Blackjack (also known as 21) is a popular game offered by casino providers worldwide. Whether it’s an online or offline casino, if you are looking forward to playing blackjack, you wouldn’t have any worries. Blackjack has its rules and terminologies, if you don’t know them and you walk into a casino, you’ll look like a total noob. No one likes feeling like a noob or inferior before other players even when they are beginners in the game. I understand that, that’s why in today’s blog post, I’ll be teaching the rules you must learn if you must play blackjack and the terms associated with the game.

Rules used in blackjack 

Before you go ahead to learn the rules in blackjack you must first understand the objective of the game. The objective gives you something to work towards.

In blackjack, the objective of the game is to have cards totalling 21 or a value close to 21. Well, that’s what most textbooks and online sites will tell you and that is only true to some extent. The true objective of the game is beating your dealer’s hand without going above 21. This definition is perfect because there are cases where players win when the dealer goes over 21.

Card values

Now you know the objective of the game, the next thing to look at is the value of the cards. Knowing the value of every card is very important because without it you won’t be able to successfully play the game – you won’t be able to tell if you have a winning or losing hand and because you can’t tell that you won’t know the right blackjack strategy to apply.

In blackjack, there’s an ace, cards with number values 2 through 10 and face cards Jack, Queen, and King. Their corresponding values are as follows:

• Ace: The ace card can either be counted as 1 or 11.
• Numbered cards 2-10: The cards with the face value of 2 through 10 are counted or valued as their face value.
• Face cards: Jack, Queen, and King are all valued or counted as 10.

What are about the suits? What role do they play in the game? In blackjack, the suits hold no value neither do they play any role. The value of a hand is simply the summation of the point counts of each card held in the hand.

The ace is kind of like a trump card because it can adapt to your hand. The card can either be valued as 1 or 11 and its value depends on which number will give you the best hand. Let me explain. Let’s say you were given an ace and a face value of 6. In that scenario, it will carry a face value of 11 which sums up to 17 because it gives you the best hand and not 1 which sums up to 7. A hand where the ace can be counted as 1 or 11 is often regarded as a soft hand.

Rules binding dealing of cards

Before the game begins, the bets are placed and after all the bets have been placed, the game begins. The dealer deals two cards to the players starting from his left until all the players, including the dealer each, have two cards. The dealer now has to flip one of his cards in order to expose the value which is known as the dealer’s upcard.

For games where the cards are dealt from a shoe, the player’s cards will be face up and the players will not be allowed to touch the cards. 

Hand-held games on the other hand are slightly different. In handheld games, the cards are dealt face down rather than face up and the players are allowed to touch the cards, actually, they have to pick up the cards. When handling cards in a hand-held game, there are a few important things you should note.

• You mustn’t touch the card with two cards. You should only touch the cards with one hand.
• Make sure that the cards are placed over the table. Do not pull them close to your body.
• All the cards that are given to you after the first pair have dealt should be left on the table and should not be added to the cards you are holding. 

Once you have those rules down, and the initial hands have been dealt, the play can now proceed around the table from the dealer’s left side which is known as the first base. Now the players have to take turns in deciding and playing their next move. When all the players have finished their hands, the dealer now completes his hand, pays the winning bets and collects the losing bets.

Terms used in blackjack 

Blackjack has different terminologies and in this blog post, I’ll be introducing you to some of the most important terms you should know when playing blackjack at a land-based casino.

Anchorman

In a blackjack table, the anchorman is the last player to act before the dealer.

Bankroll

The amount you have with you that you are willing to gamble with is known as your bankroll.

Burn card

The burn card is the first card that the dealer places on one side face down before dealing commences.

Bust

The bust word is used when the player has run out of money i.e., your bankroll, the amount you set aside for gambling.

Cold deck

Cold deck is a term that is used when the box holding the cards is releasing bad cards that’s causing the players to lose too much.

Discards

Every card that has already been dealt is called a discard. They are placed idly at one side until there’s a need for a new shoe and the cards are reshuffled and re-used.

Double down

Double down is a strategy used by blackjack players when they have a strong starting hand and the dealer has a weak hand. They double their winning by doubling their initial stake in return for a single card.

House edge

Beginner or not, you must have heard of the casino’s house edge at some point or another. The house edge is the advantage the casino has over a particular game. 

Flat betting

If a player places the same bet hand after hand consistently, it’s known as flat betting.

Hit 

Hit is a term that is used when you want the dealer to give you another card. 

Surrender/Late surrender 

There are some variations of blackjack that allows the player to surrender their hand without making any further decision. When you decide to surrender you’ll be given half of the stake you placed initially. 

Multideck

A multi-deck is a term used in casinos when more than one deck of cards are been used in a game.

Pit

A pit is the table area where you are sitting in the game of blackjack. 

Split 

A split is a basic blackjack strategy you can perform when you receive a pair of cards that have the same value. To split, you’ll have to wager the same amount you placed when the game initiated to separate the cards into two separate hands.

Stand

This is another basic blackjack strategy that’s used by players when they are satisfied with the cards they have been dealt and do not wish to receive any other card.

Final Notes

There you have it! The above-written rules and terminologies are used in a majority of casinos worldwide. Playing in a land-based casino is fun but you’ll have to learn the rules and the terms used so you don’t look like a total noob. If you don’t have time for all that then you can play online. The best online casino site for real money is found in casinomarin. The casinos you’ll find under casinomarin are registered and they can be trusted, so you have nothing to worry about. Visit them today and have access to popular casinos games like blackjack, baccarat, poker, slots, etc.