Blackjack: Learning to Play

The blackjack card game is one of the most popular casino games you will find in any casino online and on land. And if you come to the casino during peak hours, you will notice that blackjack tables are full. For a beginner who intends to learn blackjack at the casino, come when it is not busy. Blackjack tip: avoid going on weekend nights, the casinos are expected to be full. A Tuesday morning is a good choice.

The goal in a game of blackjack is to possess a hand with a value closer to 21 but not over 21 relative to the dealer. Don't mind the other players, your goal is to beat the dealer. Unlike casino poker which you have to beat the other players to win, in a game of blackjack you will only need to have a hand valuing 21 or less. So it is no big deal if other players see your hand.

As a tip for beginners, try playing a blackjack shoe game. In a blackjack shoe game, the cards are dealt face up to all players. For a beginner it is helpful that the dealer and other players to see your cards so you can ask them for advice. Do not be reluctant to ask questions or be ashamed that you need help. The dealer won't get angry with you; it is part of their job to teach casino customers how to play blackjack or any casino game for that matter.

In a blackjack game, you have to know the value of each card before sitting at the blackjack table. That would be easy since the numerical value of each card is retained. That means two of spades is counted as two and that a ten of clubs is counted as ten. For face cards such as jacks, queen, and kings, they are valued at ten. The suits are disregarded so a two of spades and two of club are each counted as two.

The tricky part is on the ace. Any ace of the four suits can assume a value of one or eleven. On when to use one or eleven depends on your judgment. For a blackjack hand that an ace is counted as one or eleven without going beyond 21, such a hand is called a soft hand. But when the available counting for an ace is only one such a hand is called hard.

Now that you now what to do in blackjack, you can proceed to the blackjack table and play.