Blackjack Rules: Master How to Play 21

Guest Contributor: Tim K

From 18th-century French casinos to the dusty saloon tables of the American frontier and beyond, blackjack (also known as 21) is as rich in history as it is fun to play. If you’ve dreamed of commanding the blackjack table from the comfort of your home and with no risk, Arkadium has all the 21 you can handle with no real money required.

If you’ve never learned how to play this beloved card game, fear not because we’ve got your back with the ultimate how to play blackjack for beginners breakdown. This overview will cover blackjack rules (including dealer’s rules), strategies, beginner mistakes, and more.

When you’re ready to grace that virtual tabletop with your newly learned skills, Arkadium is here with all the free, no-download 21 you could ever want, as well as a whole selection of card and casino games. With that said, let’s hit the tables!

How to Play: Blackjack Rules, Card Values, and More

Blackjack is one of the simplest and best card games out there, with a straightforward flow and just a few key rules and principles you must master. Your main objective of blackjack, hence the name 21, is to get closer to the number 21 than the dealer without going over this number.

How exactly do you get closer to 21, you ask? It’s simple: just add up your cards. Here’s how the cards are valued in blackjack:

• Numbered cards: They are simply worth what they are numbered (5 is 5 points, 9 is 9 points, etc.)
• Face cards: All face cards, meaning the Jack, Queen, and King, are worth 10 points each.
• Aces: Aces are worth either 1 or 11. If the higher value would cause you to go over 21, then they are worth one.

Like other online casino games, blackjack may be played with more than two people in person but is often adapted to a two-player setup when played online. For the purposes of this guide, we’ll keep it to a simpler two-player format.

How A Game of Blackjack Works

At the beginning of each game, you will first make a bet. Then, you will receive two face-up cards. Tabulate the total value of those cards in your head, and then you can decide whether to ask for another card (“hit”) or not (“stand”) based on how close you are to the goal of 21 points.

The dealer will receive one face-up card and one face-down card. In other words, you have to make decisions based not on their entire hand, but on the one card of theirs that you can see. Players decide to hit or stand, the dealer’s face-down card is revealed, and whoever is closest to 21 wins.

To show you how blackjack rules work in a real-life situation, let’s go through a quick game together:

• You are initially dealt an 8 and a 3, totaling 11 points
• You decide to hit and receive another 8, totaling 19 points
• You then wisely decide to stand on 19
• The dealer was dealt a face-up ace and a face-down 3, totaling 14 points.
• They hit, receiving a 9, going over 21 with 23 points.
• You win!

And that just about covers how to play blackjack for beginners. There are still some situations, however (what happens if you tie the dealer?) that need to be addressed. Each of these scenarios has its own term.

Key Blackjack Terms to Know

Having a blackjack means you have reached 21 points with your two starting cards, which is only possible with an ace and a 10-point card (10, Jack, Queen, or King).

Bust is when you go over 21 with your hand, losing the game.

Splitting pairs is a rule that allows you to create two separate hands in the event that you receive two of the same number. For example, if you are dealt two sevens to start the game, you may split them and can then hit or stand on both of these newly formed hands accordingly. Typically, when you split your hand, the bet for each hand must be of the same value.

Doubling down is when you decide after seeing your cards to double your original bet, with the one condition being that you can now only “hit” one time before you must stand.

Insurance is a mechanic that allows you to bet on the dealer having a blackjack after their face-up card is revealed to be an ace. You may bet up to half of your original bet. If they do end up drawing a blackjack, the bet pays off 2 to 1, allowing you to break even for that game. Anything other than a blackjack means you lose extra.

Surrender, as it sounds, is essentially the same thing as “folding” in poker. If you wish to forfeit your hand after seeing your first two cards, you may surrender, but at the cost of half of your wager.

Finally, a push is just a tie. If you and the dealer both end up on 18, for example, and both of you want to stand (reasonably so), then everyone receives their original wagers, and that game is over.

Beginner-Friendly Blackjack Strategies

Blackjack is a unique blend of both skill and luck, and some people are less concerned with high-risk plays than others, which means no single strategy is universally hailed as “the right one.”

With that in mind, here’s a brief overview of basic strategies you can follow to wipe that smile off the dealer’s face a little more often.

When to Split

Always split aces. This will give you two chances at drawing 21 with your next card(s). Splitting 8s is also a good idea to avoid 16, which is a low total that is too dangerous to hit on. Most sources say you can split 2s and 3s when the dealer’s face-up card is weak as well.

When to Hit

If the total value of your hand is 11 or lower, then you mathematically can’t lose by hitting. If your hand is valued between 12 and 16, whether or not you want to hit depends on the dealer’s face-up card. If their card is valued at 7 or higher, hitting is still a good idea when in this range.

When to Stand

You should always stand when your hand is at 17 or higher. As mentioned above, if the dealer has a weaker face-up card (like a 5 or 6), you can stand on numbers as low as 12-16.

Come to Arkadium for Online Blackjack, Hold ‘Em and More

Whether or not you ever intend to strut the streets of Las Vegas or your local casino’s tables to play for real money, Arkadium empowers you to play 21 game after 21 game with all the thrills and none of the risk. Just make sure that you don’t forget who taught you how to play when you’re “rich,” okay?

Come back and share your insights in the comments so we can learn how to follow in your footsteps. Then, check out the hundreds of other games we have waiting for you. Good luck!