Basics

Blackjack is one of the most popular casino card games in the world.  Blackjacks are popular due to their low profile and small size, and their potential to inflict enormous damage on human beings.  Blackjack is far easier to master because all decision possibilities are memorized in advance. 

Blackjack doesn't require other players, and the dealer follows strict rules.  These same sets of rules apply to online casino blackjack and are built into the software that adheres to these rules 100% of the time.  Therefore, it is important to familiarize yourself with the rules of the particular blackjack game you are playing.  Because blackjack has an element of player choice, players can reduce casino advantage to a small percentage by playing basic strategy.  Most Las Vegas strip casinos hit on soft 17.  Most casinos outside of Vegas still stand on soft 17. 

It pays one and a half times your bet unless the dealer also draws Blackjack, in which case you have a "stand-off".  Jokers are not used when playing Blackjack.  There are relatively few decisions to make when playing Blackjack.  The object of Blackjack is very simple: to achieve a total that is greater than that of the dealer, and which does not exceed 21.  Most serious adult gamblers know Blackjack as one of the few games that can be winnable, even at casinos, where rules are often stacked in the house's favor. 

Rules

First and most important thing to begin with: Blackjack is a combination of an Ace and any 10 or picture card with your first two cards.  Cards in Blackjack are assigned the following points: Picture Cards (Jack, Queen and King) each count as 10 points. 

Each player receives his turn, in which he may hit (receive an additional card), stand (receive no more cards and end his turn), double down (double his wager, receive one more card and finish his turn), split (divide his hand into two placing an additional wager, if there are two equal cards in his hand) or surrender (forfeit half of the wager and leave the game).

The player who busts immediately turns all his cards face down and loses regardless of the hand of the dealer. 

After the cards are shuffled by the dealer and cut by one of the players, one or more cards are "burned" before any cards are dealt to the players. 

The option to double is often allowed on the players first two cards only, although some casinos allow doubling after splitting a pair.

• Split: If the player's first two cards are of equal point value he may split them into two hands. 

• Surrender: Finally, some casinos offer the player the option to surrender on the first two cards.  After the bets are placed, the dealer deals two cards to each player and two for himself, while one of his cards is placed face up, so everyone can see its vale and the second one is placed face down.

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