How to play blackjack: the rules
Blackjack is you against the dealer. You win by finishing closer to 21 than the dealer without going over, or when the dealer goes over. Number cards count their value, face cards count 10, and an ace counts 1 or 11, whichever helps.
What each card is worth
| Card | Value |
|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | Their number |
| J, Q, K | 10 |
| Ace | 1 or 11 |
Suits don’t matter. A hand with an ace counted as 11 is called soft, because it can’t bust on the next card: A-6 is a soft 17, and if you draw a 9, the ace drops to 1 and you have 16. Any other hand is hard.
How a round goes
- Place your bet before the cards come out.
- You get two cards face up. The dealer gets two, one face up (the up card) and one face down (the hole card).
- If you have a blackjack, an ace plus a 10-value card in your first two cards, you’re paid at once, unless the dealer has one too.
- You play your hand: take cards until you stand or bust. Going over 21 loses at once, even if the dealer busts later.
- The dealer turns over the hole card and plays by fixed rules.
- Higher total wins. A tie is a push, and you keep your bet.
Your options
| Move | What it does |
|---|---|
| Hit | Take another card. You can keep hitting until you stand or bust. |
| Stand | Keep your total and end your turn. |
| Double down | Double your bet and take exactly one more card. |
| Split | With two cards of the same value, make two hands, with a second bet equal to the first. |
| Surrender | Give up your hand and get half your bet back. Only on your first two cards, and not at every table. |
| Insurance | A side bet of half your bet, offered when the dealer shows an ace. It pays 2 to 1 if the dealer has blackjack. |
Which move is right depends on your hand and the dealer’s up card. That’s what basic strategy tells you, and the trainer in our game checks every decision against it.
How the dealer plays
The dealer has no choices: hit on 16 or less, stand on 17 or more. The one difference between tables is soft 17. Most say on the felt whether the dealer hits or stands on it, and hitting is better for the casino.
What pays
| Result | Pays |
|---|---|
| You win | 1 to 1 |
| Blackjack | 3 to 2 (a bet of 10 wins 15) |
| Tie (push) | Your bet comes back |
| Insurance, if the dealer has blackjack | 2 to 1 |
A blackjack beats a 21 made with three or more cards. Two cards totalling 21 after a split count as a normal 21, not a blackjack.
Rules that change your odds
Tables look the same but don’t cost the same. These are exact house edges with basic strategy, with 6 decks.
| Table | House edge | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Blackjack 3:2, dealer hits soft 17, double after split, late surrender | 0.53% | – |
| Blackjack pays 6:5 | 1.89% | +1.36% |
| No surrender | 0.62% | +0.09% |
| No double after split | 0.67% | +0.14% |
| Dealer stands on soft 17 | 0.33% | -0.20% |
The 6:5 tables are the ones to walk away from: they pay less for the same blackjack, and nothing else about them makes up for it.
Words you’ll hear
- Bust: going over 21. You lose your bet right away.
- Push: a tie. Your bet comes back.
- Up card and hole card: the dealer’s face-up and face-down cards.
- Shoe: the box that holds the decks, usually 6 or 8.
- Peek: the dealer checks for a blackjack before you play, so you don’t add money to a hand that’s already lost.
Where to go next
Once the rules make sense, basic strategy is the next step. It’s the difference between the low house edge above and losing several times as much by guessing.
Basic strategy charts · House edge calculator · Should you take insurance? · More questions · How blackjack compares with other games