Guide to Blackjack for Beginners

Blackjack is one of the most popular casino card games in the world where players aim to get as close to the value of 21 – which is known as ‘blackjack’ – with the value of their cards as possible. This comparing card game sees you play against the dealer rather than other players like in poker.

Blackjack has origins in the game ‘twenty-one’ dating all the way back to Spain in the 17th century, but it was not until the 1770s that the game’s first rules appeared in Britain and 1899 when it was developed into an American variant and renamed ‘blackjack’. Today it is one of the most common table games found at land-based and online casinos, and in this comprehensive guide to blackjack for beginners we will arm you with all the information you need to play blackjack for the first time.

• Blackjack Rules for Beginners
• How to Play Blackjack
• Blackjack Strategy for Beginners
• More Beginner Blackjack Basic Strategy Tips
• More General Blackjack Tips

Blackjack Rules for Beginners

Blackjack is a card game that sees players try to get their hand closer to the value of 21 than the dealer’s hand – without going bust, which is when you go over 21. Every card is worth its number in value, while the face cards Jack, Queen and King are all worth 10 and Aces are worth either 1 or 11 depending on what you prefer. The game will be played with one or more decks of regular playing cards.

The aim of blackjack is simply to have a higher value hand than the dealer without going over 21. You will be dealt two cards face up to start with which everyone can see, then you will choose to either ‘hit’ to receive more cards or ‘stand’ to keep your current hand as it is. The dealer will receive two cards, with one of them face up so it can be seen.

You can choose to ‘hit’ and add as many cards as you like, but if the value of your hand exceeds 21 at any point, you will go ‘bust’ and lose the game. If the dealer goes bust then all the remaining players will win. If neither the player or dealer busts then the player with the highest value hand will win.

If you beat the dealer with a regular win you will receive a payout of 1:1, but if you beat them with blackjack – when your cards equal 21 – you will receive 3:2. It is worth remembering that the dealer must hit on any hand valued at 16 and below. If you choose to double down then you will double the value of your wager during the round, but only receive one more card without the option for another.

How to Play Blackjack

Here is a simple step-by-step guide to playing blackjack for beginners:

1. You need to place a bet before the cards are dealt, with the minimum and maximum bets flagged on the table.
2. Once all the bets have been made, the dealer will deal two cards face-up to each player on the table.
3. Once you have received your two cards you have the choice to ‘hit’ and receive more cards or ‘stand’ and keep your hand as it is.
4. When all the players have had their turn, the dealer will turn over their face-down card and either ‘hit’ or ‘stand’.
5. Anyone who goes bust loses immediately, while the winner will be the player with the highest-value hand.

Blackjack Strategy for Beginners

New players to blackjack will definitely find it beneficial to utilize a solid strategy which will help familiarize you with the game and increase your chances of success. In this section we have outlined a number of key beginner blackjack basic strategy options to implement during play.

Always Split Aces and 8s

If you are ever dealt a pair of Aces or 8s it is advisable to split them up into separate hands. By splitting the two Aces you have the chance to start two hands with a value of 11 before receiving your next card and splitting two 8s allows you to avoid a weak hand of 16 which is difficult to win with. You can hope for a face card or 10 on at least one of your next two cards, which would make 21 with an Ace and 18 with an 8. Similarly starting with an 8 you can build a good hand if you draw a low card such as 1, 2 or 3.

Stand on 12-16 When The Dealer Has 2-6

If the value of your hand is between 12 and 16 (without any pairs) and the dealer’s face-up card is 2 through 6 then it is generally advisable to stand. The intention here is to take advantage of the chances that the dealer will go bust with a weak face-up card.

Hit on 12-16 When The Dealer Has 7-Ace

If the value of your hand is between 12 and 16 (without any pairs) and you are facing a dealer who has a strong face-up card such as 7 through Ace, then it is recommended that you hit. This is because the chances are that the dealer will have a stronger hand than yours and allows you to be competitive, although it is obviously risky as you could go bust.

Double Down on 11 When The Dealer Has 2-10

If the value of your hand adds up to 11 and the dealer’s face-up card is from 2 through 10, then it makes sense to double down. The thinking here is that you have a strong hand with a favorable chance of reaching 21 by drawing a 10-value card.

Hit or Double Down on Aces and 2-6

If you draw a hand with an Ace and a card from 2 through 6 you should either double down or hit. You have increased flexibility as the Ace can be a value of either 1 or 11, which opens up more options to better your hand depending on what you draw next.

Never Split Two Face Cards

A common mistake made by beginners is to split when you get two face cards, as players think they are in a good position to beat the dealer. However, statistics prove that you are more likely to win by standing on 20 than risking new cards to go with 10 that aren’t favorable.

More Beginner Blackjack Basic Strategy Tips

There are other basic blackjack for beginners tips that new players should be aware of:

• Always check the dealer’s face-up card before you decide what to do with your own hand.
• Always assume that the face-down card the dealer has that you cannot see is worth 10.
• If your hand is of value 17 or more, then stand.
• If your hand is of value 10 or 11 and the dealer’s face-up card is 9 or lower, then you should double your bet.

Another useful blackjack strategy for beginners is to know the difference between a ‘hard hand’ and a ‘soft hand’. If your hand doesn’t have an Ace in it or the Ace has to count as a 1 because if it was 11 you would go bust, then you have a ‘hard hand’. This means there is no flexibility as to what the value of the hand is.

However, if you have a hand including an Ace where you can choose its value to be either 1 or 11, then this is a ‘soft hand’. This gives you increased flexibility regarding what the value of hand will be and provides more options if you draw more cards. Some blackjack tables require the dealer to hit when they have a ‘soft hand’ worth 17, while others insist they stand so be sure to check the rules before you play.

If a dealer is showing an Ace as their face-up card then they will offer players to take up insurance, which protects you in case the dealer also has a card valued at 10 making 21.

You can surrender half your bet if you don’t like your hand once it has been drawn on some blackjack tables, while it will be a tie with the game pushed if you hit blackjack with your two dealt cards but the dealer does too. You can avoid risking not winning by taking an even money payout of 1:1 rather than the usual 3:2 though.

More General Blackjack Tips

In this section we have put together some more general beginner blackjack basic strategy tips to help you be as successful as possible.

Manage Your Bankroll

To be successful playing blackjack it is imperative that you manage your bankroll efficiently. We recommend you decide on a budget for your play and choose how much you are willing to risk on each hand. Never wager more than you can afford to lose and as a general rule you don’t want to be betting more than 1-2% per hand of your total bankroll.

Avoid Insurance Bets

It may be tempting to take up insurance particularly if the dealer’s face-up card is an Ace, but statistically these bets have a negative expected value in the long term. We advise you to avoid insurance bets completely as they will diminish your bankroll. Instead it’s better to focus on mastering different strategies and relying on your judgment to make sound decisions depending on what cards you and the dealer have.

Practice Makes Perfect

Every beginners guide to blackjack will tell you to get as much practice under your belt as possible when just starting out. Playing free games on online blackjack sites is a great way to get familiar with the game, while you will also want to experience the thrill of playing at a land-based casino. You can implement your strategies here as well as trying out new approaches.

Start With Small Bets

Starting out on small bet tables will help you gradually build up your blackjack expertise as you can make low minimum bets to log more time playing without risking much money. You’ll get up to speed with the pace and dynamics of the game and also be able to observe how other players play and interact with the dealer to further enhance your understanding of the game. You may even be able to exchange tips with other players and learn from their experiences.

Another reason why using small bet tables is a good blackjack strategy for beginners is because they usually attract less experienced players, so you won’t be going up against the most seasoned pros. You’ll be able to refine your own strategy whilst checking out how others play, identifying their mistakes and learning from them too. This could prove a great help when you go on to play better opponents at higher-stakes tables.

Interact With the Dealer

We recommend interacting with the dealer whenever it feels appropriate as this can benefit your play. You can engage in some light-hearted conversation with them and build a rapport to make your overall experience more enjoyable, while some friendly dealers may even be willing to provide you with some guidance as well as answer any questions which can speed up your development.

Always Stay Positive

This is a somewhat underrated trait, but try to always stay positive when playing blackjack and remember that as a game of probability, you will go on winning streaks as well as losing runs. Managing your emotions effectively will have a big impact on your overall performance, so stay calm and measured at all times.