Blackjack Rules
Blackjack rules are actually pretty simple, and any beginner who wants to learn blackjack should be able to get the basics down after a few games.
One of the first blackjack rules you will have to know is that a natural 21 hand beats out any other hand. This would be hand comprised of a face card and an Ace. The actual object of the game is to get a hand with a total that is higher than the dealer’s hand, without going over 21. You will of course want to get a hand that totals as close to 21 as possible without going over. Going over 21 would result in a "bust", which will mean that you are out of the game.
Blackjack Card Values
Some of the other important blackjack rules have to do with the value of the cards. The number cards–that is, the 2 up to the 10–all have the same value as numbered. The 2 always has a value of two for instance, and the 4 has a value of four and so forth.
All the face cards on the other hand have a value of 10. The Ace has a value of either 1 or 11, depending on what value would be more advantageous to the player. If a value of 11 would cause the player to bust for instance–as in the case of a double Ace–the player may opt to assign one Ace with a value of one. Coupled with a face card however–as in the winning Black Jack or "natural" hand–the player would obviously assign a value of 11 to the Ace card.
As mentioned previously, blackjack rules indicate that a "natural" hand wins out over all the other hands in the game. Unless the dealer has a natural as well, this hand would result in a sure win for the player holding it. If that is the case, the round is deemed tied or a "push", and all the players’ bets are returned.
Blackjack Betting
The game itself begins with each player making bets, which are subject to the table limits of the particular table. According to blackjack rules, each player gets two cards facing up in two rounds of dealing, with the dealer getting two cards as well, only with one face up and the other face down (hole card).
Players have various options at this point, including hitting, standing, doubling down or splitting. Hitting is asking for another card and another as often as the player wants or until busting, standing means the player stays with the dealt cards, which are then compared to the dealer’s. Doubling down involves asking for just one other card and doubling the initial wager. After this, the player will be allowed no other action except to stand. As for splitting, this involves splitting the hand into two and asking for two more cards, thereby increasing the bet.
One of the other blackjack rules worth mentioning is the "dealer stands on 17s" rule, which essentially means that the dealer will have to hit with a hand less than 16, and stand on hands 17 or higher.
