Blackjack is a card game where the goal is to get a hand that is closer to 21 than the dealer’s without going over. Each card has a value, with face cards (Jack, Queen, King) worth 10 and Aces worth either 1 or 11. When you play blackjack, you are dealt two cards and can choose to ask for more cards (“hit”) or stay with your current hand (“stand”). The dealer then receives two cards and must hit until they have a total of 17 or higher.
The rules of blackjack can seem complicated, but basic strategy will improve your chances of winning. Using the right strategies will increase your chances of getting a winning hand over the dealer’s and decrease the house edge. Although there is no way to beat the house with perfect strategy, following some of these techniques can significantly increase your win rate.
Aside from learning basic strategy, there are a few other things you should know when playing blackjack. For one, you should never take insurance bets. These side bets are often misconstrued as a good way to beat the dealer, but they actually make the house edge much larger. Taking an insurance bet will also cost you more money than just betting your original bet.
Another important rule is knowing when to hit. When your cards add up to 11 or less, it is a good idea to hit because it will be impossible for you to bust at this point. This is also the case if the dealer shows an ace. When the dealer shows a seven or higher, it is generally smarter to stand.
There are some secondary bets that can help you improve your odds of winning, such as splitting aces and eights. This will give you two hands that have the potential to beat the dealer, but you will need to double your initial bet.
You should always split aces and eights if they are in the same suit, as this will increase your chances of making a winning hand. You should also try to split any pairs of 10s, as this will increase your chances of getting a blackjack.
When playing blackjack, you should also practice keeping a running count. This will help you understand how many high cards are left in the deck and can be used to deviate from your basic strategy when appropriate. To calculate a running count, simply add up the values of each card as it is dealt. A true count takes into account the number of decks remaining and can be calculated by dividing the running count by the number of decks in play. This will give you a more accurate picture of the house edge and allow you to adjust your bets accordingly.