Blackjack is one of many table casino games, that being said Blackjack or as some know it “21” is one of the most popular casino games worldwide. So popular it even has a whole film called 21 based around a team of MIT students who trained to beat the casinos. So what is BlackJack? How do we play the famous game of 21? and where can we play if we live in the states are all the topics we shall be discussing in this article.
Table of Contents
Brief History of BlackJack
According to scholars, blackjack began in the French casinos around the year 1700. Cards in the French language were referred to as “Vingt-et-Un,” or “Twenty-one” in English.
Although man would theorise that Blackjack is an invention by the Romans. The theory arrived from the thought that Romans loved to gamble, although this is not 100% confirmed. The Romans are thought to have used wooden blocks with painted numbers on them instead of paper cards for this game.
Besides the various versions of Vingt-et-Un, the popularity of the card games expanded throughout North America. The card game has made it’s way to the American shore around the 18th century but not without the help of French colonists. There was no way for the game of backjack to spread and develop in France in the 19th century. On the plsu side, during it’s time spent in America the game grew and expanded in popularity.
Playing BlackJack in the US
As stated in the previous chapter Blackjack has been on American shores for quite some time. Modern times require modern solutions. In a technologically evolving world, it’s no surprise that the online space has intertwined part of itself with the gaming sector which is now a whole industry on its own called Igaming.
A common question we often get asked is can you play blackjack online for real money in the US? The answer is yes, you can play BlackJack online legally in many of the states. In fact, there are many apps available for mobile devices too.
There are also free blackjack apps which might be intriguing to those who are just learning the game of blackjack or who are seeking to establish a successful strategy for playing the game. With the exception of placing real money bets at the beginning of each hand, the gameplay is identical to those of blackjack applications that allow you to win real money.
How To Play BlackJack/21
Understanding the Cards
Just like there are many custom invitation card designs, Blackjack is a card game using one or multiple traditional decks of cards. The card suits won’t really matter in the base as the number on the card will represent the total value of the card, rare blackjack variations will utilise card suits for bonuses. A quick example is that 8 hearts and 8 spades will have the same value of 8. The Ace is the only card with two values of either 11 or 1 according to what the player needs. Meanwhile, our FACE CARDS will all have a value of 10, these will be our J,Q & K.
The Aim Of The Game
The aim of blackjack is to get as close to the number 21 as the total of cards. Going higher than 21 will account for a loss.
Blackjack hands are scored by adding up the points on each card in the deck. You win if your overall card value is higher than the dealer’s.
You’re always comparing two hands in blackjack: the player’s hand against the dealer’s hand. When determining a winning hand based on a player’s cards, only two hands are relevant.
Another snag exists. Any hand with a total of 22 or more is deemed a bust, which is a dead hand and loses instantly.
How the Game Plays Out
Each player is dealt two cards by the dealer at the start of the game. If you’re playing at a casino, you’ll see these cards face up or face down. The outcome of the game is the same no matter how you play it.
One card is dealt face up and the second card is dealt face down in the dealer’s 2 card hand. Face-up cards provide a lot of information to the player, so it’s critical to pay attention to what’s shown there.
In this case, the maximum possible total is 21—which is an ace (which counts as 11) and 10—because you only have two cards. As a rule, a three-to-two blackjack pays out at 3:2.
Here you have the option to “Hit” or “Stand”.
To Hit
You can increase your hand’s score by “hitting” a card. Make sure to keep in mind that if your total hits 22 or above, you lose and you are out. A lot of the time, you’re taking a risk when you hit. You should only hit when you land 2 low level card values such as 2 and 3.
To Stand
When you opt to hold your current hand and not take any more cards, you’re known as “standing.” This is also a calculated risk, since the dealer may have a stronger hand than you have. He might possibly keep hitting his hand till he beats yours.
This game’s “moves” revolve around those two basic actions. Whether or not to take cards. Hitting or standing, as the case may be.
Other Game Options
Splitting
Separation may only be accomplished with cards of the same value. In order to divide a hand, you must take each of your two cards and create two new hands. To acquire the second hand, you’ll have to put an extra wager. Each of these two hands is dealt in a separate manner. In addition, they each pay dividends on their own.
Doubling Down
The act of doubling down entails both putting an additional wager and consenting to accept one additional card (and only one further card).
