Getting close to 21 is the goal of Blackjack. The purpose is to have a hand as close to 21 as possible without busting. Playing two pairs can get you to the high value range of 18-21. An Ace can give you a high hand of 19 if you split it. Whenever you bust, you lose your wager. A good rule in blackjack is to split pairs of fives and sixes. Two 8’s give you a good hand of 16.
In order to protect yourself against the dealer having blackjack, you can place an insurance bet. An insurance bet pays 2:1 if the dealer has a blackjack. You cannot bet insurance on your own hand, but you can make an insurance bet if the dealer shows an ace. You can place this bet in half of your original bet and continue the game normally. If you have a blackjack, you will get even money (which is the mathematical equivalent of insurance).
When a player gets an ace and a ten, their first two cards have to be the same value to get a blackjack. If they do, they are known as “naturals” and can beat the dealer’s 21 in two cards. If the dealer has a natural, he will collect all the players’ bets and collect the chips. If the dealer has a natural, he will collect all the bets on the table and the player loses all their chips.
As mentioned earlier, you can reduce the casino’s statistical edge by following basic strategy. This strategy tells you when to hit, stand, double down, split, or fold a hand based on the player’s point total and the dealer’s visible card. You can adjust this strategy to match the rules of your house. The number of decks and house rules play an important role in the strategy you choose to employ. It’s not hard to beat the casino when you know what to expect.
When to Hit – The object of “hitting” is to increase your odds of winning by drawing more cards than the dealer’s. Most players stand when they have a hard 17 and when to hit a soft 17. In soft seventeen, the Ace makes the difference. Learn more about basic blackjack strategy in this article. The goal is to beat the dealer with a hand worth between twelve and sixteen. There are three possible outcomes for this strategy. But the more you know, the better.
A player with a ten or eleven is called a “bust” in blackjack. Both players lose if they get busted. If they get the same point value, they’re called a “push,” meaning that neither player nor dealer wins. However, you’ll always want to remember that the dealer has a one-to-one game with each player. While you can’t beat the dealer in blackjack, you can beat them in other ways.