How to Play Blackjack
The goal
You are playing against the dealer, not the other players. You win by getting a hand closer to 21 than the dealer's without going over. Go over 21 and you bust, and you lose right away, even if the dealer would have busted later.
Card values
- Cards 2 through 10 count as their number.
- Jacks, queens and kings count as 10.
- An ace counts as 1 or 11, whichever helps your hand more.
A hand with an ace counted as 11 is soft, because you can take another card without busting. A,6 is soft 17. A hand without an ace, or where every ace must count as 1, is hard.
The deal
You place a bet, and then you and the dealer each get two cards. Both of your cards are usually face up in a shoe game. The dealer shows one card, the up card, and keeps the other face down, the hole card.
If the dealer's up card is an ace or a ten, the dealer checks the hole card for blackjack (this is called a peek). If the dealer has it, the hand ends immediately.
Your choices
Hit
Take another card. You can keep hitting until you stand or bust.
Stand
Take no more cards and end your turn.
Double down
Double your bet, take exactly one more card, and stop. Most tables let you double on any first two cards. Some limit it to totals of 9 through 11, or 10 and 11. Doubling gets more money on the table in the spots where you have the edge.
Split
If your first two cards have the same value, you can split them into two hands. You place a second bet equal to the first, and play each hand separately. Rules vary on how many times you can resplit and whether you can double after splitting (see double after split). Split aces usually get one card each.
Surrender
Some tables let you give up half your bet and end the hand. It is useful on a few bad hands, mainly 16 against a 10. Many tables do not offer it. See surrender.
Insurance
When the dealer shows an ace, you may place a side bet of up to half your bet that the dealer has blackjack. It pays 2 to 1. It is a poor bet for most players. See should you take insurance.
Dealer rules
The dealer has no choices. The dealer must hit any total of 16 or less and must stand on 17 or more. The one exception is soft 17. At some tables the dealer hits it, and at others the dealer stands. That small rule matters, as this page explains.
Payouts
- A normal win pays 1 to 1: bet $10, win $10.
- A natural blackjack (an ace and a ten-value card on the first two cards) pays 3 to 2: bet $10, win $15. Some tables pay 6 to 5 instead, which is much worse. See 6:5 vs 3:2.
- A tie is a push, and you keep your bet.
- If both you and the dealer have blackjack, it is a push.
A blackjack comes about once every 21 hands (4.8% of the time), so do not expect them often.
A sample hand
You bet $10 and get 10 and 6, a hard 16. The dealer shows a 10. You are in the toughest spot in the game. Hitting busts about 62% of the time, but the basic strategy move is still to hit (or surrender if allowed), because standing loses more over the long run. You draw a 4 for 20 and stand. The dealer turns over 10 and 8 for 18. You win $10.
Hand signals
Casinos record the tables on camera, so the dealer wants you to use hand signals as well as speaking.
- Hit: in a shoe game, tap or scratch the table next to your cards. In a hand-held game, scratch the cards on the felt lightly.
- Stand: wave your hand flat over your cards. In a hand-held game, slide the cards under your bet.
- Double: place a second bet beside your first and point with one finger.
- Split: place a second bet beside your first and show two fingers in a V shape.
Table etiquette
- Do not touch your cards in a face-up shoe game.
- Do not touch your chips after the cards are dealt, except to double or split.
- Buy in by putting cash on the felt and let the dealer exchange it. Do not hand it to the dealer.
- Do not tell other players how to play. A bad hand by someone else does not change your cards.
- Tip the dealer if you choose to; it is a custom, not a rule.
Next steps
Now that you know the rules, learn the right plays with basic strategy and practice them in the trainer. If you ever play for real money, read the responsible gambling page first.
Common questions
Is blackjack hard to learn?
The rules take about ten minutes. Playing well takes practice, because you need to memorize the right play for each hand.
Can I win every hand with a good strategy?
No. Even perfect play wins less than half the hands. It just loses less over time.
Why does the dealer have an advantage?
You have to act first, so you can bust before the dealer plays. That is the main source of the house edge.
Do I need to count cards?
No. Basic strategy is the base. Card counting is an optional extra, and it is hard to use in practice.