How to Beat the Dealer in Blackjack
In blackjack, you have two options. You can choose to stand and take another hit. If you choose to stand, you must turn your cards face up. You will receive a payout if you’ve hit the minimum of 17 or higher. If you fail to meet that total, you’ll have to bust. Otherwise, you keep your original bet and the game continues. You also have the option of folding your hand. However, this option won’t get you anything more.
In blackjack, the best possible hand is an Ace and a face card, which are known as a natural or “Blackjack.” It is impossible to beat a dealer if you have this hand, but you can beat him if he happens to have the same hand. When this happens, it’s called a “push” and the player gets his bet back. In blackjack, you can also choose to stand by remaining with your original two cards instead of drawing more. This option is advantageous in a couple of ways.
First, you can split your two cards if they’re equal in value. A pair of 8’s is also a good hand. It has a value of 16 and can be split into two separate hands if the cards are equal. However, a split will increase your chances of winning if your cards are an Ace and a king. However, standing with 16 is risky as you’re more likely to lose your bet.
Second, you can always bet more than the maximum bet and still win. If you’re the dealer, your hand is ‘Blackjack’. If the dealer has a blackjack, you’ll be paid three-to-two times your bet. If the dealer has a blackjack, it’s called a “push”.
Third, you can play the game against the dealer. The goal of Blackjack is to beat the dealer. If you bust, both you and the dealer lose. A push occurs if the player and the dealer have the same point value. Each player has their own game with the dealer, so you should not lose if you’ve got a natural. When splitting, you’ll get to split your bet and try to beat the dealer. A tie means that you have equal points and the dealer is also tied.
One of the ways to break even is by making a side bet called insurance. This side bet is placed when the dealer’s face up card is an ace. If the dealer does not have a Blackjack, this bet is worth a half-bet, and pays out two to one in case the dealer does. If the dealer has a blackjack, the insurance bet wins and the player loses the original bet.
The game of Blackjack is played on a special semi-circular table. There are separate betting circles for each player. Each player buys chips from the dealer and places them in the betting circle next to a space. These chips only count as a bet when they’re inside the betting circle. Once all bets have been placed, play begins. If your hand is higher than the dealer’s, you’ll be the winner.