Card values
| Card | Value |
|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | Face value |
| J, Q, K | 10 |
| Ace | 11 or 1, whichever is better |
A hand with an ace counted as 11 is called soft (A-6 is "soft 17"). An ace plus a ten-value card as your first two cards is a blackjack.
A round
- Place your bet.
- You get two cards face up. The dealer gets one face up and one face down.
- If the dealer shows an ace or ten, they check for blackjack first.
- You play your hand, then the dealer plays theirs.
Your choices
- Hit: take another card. Go over 21 and you bust and lose.
- Stand: keep your total.
- Double: double your bet and take exactly one more card.
- Split: two cards of the same value become two hands, each with its own bet. Split aces get one card each.
- Surrender (some tables): give up the hand and get half your bet back.
- Insurance (dealer shows an ace): a side bet that the dealer has blackjack. It pays 2 to 1, but by the book you should never take it.
How the dealer plays
The dealer has no choices: they hit until they have 17 or more. At some tables the dealer also hits a soft 17 (H17); at others they stand on all 17s (S17).
Payouts
| Result | Pays |
|---|---|
| Blackjack | 3 to 2 |
| Win | 1 to 1 |
| Tie (push) | Your bet comes back |
| Insurance | 2 to 1 |
Basic strategy tips
- Always split aces and 8s. Never split 10s or 5s.
- Double 11 against almost anything, and 10 against a dealer 2 to 9.
- Stand on hard 17 or more. Hit hard 12 to 16 when the dealer shows 7 or higher.
- Stand on hard 12 to 16 when the dealer shows 2 to 6 (except hit 12 against a 2 or 3).
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