Blackjack Online
Blackjack has been around hundreds of years. Long before the computers and the world wide web was around. With the dawn of internet, and its explosion in the 21st century, came opportunity to play casino games online, blackjack being one. This article will focus on the key things to know when playing blackjack online, including the rules and some basic tips to help you get started.
The Rules of Blackjack
Blackjack is played with a standard 52 card playing deck. It is often played with between 2 and 8 decks, shuffled together. At the start of each round, every player is dealt 2 cards (usually faceup) and the dealer is dealt two cards but only one exposed. The cards value is based on it’s number with paint cards worth 10 and aces being 1 or 11 depending on what is advantageous to the player. The sum of their cards combined make up the value of the hand.
Players are allowed to draw more cards “hit me” in an effort to improve their hand. If their value exceeds 21, they bust and cannot win. This is why blackjack is also called 21 in some places, thus 21 is the best online blackjack hand possible. After the players have done their betting, the dealer has his play. The dealer must draw cards until he hits 17 or higher. Therefore, if he hits 18, he is forced to stick. The object of the game is to have a higher hand than the dealers.
Starting Out Playing Blackjack Online
I highly recommend starting off slow and low when you play first play blackjack online. Whilst the rules of the game are fairly simple, you can burn through a lot of money if you are not careful AKA tilt in poker. There are some simply strategies that will help you game and increase your chances. Let’s look at a couple.
When to Double Down in Blackjack
Holding 10 or 11 – If you are holding a 10 or 11, you are in a favourable position as you cannot bust. Doubling down is the opportunity to double your wager, with one draw of a card. It’s a favourable edge for you against the dealer and must be taken to help your chances in the long run.
You have a hard 9 against a low dealer card – If you have a hand that totals 9 and doesn’t contain an ace, you are a favourite against the dealer if he is only holding a card 2 to 6. This is a great spot to double down.
Splitting in Blackjack
Most blackjack online games give you the chance to split your cards and form two new hands. This is only available if you get dealt a pair. When you split, you are placing a second bet on each hand, equal to your original bet. Splitting is not something you can learn in 2 minutes. However, I can say for certain, its best to split when you get aces or eights and never split with nines or tens. Why would you spit if you have 20 or 18? With eights, you are sitting on a troublesome 16, not so high you will win but not easy to bust. By splitting with eights, you can only improve your chances.
Conclusion
Blackjack is one of the most exciting and fun casino games around. There are dozens of variants around the world, each with their own little twist on this popular gambling game. It appeals to those in casinos and online. There’s also something very satisfying beating the dealer and the house. So, feel free to register an account online and give it a try. Please remember to always gamble responsibly.
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Narciso Baldo
Narciso Baldo is the Director and Head Coach of Texas Hold'em Questions. He has been playing poker for over 16 years. After spending many years as a professional, he now runs UK poker training site Texas Hold'em Questions. Narciso regularly writes poker articles sharing tips, strategy, news and experience with gambling enthusiasts. Narciso also writes for reputable gambling portal Casino City Times, (bio here). Contact: info@texasholdemquestions.com
