If you’ve reached that stage when you want to take your blackjack skills to the next level, this article is here to help. If you’re already an experienced player who’s looking to brush up on their skills, you’ll also find some pointers. Let’s take a look at the best online blackjack guide below.
If you’re a fan of blackjack, you’re far from being alone. This is a game that’s hugely popular in both land-based and online casinos. It’s a game that’s super simple to play, but there are factors beyond the basics that take a little time to master, especially when you’re looking to up your game.
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The best online blackjack guide – Blackjack basics refresher
The main aim of blackjack is to beat the dealer. The other players in a live game are irrelevant so you don’t need to worry about them. To beat the dealer, you need to have a better hand than they do. That means one that’s worth as close to 21 as possible, without going over. If the dealer gets closer to that magic number than you do, you lose.
If you go over 21, you’re said to have gone bust. This means that you’re out of the game and the dealer wins, even if their hand is nowhere near 21. The dealer could also go bust. When this happens, assuming that you’re not already bust yourself, the dealer is out of the game and you win.
Best online blackjack guide – Blackjack and the basic actions
It’s worth running through how a game of blackjack works. For new players, this will help to remove any confusion when they join a table. At the start of any round, the first thing that you need to do is place your bet. This is done before the cards are even dealt. When the cards are dealt, you’ll receive 2 that are face up. The dealer will also have 2 cards, but 1 of these will be facedown.
3 basic blackjack actions
Once the cards are dealt, there are 3 basic actions that you take:
- Hit
- Stand
- Double
When you hit, the dealer gives you another card to add to your total. Stand sees you staying as you are with the cards that you have. If you double, you place another bet that’s equal to your first. You’re then restricted to taking just one more card.
When all the players in the game have played their hand, it’s the dealer’s turn. The dealer will have certain things that they have to do, depending on their hand. Although it will vary depending on the blackjack variant that you’re playing, the dealer will usually have to hit on 16 and stand on 17.
There is another option that’s open to you as a player, and that’s to split. If you have 2 identical cards, you can split them to form new hands. Each hand is then dealt another card to take it up to 2. By taking this option, you have more chances to win.
Something else to bear in mind is when the dealer’s up card is an ace. If this is the case, you’re able to take an insurance bet. This covers you if the dealer has a blackjack. If they do, the insurance bet means that half of your stake is refunded.
When you win a game of blackjack, a standard win has a 1:1 payout. However, if you have blackjack, the payout is 3:2. However, many casinos have switched to paying 6:5 for blackjack. Stick to 3:2 when you can.
Best online blackjack guide – Online blackjack variants
When you play blackjack online, there are numerous variants of the game to choose from. Each variation comes with its own blackjack rules. Often the difference in rules is only slight and that’s why it’s important to master the basics of the game before you get too carried away with trying out every variation that there is.
You’ll find that different versions of blackjack have varying rules when it comes to splitting and doubling down. There will also be differences when it comes to the actions that a dealer has to take, as well as the payouts that are available.
Here’s a brief look at the most popular variants that you’ll come across:
European Blackjack
When playing European Blackjack, there will usually be 6 decks in play. The dealer will always have to hit on 16 and stand on 17. For players, they can hit, stand, double down and split. Splitting is restricted to once per hand. When it comes to doubling down, this can only be done on hands that total 9, 10 or 11.
Vegas Downtown Blackjack
This is an online live casino game that is played at pace. Only 2 decks are used and these are shuffled before each hand. In this variant, the dealer will always hit on a soft 17.
This version also sees the dealer checking the facedown card if the upcard has a value of 1. This is to check for a blackjack. For players, they can double down on any total and can split up to 3 times per hand.
Atlantic City Blackjack
This is another variant where the dealer will instantly check for blackjack. This time, the game is played with 8 decks. The dealer always stands on 17, regardless of if it’s hard or soft.
The other difference with this game is that there is the late surrender option. After the dealer has checked for blackjack, the players can give up their hand and leave the game. Doubling can be done no matter what the value of a hand and splitting is kept to just once per round.
Final thoughts
To get the best out of your blackjack game, it’s important to master the basics first. After this, you can start exploring all of the variants that exist. Whenever joining a game, be sure you know which version is being played so that you know the rules that apply. If it’s a variant that you’re not familiar with, why not play for free before you try with real money?
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