Online Blackjack rules

Here you will find all there is to know about how to play online blackjack, one of the most famous card games ever, also known as the 21. We will talk about blackjack rules, blackjack terminology and we will also cover the different variations of this card game. After reading about the rules and tips we have stored for you, you will be absolutely ready to start your blackjack adventure, whether you decide you want to play online blackjack or Live blackjack. Moreover, you can also decide if you want to play blackjack with real money or if you would prefer to play online blackjack for free, with no deposit and no registration. 

Find everything you need to start playing, or improve your blackjack strategies. 

HOW TO PLAY ONLINE BLACKJACK OR 21

Like we said, there are a few different variations of blackjack, but the focus of all of them is on getting an exact score, or getting as close as possible to an exact score which is, obviously, 21. Sounds easy? It is… But the tricky part is, you cannot ever go over that amount. 

Now we will walk you through the basics of the game and how it works: 

First, players playing at the table place their bets and the cards are dealt. Two cards are dealt, both face up. The dealer is also dealt two cards, one up and one down. In blackjack, players are not competing against each other, they are playing against the dealer. 

Now it’s time for the players to check their hand and see what they are playing with. The total score is the total determined by the value of the cards in the player's hand. How do we do the math? Simple… Numbers are worth exactly their value (2=2, 3=3, etc.), symbol cards are worth 10 (Q, J and K) and the Ace is worth either one or 11, whichever is more advantageous for the player.

And now, it’s time for a decision. The player must decide if he wants to ask for another card, in order to get closer to the desired score, 21, or if he wants to keep their cards as they are. These actions are called hit (when the player chooses to ask for a new card) or stand (which means not receiving any more cards). The play continues until the player is satisfied and settled with the total value of their hand and chooses to continue, or the player busts, which means going past the total score of 21.

When all players have finished their play, the dealer reveals his two cards. If the total is 17 or more, the dealer must stand, meaning he can’t ask for another card. Otherwise, he may ask for and receive an extra card.

It’s finally time to discover who is the winner. Any player who has a total greater than the dealer (the closest possible to 21, without going over) wins the bet. If the player's cards add up to exactly 21, that’s a blackjack and it usually means a higher payout than standard. 

MORE RULES AND BLACKJACK TERMINOLOGY 

We have covered how a game of blackjack starts, develops and ends. That is already most of what you need to know in order to play online blackjack, but there are still a few particularities that make the game more fun and dynamic and knowing them will help you make the most of your game. 

They are:

• Generally speaking, 6 to 8 decks are shuffled in a game of 21. However, there are variations where there is only one deck, such as Single Deck Blackjack, for example.

• There are hands known as soft hands and hands known as hard hands. The difference between these hands is a single card: the Ace. For soft hands, the Ace can be worth either 1 or 11, which means you have more flexibility to form your hand. If the Ace is necessarily 11, or when your hand cannot be flexible, then your hand will be hard.

For example: Let’s say your first two cards are a 7 and an ace. This hand can be worth 8 (7+1) or 18 (7+11). This is considered a soft hand.  Soft hands are strategically the best hands you can have because it makes it almost impossible to get over 21. 

On the other hand, a hard hand with an ace in blackjack is one where the ace has to count as one, otherwise you bust. For example: if you have a Q, a 3 and an ace, this would be a hard hand, because if the ace would be counted as 11, the total would surpass 21. 

You can also have a hard hand without an ace in it. For example, a hand made out of a 10 and a 6 is a hard hand (and, by the way, the trickiest hand in blackjack). In sum, hard hands are the ones where there is a risk of an extra card making you bust.

• Doubling down is the act of doubling the value of your bet. You can only do this when you want to ask for one more card, and only one more card. After doubling down and receiving an extra card, you will no longer be able to ask for cards.

• To divide, an action known as split, is when you decide to split your hand into two different hands. For this to happen, the two cards you were dealt must be equal in value. That is, 2 and 2, 3 and 3, and so on.

• Insurance is the possibility of insuring part of the amount bet by you. This option is generally available when the dealer has his first card as an Ace. You win the insurance bet if the dealer rolls 21. The insurance bet pays 2:1.

PLAY LIVE BLACKJACK AT THE BEST LIVE CASINO

We already told you everything you need to know about the rules of blackjack. You are officially ready to try playing your first game.

What if we told you that you can play LIVE BLACKJACK?

What does that mean? It means you can have a much closer gambling experience to the one you would have in a land-based casino. At Live Blackjack, you will be playing, in real time, with a human dealer and other human players that will be at the same blackjack table as you.  

Here at TuskCasino South Africa, we offer you different variations of Live Blackjack. Experience the thrill of playing Live Blackjack with real-time streaming on your computer with a real dealer. Enjoy all this and more in HD quality. Our different versions of Live Blackjack include Evolution Blackjack, Extreme Blackjack, Blackjack Party and Multiplayer Blackjack; and they all offer the best graphics, the best visuals and sounds and the best gameplay that players are so used to enjoying. If you are one of those players who really enjoys going to the real casinos, look no further, as Live Blackjack here at TuskCasino, the best online zar casino, offers all that action right now in the comfort of your living room. 

You can have it all by just clicking on a button! We wish you luck!