Place a bet
Put chips in your betting spot before any cards are dealt. Tables post a minimum and maximum. Once the deal starts, that bet is locked in unless you later double or split.
The object of the game
Every round starts with a bet. You and the dealer each receive two cards. Your job is to finish with a higher total than the dealer without busting. If you bust, you lose even if the dealer busts later. That first-to-act rule is why the house has a built-in edge.
A natural blackjack is an ace and a 10, jack, queen, or king on the original two cards. That hand beats a 21 made with three or more cards. If you and the dealer both have a natural blackjack, the hand is a push and your bet is returned.
Other players do not take money from you. A bust or blackjack at the next seat does not change your result. Side games such as Spanish 21 or Blackjack Switch use different rule sets; this guide is for standard blackjack.
Blackjack card values
Add the values of the cards in your hand. An ace counts as 11 whenever it can. If 11 would take the total over 21, that ace drops to 1.
- Number cards (2-10)
- Worth their face value. A 7 and a 9 make 16.
- Face cards (J, Q, K)
- Each worth 10. A king and a 6 make 16, the same as 10-6.
- Aces
- Worth 11 or 1. Ace-7 is a soft 18. If you hit and draw a 9, the ace becomes 1 and the hand is a hard 17.
Hard hands, soft hands, and pairs
The same total can play very differently depending on whether an ace is still counting as 11 and whether you were dealt a pair. These three hand types are the foundation of later strategy.
- Hard hand
- A total with no ace counted as 11. Hard 16 is a stiff hand: any 6 or higher busts it.
- Soft hand
- A total that still includes an ace counted as 11. Soft 17 (ace-6) can take another card without busting.
- Pair
- Two cards of the same rank, such as 8-8 or ace-ace. Most tables let you split a pair into two separate hands.
How a blackjack hand is played
A round always follows the same order: bet, deal, player action, dealer action, then settlement. Learn this sequence first, then the individual moves.
Cards are dealt
Each player gets two cards. In the usual American game, the dealer takes one card face up (the upcard) and one face down (the hole card). Your two cards are both visible.
You act first
Starting from the first seat, each player hits, stands, doubles, splits, or surrenders. If you bust, that bet is lost and collected before the dealer plays.
The dealer plays last
If any player hands are still live, the dealer reveals the hole card and hits until the total is 17 or more. Hands are then compared and paid.
Moves you can make
After the deal, these are the standard player options. Not every table offers surrender, and insurance only appears when the dealer's upcard is an ace.
Hit
Take one more card. You can hit more than once. Use this when your total is weak and another card can improve it without an almost-certain bust.
Stand
Keep your current total and end your turn. Standing is the usual play on a strong total, or on a stiff hand that is too likely to bust if you hit.
Double down
Double your original bet and take exactly one extra card. Doubling is strongest on totals like 10 or 11, and on some soft hands, when the dealer's upcard is weak.
Split
If your first two cards are a pair, you may split them into two hands and place a matching bet on the second hand. Each hand is then played on its own. Splitting aces is often limited to one card per ace.
Surrender
Give up the hand and lose only half your bet. Late surrender, the common version, is offered after the dealer checks for blackjack. Not every table allows it.
Insurance
A side bet, offered when the dealer shows an ace, that the hole card is a 10-value card. It pays 2 to 1, but it is a poor bet over time. Even-money is just insurance on your own blackjack.
How hands are paid
- A regular win pays even money: a $10 bet returns your $10 plus $10 in winnings.
- A natural blackjack usually pays 3 to 2. A $10 blackjack wins $15. Avoid 6 to 5 tables, where that same hand only wins $12.
- A push is a tie. Your bet is returned and nobody wins the pot.
- If you bust, you lose the bet even if the dealer later busts too.
- If the dealer busts and you did not, you win. If both totals are 21 or under, the higher total wins.
How the dealer plays
- The dealer's upcard is the public information you use to decide your move.
- The dealer hits 16 or less and stands on hard 17 or higher. The dealer never doubles, splits, or surrenders.
- Soft 17 (ace-6) is the main fork: S17 means the dealer stands, H17 means the dealer hits. H17 is worse for the player.
- In American-style games the dealer takes a hole card and usually peeks for blackjack when showing an ace or 10.
- European no-hole-card games wait to draw the dealer's second card until after players finish. Doubling or splitting into a dealer blackjack can cost extra.
Table rules that change the game
The core blackjack rules stay the same from table to table. The details below do not. Read them before you sit down, because they change how often you win and how much a blackjack is worth. Our free game uses the player-friendly column: 3 to 2 payouts, dealer stands on 17, and a four-deck shoe.
Blackjack payout
Better for the player3 to 2. A $10 blackjack wins $15.
Worse for the player6 to 5. A $10 blackjack wins $12. This is one of the most expensive rule changes you can accept.
Dealer 17
Better for the playerDealer stands on all 17s, including soft 17 (S17).
Worse for the playerDealer hits soft 17 (H17). Extra hits create more dealer 18-21s.
Number of decks
Better for the playerOne or two decks. Natural blackjacks are a little more common.
Worse for the playerSix or eight decks. Slightly fewer blackjacks and a higher house edge.
Doubling
Better for the playerDouble on any first two cards, including after a split (DAS).
Worse for the playerDoubling restricted to 9-11, or no doubling after a split.
Splitting
Better for the playerRe-splitting pairs and hitting split aces are allowed.
Worse for the playerNo re-splits, and split aces receive only one card each.
Surrender
Better for the playerLate surrender is offered, so the worst hands can be folded for half a bet.
Worse for the playerNo surrender. Stiff 15s and 16s against a strong dealer upcard must be played out.
Dealer hole card
Better for the playerDealer peeks for blackjack on an ace or 10 before you double or split.
Worse for the playerNo-hole-card / European rules. Extra money put out can be lost to a dealer blackjack.
Blackjack rules FAQ
Do you play against the other players?
No. Each hand is scored against the dealer only. Another player's bust, blackjack, or split does not change your result.
What happens if you and the dealer both have 21?
If both 21s are natural blackjacks, it is a push. If you have a natural blackjack and the dealer has 21 with three or more cards, you win. If both 21s were built by hitting, it is a push.
Does the dealer have to hit on 16?
Yes. The dealer has no choice: hit 16 or less, stand on hard 17 or more. The only common exception is soft 17, which depends on whether the table is S17 or H17.
Can you split any two cards?
You can split a pair of the same rank. Some casinos also let you split 10-value cards of different ranks, such as a jack and a king, but that is usually a poor play. Aces are often split only once, with one card dealt to each ace.
Is insurance a good bet?
Almost never. Insurance pays 2 to 1, but the dealer does not have a 10 in the hole often enough to make it profitable. Even-money on your own blackjack is the same bet in disguise.
Why do some games pay 6 to 5 for blackjack?
It raises the house edge. A 3 to 2 payout is the standard you should look for. If a table pays 6 to 5, the rest of the rules can look generous and still be a worse game.
Practice these rules at a live table
Reading the rules is the first step. Playing a few hands is how they stick. Our free blackjack game uses 3 to 2 payouts, a dealer who stands on 17, and a four-deck shoe. If you want feedback on every hit, stand, double, and split, use the strategy trainer.