Blackjack 101
Blackjack is played against the dealer.
Each player starts with two cards but one of the dealer’s cards is kept secret.
Closest sum without going over 21 wins
Face cards have a value of 10
Aces have a value of 1 or 11, whichever is more favorable to the player
If your first two cards add up to 21 you have a Blackjack!
Blackjack pays out right away and you're done with the hand
After the initial deal, you can stand, hit, double down, or split pairs
Stay keeps your hand as-is until the end of the game
Hit gets you another card, you can keep hitting until you bust - exceed a total of 21
Double down - double your bet but only get one card
Split (P) - double your bet to turn two matching cards into two separate hands
In real life these choices can be indicated with hand motions
Stay: A level hand waved horizontally
Hit: Tap the table or make a come-hither motion
Double down: Place an equal pile of chips next to your buy-in
Split: Place an equal pile of chips away from your buy-in and make a split finger hand sign ✌️
The statistically correct choices are summarized in this chart,
The Basic Strategy
and prepared Blackjack players are familiar with it.
Sections of the chart can be memorized as “rules“