Blackjack Rules

In a normal blackjack game, each player receives two cards face up and the dealer receives two cards, one face up and one face down. The down card is called the hole card. Once you receive your cards, you need to decide whether to stand, hit, double, or split. If you stand, that means that you keep only the cards you have. If you hit, you will receive another card, after which you may choose to stand or to hit again. If you are certain that you want only one additional card, blackjack rules allow you to double. When you double, you increase your bet, and you are given one and only one more card. The final option you have is to split. You may only split if you have two cards that are the same. You will have to double your wager to cover both hands that you are playing. This is always a good idea with aces, as you double your chances of getting blackjack, and blackjack pays better than other wins.

Different casinos have different blackjack rules. Some casinos, for example, will allow you to split again if you are dealt a third card that matches the first two. Most casinos will not allow you to split aces a third time, though. Some casinos have specific blackjack rules about how to ask for a hit or to stand. For example, many casinos want you to scratch the table with your cards to indicate a hit. One rule all casinos share, though, is that you may never have your cards below the table. Break that rule, and you’ll be accused of cheating.