible.
Do I need to memorize basic strategy before playing?
No. You can start by using a strategy chart while you learn. Many players memorize it over time through practice.
Should beginners take insurance in blackjack?
Usually no. Insurance is generally a poor bet for non-counters and is one of the most common beginner mistakes.
Can I learn blackjack online before going to a casino?
Yes. Free games and live dealer tables are good practice tools, especially if you want to get comfortable with the flow of the game before playing in person.
Related Topics
These guides go deeper on nearby ideas:
- How to Win at Blackjack
- Online Blackjack Reviews
- Understanding Blackjack Rules and Blackjack Card Values
- Advantage Play in Blackjack
- Gambling Superstitions & Blackjack
Use what you read here as a study guide, then validate ideas at low stakes with clear session limits.
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