Blackjack Basics - Objective of the Game
The basic objective of blackjack is not to get a perfect hand every single time (i.e. to get a hand that has a total of 21) but the real objective of the game is to beat the dealer's hand. This trait makes blackjack quite unique compared to other card games like poker and all its variants where everyone plays against everyone else on the table. Part of the game's premise (and its objective) therefore includes determining the value of all the cards in the deck and how the they are dealt.
The players engage their own game against the dealer in blackjack. So no matter what one player does, the other players' piece of the action will not be affected. Each player on the table makes their own individual decisions according to what cards that are dealt and what the dealer's up card is. Another key to the game action in blackjack is the fact that the dealer can't play the cards as he wishes. The dealer is supposed to follow a strict set of rules regarding how to play the dealer hand. In direct contrast to this the players can make their moves any way they wish to achieve the objective.
Since the objective of the game of blackjack is to beat the dealer's hand then the players should know how to rank their hands. In blackjack the suit of the cards will count as nothing. What's important is the value of the cards. A two card for instance will of course take a value of two. The picture or face cards will take a value of ten. An Ace in blackjack will either take a value of one or 11, depending on which is better for the individual hand.
Everyone in the blackjack table, including the dealer, initially gets a pair of cards as starting hands. The players and the dealer add up the values of both cards they receive. If anyone gets a value 21 then they automatically win. For example a player get an Ace of any suit and a Queen. That will be 11 plus 10, which totals to 21, an instant win.
After the getting initial two cards, players can either request an extra card, stay with their current hand value, split up the two initial cards and make a couple of hands by getting a new card each for the split cards, or double the stake and take one more card. After everyone has finished making their moves the dealer then plays his hand according to set rules. If a player makes a hand with a total higher than the dealer then that player wins, the opposite would mean that the dealer wins.
This is the objective in the game of blackjack. Players don't have to make perfect 21's every single time - the idea is simply to beat the dealer's hand.
June:07:2007:Thursday
It is transparently clear that whenever a casino's countertactics become too onerous to permit satisfactory play, the player should go elsewhere. However, many more subtle measures than merely walking away are available to the player to help him reduce the compromising effects that casino countertac ... [read more]
June:06:2007:Wednesday
This article is about the basics of the blackjack game. To put it as simple as possible, the object of the game is to beat the dealer, who represents the casino and its bankroll. [read more]
January:23:2007:Tuesday
This is a discussion about whether it's a good decision for a blackjack player to take an insurance bet, especially when he or she has a natural blackjack. Insurance usually happens if a dealer shows their upcard to be an ace. [read more]