Blackjack is a game of strategy that pits the player against the dealer. Many people believe that blackjack is a game of pure luck but, when played with skill, the odds can be in your favor. The objective of the game is to beat the dealer by obtaining a hand value that is higher than theirs without going over 21. There are a variety of different ways to accomplish this goal but the basic rule is to get closer to 21 than the dealer.
The game is typically played on a semicircular table that can accommodate varying numbers of players. Generally, the game will seat five to seven players (or 7 “spots”). During play, the dealer stands behind the table and chips rack while the players sit on one side of the table facing away from him. The cards are dealt face up.
Each player is given two cards and must decide whether to hit, stay or split. To hit, the player must place a bet equal to half their original wager on the table. In most cases, the dealer will advise you to stay if your first two cards have a combined total of 16 or less.
To stay, the player must then hope that the next card will be a better fit for their current hand and help them get closer to 21. In most variations, the ace can count as either 1 or 11, and the cards 2 through 10 are valued at their face value. The jacks, queens and kings are all worth ten points.
There are a few situations where a blackjack game may deviate from the rules set out above. For example, some casinos offer an insurance bet that allows players to protect half of their initial bet against the dealer’s ace. This side bet is not available in every casino or on every blackjack table and can reduce the house edge by up to 0.5 percent.
Lastly, some blackjack games will allow players to surrender their hand. This is a great option for players who believe that their hand is inferior to the dealer’s. When a player surrenders, they will reclaim half of their original bet and the round is over. This can save you from losing a significant amount of money if your original bet was high.