How to Play Blackjack: Rules and Hand Signals in Live Casino

Blackjack is one of the most popular games available in casinos. Right from the very beginning and its introduction to land-based casinos, it has enjoyed huge popularity. This popularity hasn’t faded over the years, and thanks to its simplicity as well as the many tactical options, the game remains a firm favourite. However, before you head to a casino or decide to play blackjack via online casino platforms, you should know the rules well. You’ll learn exactly about the rules—and also what the individual hand signals mean in live casinos—in today’s article.

Game objective and payouts

Your goal in blackjack is to beat the dealer. At one table, there can be other players besides you, who also always play against the dealer. You beat the dealer if you have a higher total than them, while at the same time you must not exceed the upper points limit, which is 21. That means if the dealer has, for example, only 17 and your total is higher—say, e.g. 19—then you win. You don’t necessarily have to reach 21. If a player wins, the payout is at 1:1. When a player hits Blackjack, i.e. a total of 21, and the dealer doesn’t get BJ, the payout is 3:2.

Blackjack rules

Blackjack rules aren’t difficult at all. We believe you can get to grips with them in just a few dozen minutes. However, blackjack has several variations, and they differ from each other in certain parts—so the rules themselves can vary too. It’s good to know these things so you don’t run into any misunderstandings during play.

The main unchanging rule has already been mentioned in the paragraph about the game objective. You must have a higher total than the dealer and at the same time you must not go over 21. If a player goes over 21, the casino—i.e. the dealer—wins automatically, so the dealer has the advantage, even if they also go over 21. If the player and the dealer have the same total, it’s a tie and your original stake is returned—so you don’t win anything, but you also don’t lose anything.

If it’s a game played by a larger number of players at the same time, different situations can occur. The dealer can beat everyone and win. The dealer can beat only some players, tie with others, and the remaining players beat the dealer. Even with more players, the rules don’t change. You always win or lose only your own individual stake. The minimum bet is usually shown at the table.

Card values and dealing in Blackjack

Card values are based on the game “21”, but they differ in a few ways. Cards 2 to 10 have their face value; the Jack (J), Queen (Q) and King (K) are also worth 10. The Ace (A) can be worth 1 or 11—it depends on your judgement. Two types of totals are used. One is a soft total, where the Ace counts as 11 points and, when taking another card, the resulting total cannot exceed 21. The other total, as the name suggests, is a hard total. In this case the Ace (A) counts as 1, which means that if a player draws two tens, they will exceed the target value of 21. Blackjack refers to a combination of an Ace and any card worth ten (10, J, Q, K). The suit doesn’t matter at all.

Once all players place their bets in front of them, the dealer deals each player a card clockwise, from their point of view. First they deal the first card and then the second. The cards are always dealt face up, which means the cards are visible to all players and the dealer themselves.

How the game works

After the cards are dealt, the dealer then calls on each player, in the same order the cards were dealt, and asks what their next move will be. The player can always choose whether to ask for another card, stand, or split their cards. It’s also possible to double your bet. If the player decides to stand or goes over the maximum allowed total of 21, the dealer takes their cards and the casino wins their stake.

The dealer first deals themselves just one card; only once they’ve invited the players to take their turns and they’ve decided what to do does the dealer then deal their second card. After that, they collect losing bets or pay out winnings. It’s also important to say that casinos may have these rules slightly adjusted. For example, the cards may be dealt face down, or the dealer may deal both of their cards at once, with one face down.

Blackjack bonuses

As with other casino games, there are also bonuses for Blackjack that online casinos use to entice you to play. These are cash amounts that online casinos add to your deposits to make your play more enjoyable. However, all bonuses come with rules you must follow. Hand on heart, there are relatively few Blackjack bonuses, mainly because thanks to one of the lowest house edges (the casino’s advantage), this game is usually excluded from the list of games that count towards meeting the wagering requirements of individual bonuses. However, you can use most no-deposit registration bonuses for Blackjack.

Dealer and player decisions

The player has more options than the dealer in terms of the actions they can take in the game. The dealer follows clearly defined rules. If their total is less than 16, they take another card. However, if their total is higher, i.e. 17 or more, they must not take any further cards and must stand. These rules can be adjusted by individual casinos. For example, it may not be a total of 16 but up to a total of 17. Variants may also differ depending on how the total was reached, i.e. whether it is a soft or hard total. Based on that, the dealer’s play may vary.
Player decision-making in Blackjack is much more open and offers more options. The names of the decisions are given using English terms. Now we’ll go through the individual options. These are Hit, Stand, Double, Split, Surrender and Insurance. The hand signals for each option in a live casino are shown in the image below. When to play which moves is described by the basic strategy chart. The Blackjack card counting strategy can also help you decide—read our article.

Hit

Means a request for another card from the dealer.

Stand

Simply stand—this action ends your next move/hand; your total is enough.

Double

As the name suggests, this means doubling your stake. You will then be dealt one more card by the dealer and your hand ends.

Split

Allows you to split your cards. There is a rule tied to this that entitles you to use this move only if you have two cards of the same value—for example, two tens. The dealer will deal an additional card to each of the cards, and each hand is then played separately. You also need to double your stake, because each hand has its own stake value.

Surrender

Indicates an action where the player wants to surrender. Surrender is only possible after the first two cards are dealt. In that case, the dealer returns half of the stake and the other half remains with the casino.

Insurance

This action allows the player to take insurance. Insurance applies in case the dealer hits Blackjack. Insurance can be taken if the dealer’s upcard is an ace. Insurance pays out at 2:1 and you can bet a maximum of half of the original stake.

Hand signals when playing blackjack

Blackjack chart for hard totals

A hard total is a game situation where none of your cards is an Ace. An Ace can be counted as 1 or 11 points. That means the value of your hand is fixed and can’t change.

Legend for the Blackjack hard total chart

In the left column you’ll find the value of your hand, and in the top row the value of the dealer’s first upcard. The chart gives you the ideal play for every situation: based on your hand value and the dealer’s first card, you’ll find the square that tells you what to do. Below you’ll find explanations of each option.

– HIT: If the chart shows the letter H, take another card.

– STAND: If you see the letter S, don’t take any more cards and wait for the outcome.

– DOUBLE HIT: Double your bet (DOUBLE); if you can’t, take another card (HIT)

– SURRENDER: If available, surrender the hand – this combination isn’t favourable

Blackjack chart for soft totals

A soft total is a game situation where one of your cards is an Ace. An Ace can be counted as 1 or 11 points. That means the value of your hand isn’t fixed and you can choose.

Legend for the Blackjack hard total chart

In the left column you’ll find the value of your hand, and in the top row the value of the dealer’s first upcard. The chart gives you the ideal play for every situation: based on your hand value and the dealer’s first card, you’ll find the square that tells you what to do. Below you’ll find explanations of each option.

– HIT: If the chart shows the letter H, take another card.

– STAND: If you see the letter S, don’t take any more cards and wait for the outcome.

– DOUBLE HIT: Double your bet (DOUBLE); if you can’t, take another card (HIT)

– DOUBLE STAND: Double your bet (DOUBLE); if you can’t, don’t take any more cards (STAND)

Blackjack chart for pairs

More than once while playing, you’ll end up with two cards of the same value. With these combinations, you can often grow your bankroll even more. But be careful – it’s not always an advantage, which is why there’s another chart below.

Legend for the Blackjack pairs chart

In the left column you’ll find the value of your hand, and in the top row the value of the dealer’s first upcard. The chart gives you the ideal play for every situation: based on your hand value and the dealer’s first card, you’ll find the square that tells you what to do. Below you’ll find explanations of each option.

– HIT: If the chart shows the letter H, take another card.

– STAND: If you see the letter S, don’t take any more cards and wait for the outcome.

– DOUBLE HIT: Double your bet (DOUBLE); if you can’t, take another card (HIT)

– SPLIT: Split the cards. You’ll continue playing each card as a separate hand, giving you the chance to win more than once.

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