Blackjack is a game of chance in which a player risks money against the house, hoping to win more than the dealer. The game is played with a standard 52-card deck, and the player’s goal is to achieve a hand that totals 21 or more points.
A hand consists of two cards, one face-up and one face-down. The face-up card determines the player’s total score (face value plus any bonuses), while the face-down card determines the dealer’s total score. .
In general, if a player has an ace and a two, for example, their hand would be worth 10 points to them and 8 points to the dealer. A hand with an ace and another two would be worth 12 points to the player and 10 points to the dealer.
If the player has a high number such as a three or four, their hand may only be worth one point to them. In this instance, the dealer would also receive one point for every two cards in their hand (e.g.
, if they have an ace and two cards totaling 2 points, they would also receive 1 point for their single card).
As long as a player maintains at least 21 points (regardless of what their hand is worth), they are considered victorious and will receive whatever money was bet by their opponent(s). If a player falls below 21 points after having met that goal on previous hands, they are considered “blackballed” and lose whatever money was bet by their opponent(s).
There is no set amount that blackjack is worth; it is up to each individual casino how much each hand is worth. However, in general, hands that are worth more than four or five points are generally considered good bets, while hands that are only worth one or two points are generally not recommended bets.
