Blackjack game review

Blackjack table

Blackjack, or 21 as it’s also known, is a table card game. Today, it is played by an incredible number of people from all over the world. It’s popularity stems from the fact that it’s fairly easy to learn, even though it involves mathematical calculations, and is available at nearly every online casino. Today, players can play live blackjack with a live dealer for real money, and in blackjack online free, where you will have the opportunity to play for free, to get acquainted with the game and understand its rules before making a deposit. It’s easy to learn the rules and strategy of blackjack online, so if you’re new to the game don’t get frustrated. We’ll guide you through the details of the game so you can play and win big!

The aim of blackjack

Blackjack is also known as “21”. Based on this, it’s fair to say that the game is all about winning 21 points, or as close to it as possible, using the least amount of cards possible. Alternatively, you’ll get more points than the dealer has. In other words, the player’s main objective is to beat the dealer. If either the player or the dealer exceeds 21 points, it means that the player busted and the game is “lost”. If it is a draw, then the player and the dealer stand on their own cards. 

Card values

In order to play blackjack online in the most interesting and comfortable way, players need to have a good understanding of the game and know what the card values are. We have prepared a small blackjack cheatsheet to help you remember the card values:

  • Cards with numbers from 2 to 10 give the number of points indicated on the card;
  • Face cards (King, Queen, Jack) have a value of 10 points;
  • An Ace counts for 11 or 1 point depending on the scoring. Usually, an Ace is worth 11 points, but if the sum of points is greater than 21, then the equivalent of an Ace is worth 1 point. 

Basic blackjack rules

Basic blackjack rules

As mentioned, online blackjack is a card game in which players must defeat the dealer. The main attributes in the game are one or more packs of cards, as well as a gaming table which has from 5 to 7 betting spots. All of these points can be engaged during the game, and if the player wishes, he can select more than one of them. Before the start of the round, the player has to decide on the size of the bet and put the appropriate amount of chips in one or more betting points. Then the dealer deals two cards face up to each participating betting place. Alongside this, he takes his hand of two cards, one of which is an opener. The game then proceeds clockwise, where players decide whether to leave the cards as they are or take an extra one. If a player decides to draw an extra card, they can do so until they are close to 21 points or more. When the value of the cards exceeds 21, it means that the player has lost and loses his bet. After all the players have played, it is the dealer’s turn to play his hand. He can draw additional cards until the hand reaches at least 17, otherwise he loses. As soon as the dealer reaches 17 or loses, all actions stop, bets are calculated and a new round starts. 

Game strategy

In fact, blackjack is not just a luck game. It’s all about skill and knowing how to act, as these affect the outcome of your hands. Here, we’ll show you how blackjack basic strategy can help you make better decisions and increase your chances of winning. 

How blackjack strategy work

First of all, you already have food for thought, because you see your own cards and one of the dealer’s cards. Based on this, you can work out the probability of the game going forward, as there are still a certain amount of cards in the deck and therefore a certain probability of each of those cards getting into your hand. Comparing the probabilities of all possible dealt combinations and how these combinations will affect the value of your hand is a blackjack strategy. Once you understand how your hand actions affect your chances of winning, you’ll be able to determine the right option. However, it’s quite difficult for players, especially beginners, to do the math correctly. Luckily, there are now plenty of charts and graphs for different variations of the game that can help you make the right decisions without having to do maths.Such charts will show you all the possible combinations of your hand and the dealer’s open card. They are based on the rules of basic blackjack strategy, so if you rely on a chart like this you’ll make the right decision. You can practice and play free blackjack, which will allow you to gain experience and test your skills without risking anything.

How to play blackjack

If you understand the rules and purpose of the game and are familiar with the meanings of the cards, then you’re probably wondering how online casino games work. We’re going to give you a guide that you can think of as a blackjack cheat sheet. This will help you learn the game faster and come up with your own strategies. So, here’s how the blackjack game usually works:

1. Starting a hand.

Before you start the deal, you have to decide your stake and put the appropriate amount of chips into the available betting point. 

2. The deal.

After you place your bet, two face up cards will be dealt to you and the dealer will be dealt two cards, but only one card will be exposed.

3. Hitting or Standing.

After you’ve been dealt two cards, you have to make a decision. And that is, to draw an extra card or leave it as it is. If you choose to stand, you won’t get any more cards. In this case, you’ll need to follow the dealer’s decision and the result of his hand. If you choose to get an extra card, then you can draw until you get 21 points. In the event of an override, you lose your bet.

4. Insurance.

If the dealer’s open card is an ace, you can hedge against the dealer’s blackjack. In this case, the amount insured will be worth half of your original bet. If it turns out that the dealer has blackjack, then you get a 2:1 payout, but if not, you lose.

5. Split cards.

If you’re dealt two cards of equal value, then you can split them into two hands. In this case, you’ll need to put in additional chips equal to your original bet. As these two hands hold 1 card each, the dealer will then deal you an additional 1 card per hand, resulting in two hands participating in the game. 

6. Doubling the bet.

Players have the option to double their bet after two cards have been dealt. Depending on the type of blackjack, this can be done at different stages. If you double your bet, then only one card is dealt to you, which you have to stick to.

7. Surrender.

Players also have the option of surrendering after receiving the first two cards. In this case, they lose half of their bet made. Sometimes, this move is necessary to save some of your money, if a player sees that the value of the cards is quite high at the moment and there is a risk of losing completely. 

8. Dealer’s actions.

Compared to the players, the dealer has limited actions in the game. He can’t split cards or double his bets. The only thing he can do is hit (16 points or less) or stand (17 points or more). However, if the dealer loses, everyone else in the game wins. 

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Blackjack at an online casino

Blackjack at an online casino

Today, there’s a huge variety of online blackjack versions that you can play for free or for real money. Generally, online blackjack can be divided into 2 types. The first is the live dealer game and the second is video blackjack. The difference between the two is that in Video Blackjack, the cards are dealt randomly by the computer, while in the case of a live dealer game, the cards are shuffled and dealt manually.

Blackjack styles

There are several styles of blackjack, with the most popular being:

  • American;
  • European. 

In American, the dealer takes one card for himself, two are dealt to the players, and then takes one card again for himself and opens it. In European style, when the dealer receives the first card, he shows it immediately.  

Types of online blackjack

There are an incredible number of online casinos today that give players the option to play blackjack. Only licensed casinos contain blackjack games from world famous providers such as NetEnt, Microgaming, Evolution, Habanero, BetSoft, Yggdrasil, Play’N Go and many more. It is from them that you will be able to play types of blackjack such as:

  • American Blackjack;
  • 21 Burn Blackjack;
  • Double Exposure BlackJack MH;
  • Lucky Blackjack;
  • Perfect Blackjack;
  • Bollywood Blackjack;
  • Live Speed Blackjack;
  • Blackjack Multi Hand;
  • Infinite Blackjack;
  • Classic Blackjack;
  • Power Blackjack, etc.

All these types of blackjack have their own rules, features and characteristics. You can check them out by selecting an online casino site.

The best online blackjack casinos

As mentioned earlier, there are thousands of casinos offering their services today, but not every one of them has the necessary gaming licenses. After analyzing many online casinos, we’ve managed to come up with a handful that are all blackjack friendly and meet al the criteria you’d expect, like reliability, license, wide range of blackjack game types and more. We present them to you:

  • Vulkan Vegas Casino;
  • Parimatch Casino;
  • Royal Vegas Casino;
  • Europa Casino;
  • 888 Casino;
  • Betway Casino;
  • 4rabet Casino;
  • Casumo Casino.

Choosing any of these casinos on this list is a great way to spend your time, and your wallet, for both you and your wallet! What’s more, you’ll be able to play blackjack for free on all of these sites before you ever play for real money! Either way, we’re sure you’ll have a great gaming experience and a great time!

Hopefully, this blackjack review has helped you learn a little more about the game so you can now build your own strategies and beat the dealer handsomely while making money!

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