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Blackjack
Blackjack uses 8 decks of cards to give you a better chance in getting a winning hand. Cards of rank 2 through 10 are scored according to their face value. All face cards are 10 points. Aces are semi-wild and can be worth either 1 or 11 points. The highest hand in blackjack is an ace and any 10-point card and is called a blackjack. A winning blackjack pays 3:2. If both player and dealer have a blackjack the bet is a push. A side from a blackjack a winning hand pays even money. The player wins if his hand has more points than the dealer, without going over 21. Thus a 21-point hand is the highest and is why the game is sometimes called 21. If the player or dealer go over 21 it is called a break or bust and automatically loses. If both the player and dealer bust the player loses, If the player and dealer tie the bet is a push.
A round of blackjack begins with a player placing a bet in the circle or logo directly in front of him. Then the player click on the deal button, then the dealer will give at the player and himself two cards. Player cards are usually dealt face up. One dealer card is dealt face up (the up card) and the other face down (the hole card). If the dealer has a ten or an ace as the up card it is possible he has a blackjack in which case all player hands will lose except with another blackjack. In this case, the dealer will check for blackjack immediately if one is possible and will collect all losing bets immediately if he does have a blackjack.
In the event the dealer has an ace as the up card he will allow the players to insure their hands against a blackjack. This is much like any insurance policy in which you are betting something bad will happen. The insurance bet in blackjack pays 2:1 if the dealer has a blackjack. If the dealer has an ace showing and a player has a blackjack the dealer may ask "even money?" This is because if the player has a blackjack the net result of both the blackjack and the insurance bet will be an even money win regardless of whether the dealer has a blackjack. After a player have had a chance to accept or decline insurance the dealer will check the hole card.
After it has been established that the dealer does not have a blackjack the player may play their hands. The following options are available.
Stand: If the player is satisfied with his hand as-is he may stand pat. To signify you wish to stand wave your hand as if to wave the dealer away.
Hit: If the player wishes to take another card he may continue to do so until he either stands or busts.
Double: If the player feels he needs one and only one more card then he may double his bet and be dealt one more card, good or bad. This option is only offered on the first two cards, and on the first two cards after splitting.
Split: If the player's first two cards are of equal point value he may split them into two hands. In this event each card is the first card of a new hand. The player must also make another wager of equal value to the first for the second hand. The player can't resplit in the rest of this game.
After the players have played their hands, from the dealer's left to right, the dealer will play his hand. The dealer has no free will but must always play by certain house rules. The rule is that the dealer must hit until he reaches a score of 17 or more. Some casinos stipulate that if the dealer has a soft 17, consisting of an ace and any number of cards totaling 6, he must also hit. If the dealer busts all players that did not bust automatically win.