How to play Blackjack – Blackjack Game Rules

Although blackjack is a well-liked game in every country, not everyone knows how to play it. To win real money and have fun, you must learn how to play blackjack. There are several rules in blackjack, but the most important ones to remember are when to hit, stand, double down, split, surrender, and when cards can be dealt and drawn.

Blackjack Cards

Many people find winning to be rather difficult as they think that they must have a hand thatā€™s closest to 21. In reality, the objective is to have a hand closest to 21 without going over it. Some people continue hitting to try and get 21, but they fail to realize that they can still win with a low-value hand by waiting for the dealer to bust.

With the 6D Blackjack guide for playing online, you’ll learn all of the hints, methods, and approaches to begin winning real money right away.

Understand the basics of blackjack

The goal to win in blackjack is to beat the dealerā€™s hand. The player must not go over 21 or else they bust. The dealer draws both the playersā€™ hand and the dealerā€™s hand and players can decide whether to draw more cards or to stop. While this may seem simple enough, players must keep several game rules in mind to learn how to play and avoid confusion when gambling for real money.

Blackjack Table Game

Blackjack Card Values

  • Aces count either as 1 or 11.
  • Cards from 2 to 10 count as their numerical values.
  • Face cards or the Jack, Queen, and King count as 10.

Soft Hands vs Hard Hands 

Because aces can count either as 1 or 11, gamblers have a chance of having a soft or hard hand.

A soft hand consists of an ace and another card and the handā€™s value will depend on the value of the next card dealt. Below are examples of soft hands:

ā—‰ Ace and 2 = Soft 13

ā—‰ Ace and 3 = Soft 14

A hard hand, on the other hand, does not consist of an ace or counts the ace as 1. This means that a soft hand can become a hard hand once the aceā€™s value is 1. Below are examples of hard hands, including soft hands converted to hard hands:

ā—‰ 5 and 6 = Hard 11

ā—‰ 6 and 6 = Hard 12

ā—‰ Ace, 2, and 10 = Hard 13

ā—‰ Ace, 3, and Jack = Hard 14

When the player is dealt two aces, they can treat the handā€™s value as a hard 2 or hard 12. According to the basic strategy, two aces must always be split, which weā€™ll talk about more later.

How to Play Online Blackjack Step by Step

To know how you can actually get started playing blackjack, weā€™ve broken down the steps youā€™ll have to take after registering in an online casino or walking into a traditional one.

Basic Blackjack table

1. Join a Table

Casinos typically have multiple blackjack tables available. Most of these tables have a limited capacity, so youā€™ll need to look for a table with free space. Some gaming providers have a different version of blackjack with no limit to the number of players.

Immediately after joining a table, you can immediately place a bet before the cards are dealt.

2. Hit or Stand

After joining a table and a round starts, the dealer will deal with both the dealer’s and player’s hands. Players will usually be given two options to choose from, whether to hit or stand. When hitting, the player receives another card until they stand or go bust. When standing, the player isnā€™t dealt any more cards.

In certain cases, players can have the following other options:

  • Double Down
  • Split
  • Surrender

3. Check Your Hand

Once you and the other players decide what to do with their cards, youā€™ll see how your handā€™s value can change or not. If you stand on a Soft 18, your hand will remain as a Soft 18. If you hit on a Soft 18 and receive a 4, then youā€™ll have a Hard 11.

4. Dealer Cards Reveal

After all, players have decided to stand or have gone bust, the dealer will then reveal their cards. The dealer will continue drawing cards until they have 16 or more.

Note: If the dealer has a 10, they can check for blackjack if they drew a hole card even before the players can hit or stand.

5. Whoever is closer to 21 will win

After all, the cards are revealed, the cardsā€™ values are then compared. The game can go the following ways depending on the final hands:

  • If the player has blackjack and the dealer doesnā€™t have blackjack, the player automatically wins.
  • If the dealer has blackjack and the player doesnā€™t have blackjack, the player automatically loses.
  • If both the player and the dealer have blackjack, then the round ends in a push.
  • If neither the player nor the dealer has blackjack, each player plays out their hands one at a time.

The rules above apply only to one player, and other players will play out their hands separately. So if you get a 21 and the dealer gets a 20 but another player gets an 18, you win money while the other loses money.

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Basic Blackjack Rules

Once a player has a seat at a blackjack table, they must place a bet before they are dealt cards. Once the playersā€™ upcards are drawn, players can then hit, stand, double down, split, and surrender, depending on the cards they have.

You can follow a basic strategy chart to guide how youā€™ll play, but itā€™s still important to know the rules of each play. Sometimes doubling down is not allowed and doubling down after splitting or DAS is not allowed, so itā€™s important to know when players can make such plays.

HIT

Hitting is a default option for players as long as they do not have a blackjack. Players can continue hitting to get more cards until they get blackjack or bust.

STAND

Standing is a default option for players as long as they do not have a blackjack. Players can stand immediately or after hitting. Players must know when to stand after hitting to avoid a bust.

DOUBLE DOWN

Doubling down is an option for players to double their bet mid-hand. The player receives one card after and automatically stands. Not all casinos allow people to double down, so itā€™s important to know if a particular casino, gaming provider, or table allows players to double down.

SPLIT

Splitting is an option to turn a hand of two cards into two separate cards to have an extra chance to beat the dealer. This is only applicable when the player has two cards of equal value.

Advanced Betting Options

Apart from the basic betting options, players can also make more advanced plays using side bets and certain strategies.

Blackjack Betting Option

Surrendering

Surrendering is an option to surrender half a playerā€™s bet if they donā€™t like their hand. Not all casinos allow players to surrender.

Casinos typically use the following rules for surrendering:

  • Early Surrender ā€“Ā a player surrenders before the dealer looks at the hole card for a blackjack.
  • Late Surrender ā€“Ā a player surrenders after the dealer looks at the hole card for a blackjack.

Soft 17

Soft 17 is an option to hit when the player has a soft 17 or an Ace and a 6 card or other combinations resulting in a soft 17. Most dealers will hit on a soft 17, but not all casinos and dealers allow players to hit. Some casinos require players to stand when getting a soft 17, so itā€™s important to check whether or not the casino allows hitting.

Insurance

If the dealer has an Ace as their upcard, they can ask the player to take place an insurance bet of half their initial wager. This protects the player in case the dealer has a 10 card by paying out the insurance.

The insurance bet pays 2:1.

Taking even money

If a player has a blackjack and the dealer has an Ace card, the dealer can ask the player if they want even money. Even money means accepting a 1:1 payout on the original bet before the dealer checks the hole card for blackjack. 

Blackjack Rule Variations

Not all blackjack games have the same rules. Different casinos and game providers typically have different versions. These different versions can affect blackjack strategies since the players may not have access to certain information that could influence how they play.

The basic blackjack moves will remain the same across different online blackjack versions, but there may be certain differences that affect both the betting and table rules, especially when using side bets and certain strategies.

The different blackjack variations allow casinos to limit the risk in their games, especially when the player plays at an unfamiliar table. Itā€™s important that players know how to play blackjack at a casino, regardless of the game and rule variations.

Online American Blackjack

American Blackjack

American Blackjack is a 6-8 deck variation that has great odds to beat the dealer. Written below are the easy-to-digest rules of American Blackjack:

  • The dealer stands on 17
  • The dealer deals their second card or hole card after the playersā€™ cards are dealt
  • The House edge is 0.5%
  • Blackjack Payout is 3:2 or 6:5
  • Late surrender is allowed
  • Double down is allowed
  • Double down after split is allowed

Based on the rules, players have a lot of chances of winning since they have plenty of opportunities to double down and even be able to late surrender.

Online European Blackjack

European Blackjack

European Blackjack is a 2-8 deck variation that is arguably less profitable than the American variation. Written below are the easy-to-digest rules of European Blackjack:

  • Dealer stands on soft 17
  • The dealer deals their second card only after the players concluded their plays
  • House edge is 0.38%
  • Blackjack Payout is 3:2
  • Late surrender is not allowed
  • Double down is allowed only if the hand is 9, 10, or 11
  • Double down after split is not allowed

Players are more limited in when they can double down in European blackjack, making it harder to win big in a game.

Online Vegas Downtown Blackjack

Vegas Downtown Blackjack

Vegas Downtown Blackjack is a variation that only uses two decks and where the player can bet on up to five hands simultaneously. Written below are the easy-to-digest rules of Vegas Downtown:

  • The dealer stands on 17
  • The dealer deals their second card or hole card after the playersā€™ cards are dealt
  • House edge is 0.39%
  • Blackjack Payout is 3:2
  • Late surrender is not allowed
  • Double down is allowed
  • Double down after split is allowed and some places have no limit on hands
Online Vegas Strip Blackjack

Vegas Strip Blackjack

Vegas Strip is a four-deck variant that follows the fundamentals of blackjack. The straightforward guidelines for playing Vegas Strip are listed below:

  • Dealer stands on soft 17
  • The dealer deals their second card or hole card after the playersā€™ cards are dealt
  • House edge is 0.48-0.72%
  • Blackjack Payout is 3:2
  • Late surrender is not allowed
  • Double down is allowed
  • Double down after split is allowed up to three times to make four hands except for Aces which can only be split once

Other Blackjack Rules

Dealer Rules

Blackjack dealers generally follow the same rules and objectives as the player in that they need to get blackjack or be the closest to 21. There are no differences in card values, but there are some differences in what plays they can make and when they must stand. The following are rules that differ from what players can do on the table:

  • Dealers must stand on either a 17 or soft 17, depending on the game variation
  • Dealers canā€™t take insurance
  • Dealers canā€™t split hands
  • Dealers canā€™t double down
  • Dealers canā€™t surrender
  • Dealers take their turn last

Table Rules

New players can easily get confused with blackjack rules because different game variations tend to have different rules. The basic rules will usually stay the same with changes ranging from minor gameplay changes to certain restrictions that can work for the player or make it harder for them to win.

When playing blackjack, players should check the following table rules before playing a certain variation to see whether itā€™s a good game for them to play:

  • Blackjack payouts
  • Number of decks
  • Bet limits
  • Different game-specific rules

Different variations have plenty of differences that can affect a gamblerā€™s playstyle. When looking for a game to play, you should consider what rules seem best for you, what the bet limits are, and the potential payout.

Improve Your Chances of Winning – 6D Casino Blackjack tips 

Learning how to play is just the start and learning how to win at blackjack is the next step. We have a few tips for you to consider to improve your chances of winning and making a profit.

Blackjack Tips when Playing
  • Always check the blackjack gameā€™s rules before playing.
  • Only bet what you can afford to lose.
  • Learn Blackjack Basic Strategy.
  • Donā€™t bet more than half your chips on a single bet.
  • Avoid the insurance bet.
  • Avoid even money bets.
  • Donā€™t let other players influence you

Now that you’re informed about the rules, guidelines, and many variations of blackjack. Start playing blackjack at 6D Casino to winĀ real money now.

Blackjack Etiquette

Playing at a traditional casino and an online casino is different, especially since youā€™ll need to learn proper etiquette when playing inside a brick-and-mortar casino. The etiquette to master is the following:

  • Donā€™t hand bets to the dealer.
  • Donā€™t touch face-up cards.
  • Handle cards only with one hand.
  • Donā€™t take too long with your move.
  • Signal your decision using proper hand signals.
  • Tip the dealer.
  • Use correct blackjack terms.

Blackjack players playing in online casinos wonā€™t have to worry about these, except for taking too long with their moves. This is especially the case when playing live blackjack with other players.

How to Play Blackjack FAQs

Blackjack is simple. Players are dealt cards face up with the values clearly shown and the objective is to get a 21 or a score closest to 21. Players must not go over 21 or they bust.

The payout ranges from 1:1 when having cards close to 21 to 3:2 when getting a blackjack. Other games might have higher payouts, but the max payout is generally 3:2.

Soft hands have an Ace with a value of either 1 or 11 and it is impossible to bust with a soft hand. A hard hand can have an Ace, but the value will always be 1 and bettors have a chance of busting.

The house edge is between 0.5-2% and the probability of an overall win is 42.22%.

Learn Blackjack Basic Strategy and follow the chart religiously. Learning about other blackjack strategies, applying them in American Blackjack, and avoiding certain side bets should allow players to win more.

Counting cards is a rather advanced blackjack strategy. Learning how to count cards in online blackjack involves mastering Basic Strategy. The idea is to assign values to certain card groups to keep track of what cards remain in the deck. This allows them to have a running count of the remaining cards and be able to make an educated guess on what move to make after being dealt their cards.

Conclusion

Blackjack is a simple game to play with a few complicated game rules that can vary from game to game. The basic rules will largely stay the same with only a few variations, but the goal of the game will remain the same. The player must get a blackjack or have a hand with a value thatā€™s closest to 21.

When playing blackjack online, you will need to look for a trustworthy online casino in the Philippines. 6D Casino is one such casino. Sign up now toĀ start playing online blackjack with us.