There are many variations of blackjack, but the basic premise of the game is to beat the dealer by counting cards and making the best possible hand. The dealer gets a hand of cards, and depending on the rules, either stands or gives up money.
In most cases, players are dealt two cards face down, and then must either make a hand with two cards or better (a total of 13 or higher), or give up their turn. If a player has two cards that total 10 or less, they can “push” or “split” them to make another hand.
If a player has three cards that total 10 or less, they can also “push” for an additional card.
The objective is to get as close to 21 as possible without going over. In some variants, such as Spanish blackjack, players must also hit on any number if it is the first card played (a “natural”).
If a player gets 21 without hitting, they win EVEN money; if they hit and subsequently lose the bet, they lose their original bet plus any additional money on top (a “hard” hit).
In general terms, if you are playing against one other person and use basic strategy – keeping track of your opponents’ hands and making rational bets – you should be able to average around 16-18 points per hour. This assumes that you are playing at a fair casino where there is no house edge.
Some casinos have higher house edges (usually 2-3%), meaning that for every 100 hands playedyou will lose an average of 22-27% of your bets. In this case your hourly earnings would be reduced by around 50%.
