Basic Blackjack Rules

Blackjack is a gambling game also known as 21 or in French, Vingt-en-un. It is played all over the world at both land-based casinos and online casinos and has over the years become one of the most popular casino games available. Blackjack players compete against the dealer and not against other players. The object of the game is to get a hand with cards that have a higher value than the dealer's hand, but do not exceed the total sum 21. Going over 21 is called a "bust" when you break out of the game regardless of the dealer's hand.

The hand value of Blackjack is determined by the individual card value of the cards dealt. All cards carry their numerical value except picture cards (jack, queen, king) which all have the value 10 and aces which can be both 1 and 11, depending on the needs of the player or dealer. The best hand in blackjack is a 2-card hand consisting of an ace and another card with a value of 10. This hand is considered 21 and is the best hand in blackjack, also referred to as a natural blackjack.

When the game begins, the player is dealt two cards face up and the dealer deals two cards, one face up and the other face down. When the dealer shows the ace card, the player has the option to take out insurance in case the dealer hits a natural blackjack. This is done by making an additional bet up to half the original bet, thus protecting the player from losing the entire bet when a natural blackjack is hit. If the dealer does not have a natural blackjack, the game continues and the player has four basic moves they can make.