How to Play Online Blackjack
Some people are intimidated by any casino card game, but blackjack is actually quite easy to learn. Newcomers to the game might actually prefer to play online blackjack, since they can play a few practice rounds or free trials on the web to get a feel for the game before they engage with live players. Still, before starting a game, it is helpful to have some grasp of the basic rules and structure.
Card Values and The Aim of the Game
Reading the card values in blackjack is fairly straightforward. All of the numbered cards are worth the value indicated by their number (e.g. an eight is worth eight points, etc.) and all of the face cards (e.g. Jacks, Kings, and Queens) are worth ten points. Aces are the only tricky cards, as they can be worth either one point or eleven points. The goal of the game is reach, but not exceed, twenty-one points with your card values.
Rules of Play
When the game starts, each player will be dealt two cards, one face up and the other face down. The dealer will also deal two cards to himself in the same way. Players can then choose to hit, which means taking another card, or they can stand, which means refusing any more cards. If you are over 21 when your face down card is turned over, your hand is considered a "bust."
Players can also make a few different kinds of bets during blackjack, including a split and a double down. The former allows players to bet on two hands when they have two of the same cards, while in the latter style the player can only receive one hit but can bet double.
