Blackjack: Everything you need to know

Did you know that Blackjack is considered one of the most popular table games in casinos? This classic card game has been a staple of the gaming landscape for centuries, although it’s gone by a few different names over the years.

There’s a lot of history behind this game, which has seen its ruleset and gameplay evolve over the years. Advancing technology has also given us online Blackjack, as well as games that blend a digital interface with live gameplay streamed from a studio.

So, read on to learn everything you need to know about this classic casino game.

The history of Blackjack

What we know of Blackjack’s origins trace back to France in the early 1700s, and the game of Vingt-et-Un. As the name suggests, the aim of the game was to get a hand value as close to 21 as possible without exceeding it.

Variants of Vingt-et-Un spread across Europe and cemented it as a popular choice for players in gaming parlours and casinos. But its move across the Atlantic was what saw the game truly becoming Blackjack.

Gold prospectors in Canada are thought to be responsible for naming the game Blackjack, taking inspiration from a nickname for one of the minerals typically found near precious deposits. With its new name, the game went on to become a major hit in America and developed its rules to better appeal to its new audience.

Understanding Blackjack

The core gameplay of Blackjack is simple at its heart, players want to get a hand value closer to 21 than the dealer. If anyone’s hand value exceeds 21 then they go bust, forfeiting the game.

Each of the cards in the deck is worth a set number of points, with the number cards all worth their face value and the face cards all worth ten points. The only exceptions to this are the aces, which can be worth either one or 11 depending on the value of the wider hand.

At the start of the game, each player is dealt two cards face up, while the dealer receives a single face up card and a face down card known as the hole card. Depending on the value of their initial two cards, players have a few options for how to proceed.

They can choose to hit, taking an additional card with the aim of raising their hand value, or stand, keeping their hand at its current value. Other options are doubling down, which doubles their wager in exchange for just one extra card, or splitting, where a hand can be split into two separate hands if the initial cards had the same value.

Once each player has taken their turn the dealer will flip over the hole card, revealing the value of their initial hand. At this point, the dealer must hit until their hand is worth at least 17.

If the dealer goes bust during this phase, then all remaining players win the game. Otherwise, players will get a payout if their hand value is closer to 21 than the dealer’s final hand.

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Once you understand the basics of Blackjack you can better appreciate the gameplay of this casino classic. It doesn’t matter whether players play online or in a land-based casino, Blackjack is still one of the most popular card games for a reason.