Blackjack needs no formal introduction or lengthy paeans as it is one of the most popular card games in casinos all over the world. The rules are simple and easy to follow, which makes it a hot hit among all hard hitting casino gamers. Unlike many other casino games, you do not require a sharp mind or logic to make your moves as it’s more of fun and entertainment. Luck has a larger than life role in making or breaking a black jack game as a good hand is half the battle won!

Playing blackjack has never been easier ever as there are many online casinos, where you can hone up your gaming skills and get a hang of its simple rules. However, do remember that the rules might slightly vary in different casinos. As you would all know, the basic idea of the game is to attain a hand value that is as nearer to the winning figure of 21 without ever going over this limit. You need not bother about the other players at the table, as you will be exclusively playing against the hand of the dealer. There is absolutely no issue in the dealer or any other player seeing your hand as the rules for the dealers are clearly stated. What more? In the shoe version of the game, the players’ cards are kept face up, however the players are not allowed to touch the cards.

Blackjack, better known as Twenty-one is a favorite among gamers for its heady mix of skill and euphoria that engulfs the card counting, where you need to keep a tag on the cards that were played since the latest shuffle. While all the number cards are counted at their face value, the picture cards all have 10 points. Ace can have 1 or 11 points as per its position in the player’s hand so as to steer clear of a possible bust. When aces come in pairs, they are always split and a new card will be shoved into the hand and your turn ends. No other card in the hand enjoys this feature.

In case a player splits 2 cards only to get yet another card of the same value, the hand is split again to make 3 hands. However, not many casinos allow this type of splitting as a single split for the first 2 cards is commonly followed. The players also have the option of early or late surrender before or after the dealer checks for Blackjack. For certain combinations which would add up to 9, 10 and 11 double down is allowed. However, double down is not permissible on split cards as these hands need to be played in the normal fashion.

You can also split two non identical cards with the same value of 10 like the Jack and Queen, though it is seldom used as 20. Moreover, it is a very advantageous hand, which is not sensible to split. If Ace is the up-card of the dealer, the player gets the chance to take Insurance before the dealer goes for his 'hole card'. Insurance is a risky bet for the player as it a blind move without having even a faint idea about the hole card, however, if he wins he will be paid 2:1. Get the rules right and win the bet.