Blackjack is a card game in which one or more players compete against a dealer by having cards dealt face up, and then selecting to hit or stand. Using a standard 52-card deck, suits don’t matter and cards 2 through 10 count at face value while Aces may count either 1 or 11 depending on which will help strengthen their hand most. Aiming to reach 21 or higher with their hand is their goal; busting leaves them losers.
Start playing blackjack by placing a bet, with minimum and maximum stakes usually posted on the table. When all bets have been made, the dealer will deal out two cards to each player and they must decide between hitting (receiving additional cards) or standing (keeping their current ones). If an initial hand totaling 21 or higher emerges from this initial round, that player wins and receives their bet back according to table limits before having their cards taken away by dealer.
Some casinos provide an optional side bet known as insurance that pays 2-to-1 when a dealer shows an ace card, making this bet especially attractive to card counters since their chances of attaining blackjack decrease when there’s an ace present compared to when there isn’t. Unfortunately for card counting enthusiasts however, insurance often proves unwise due to lower odds for getting blackjack when dealers show an ace.
The dealer will then examine their hole card (via a viewing window in the table) to see if they have a blackjack. If they do, they will pay all players who purchased insurance policies and continue dealing hands as normal; otherwise they will collect all insurance bets before returning to dealing the remaining hands on the table.
Once all players have finished their hands, the dealer will reveal his or her hole card and if it contains a blackjack will collect all players’ blackjack bets and pay out 3/2 their original bet amount; otherwise they will continue hitting until they do find one.
Attitude and professionalism can have a tremendous effect on players’ experiences at a blackjack table. Dealers who smile, speak clearly, and maintain an engaging professional demeanor will create an environment of trust and excitement at the table; conversely, dealers who appear aloof or slow to pay out winning bets should be avoided at all costs. Furthermore, it’s also vital for dealers to pay close attention when dealing cards to players; subtle clues such as mishandling them may provide insight into a dealer’s strategy; someone who mishandles cards, bends them incorrectly or takes too long could potentially conceal a weak hand from seeing all players.