Online Blackjack

• Blackjack basics - When you play online casino Blackjack, every player and the dealer are initially dealt two cards each. Each player's hand is played against the dealer's hand only. If you obtain a hand value closer to twenty-one (without going over) than the dealer does, you will win your hand. You might conclude that the object of the game is to obtain a hand value as close to twenty-one as possible without going over. This is NOT true!. Your objective is simply to Beat The Dealer!
• Blackjack! - The most powerful hand possible is a hand value of twenty-one in your first two cards. This hand contains an ace and a ten valued card and is known as a "blackjack". When you receive a blackjack, the dealer will pay you three chips for every two that you have bet unless the dealer also has a blackjack in which case you tie (called a push).
• The player (you) - You, as a player, determine when to "hit" (take another card) and when to "stand" (stop taking cards). A player that obtains a hand value less than or equal to twenty-one and greater than the dealer's hand value wins an amount equal to his wager. If you go over twenty-one, you "bust" and lose your bet. Primarily, you have four options. You determine when to hit, when to stand, when to split (play two separate hands) and when to double down (double your wager in favorable situations).
• The dealer - The dealer has fixed rules governing his play. He must hit until he has seventeen or more. When the dealer gets a hand value less than or equal to twenty-one and greater than a player's hand value, that player loses his bet.
• Card Values - The cards two through ten have a numerical value equal to the number printed on the card. All face cards (Jack, Queen and King) as well as Tens have the value of ten. Aces may be counted as either eleven or one. In the game of blackjack, card suits have no value.
• Soft and Hard Hands - When you have an ace in your hand that counts as eleven, you have what is known as a "soft hand". If you hold no aces or have an ace in your hand that counts as one, you have a "hard hand". Think of an ace in your hand as flexible or "soft" because the hand value can always be reduced. Whenever you have a soft hand, you hold a distinct advantage over the dealer.
• Bets and the Deal - At the outset of each hand, the player places his bet in the square on the table or on a number of squares if playing multihand blackjack. The dealer always deals his own cards face down. After the dealer has dealt the player two cards, he will turn his first card face up. The dealer's other card, his face down card, is often referred to as his "hole card". After the player has played out his hand, the dealer will turn his hole card face up and, if necessary, hit his hand until he has a hand value of seventeen or more.
• Game Rules - If the first two cards dealt to you are cards of equal value, you may "split" the pair combination. Remember, all face cards and Tens are cards of equal value. When you split you effectively play two individual hands. The right most hand is played out first followed by play on the hand on your left. Any ace drawn to a split ten is not a blackjack. Nevertheless, the dealer will need a blackjack to beat any hand of twenty-one. You may "double down" on a hand which consists of two cards. As this move implies, you double your original wager. When you double down, you are dealt only one additional card to your hand. Some casinos restrict the double down option by not allowing doubling down on split hands and/or only permitting doubling down when your two card hand totals ten or eleven. Doubling your wager whenever a favorable situation arises can appreciably add to your advantage.
• Insurance - The insurance option is simply another form of wager that is offered to the players when the dealer has an ace showing. Those who take the insurance wager are betting that the dealer has a blackjack. The insurance bet costs one-half your original wager, and the payoff, should the dealer indeed have a blackjack, is two-to-one. A two-to-one payoff on a wager that is one-half your original wager is an amount equal to your original wager. Therefore, whenever you win the insurance bet, the dealer will pay you by simply leaving your original wager on the table.

Blackjack Strategy and Strategy charts

DRAWING AND STANDING

When to Hit a Hard Hand

When to Hit a Soft Hand

H = always draw (hit). x = stand.

DOUBLING DOWN

Double Down Logic - Sometimes, you will double down and draw a low card. Hitting, as opposed to doubling down, can't however double your advantage against the house in a given situation. It will pay you to win less often at twice the amount. This is the mathematical rationale behind doubling down.

When to Double Down on a Hard Hand

When to Double Down on a Soft Hand

D = always double down. *D* = double down except on 6,2. Consult draw/stand strategy tables if no entry is given.

SPLITTING

Split Logic - Always split aces and eights, never split tens and fives. Ever wonder why? A soft twelve (a pair of aces) in itself isn't anything to write home about. The ace is, however, the best card you can have as the first card of your hand. There is a better than 30% chance, on average, that you will end up with a strong 21. The chances are extraordinarily good that you will end up with some other high hand value if your first card is an ace. A pair of eights leaves you with a sixteen, a poor hand. If you split these, you have a great chance of improving your hand. Two tens make twenty, which is already a good hand. Don't press your luck, by splitting in these situations. Two fives add up to ten. There are more tens in the deck than any other card. If you don't split, your odds are reasonably good that you will acquire a hand of twenty on the next card drawn.

SP = always split.
*SP* = split only when doubling down is allowed after splitting. Consult the double down strategy tables if no entry is given.