Blackjack Introduction Getting Started The Dealer Take A Chance Basic Strategy Intermediate Strategy Advanced Strategy Blackjack Extras Back to the beginning

Introduction

Blackjack, or 21, is without a doubt the single most popular table game on the casino floor. A quick look might leave the impression that the closest hand to 21 wins, but that is not the case. Edward Thorp's classic book's title on the subject, Beat The Dealer, sums it up in a nutshell. A simple way to put it might be: It doesn't matter what you have; it just matters what the dealer has.

That is an oversimplification, but it's ultimately true. You can win and get paid when you have a total of 12, and lose on 20. It happens every day. This deceptive game has many different levels at which it can be played ranging from absolute novice to card-counting master. The thought here is to offer you the rules and some simplified strategies to give you a basic comfort level.

Realizing that you are probably not going to make a million playing blackjack overnight, you should find the game entertaining and enjoyable. Some pretty incredible streaks have occurred at the blackjack table (more about those later on), but most of us mortals merely want to risk a few dollars to take a chance and hopefully, with a little bit of knowledge and some patience, the cards will fall your way.

The Casino

It is easy to be dazzled by even the smaller casinos these days. There are neon lights blinking everywhere, loud music, slot and video machines spilling their coins into metal trays with a loud racket, people cheering, attractive cocktail waitresses wearing clothing that leave little to the imagination serving free drinksŠIt's enough to make you wonder how anyone can think in the place. That's the point. Enjoy the atmosphere. It is a party of sorts.

You usually don't need to get drunk and foolish at your local parties, and the same thought applies here. Keep your wits and your head. Don't feel intimidated, and don't feel as if you need to join the fray immediately. One thought might be to sit back and watch the parade of people. Stand behind one of the blackjack tables and observe the action. Before you sit down, watch how the players are doing.

Don't take anyone person's actions to mean that he or she necessarily knows the ropes. You may actually be a better player yourself, just less confidant. There's nothing like winning to instill confidence, and losing to ruin it. When you feel you are ready to get into the saddle, hop on a seat and enjoy the ride.

The Game and Rules

There are different types of games, so you need to be alert as to the type of game you are playing. The conventional game played in most jurisdictions today, including Las Vegas, is a 6 or 8-deck game dealt from a heavy plastic rectangular box called a "shoe."

There are games in Las Vegas as well as other scattered locations, offering hand-dealt single-deck or double-deck games, but they are hard to find and usually play at these games is accompanied by table minimums of $25 or more per hand

Typically, when you walk up to a blackjack table in a casino, you will notice that there are 6 or 7 high-back, stool-type chairs with a circle in front of each one. An unoccupied table will have the cards spread out in front of the standing dealer (they are not allowed to sit), who work in 40-minute shifts, followed by 20 minute breaks each hour. The table itself is usually a half-circle or kidney shape with the dealer standing midway in the flat of the semi-circle or in the slope of the kidney.