"Blackjack is the only casino game
an amateur can learn to play and
at which he can definitely win."
According blackjack rules, once the cards are dealt, each player gets one opportunity to take
more cards. When it's your turn, you can choose to hit or stay. This decision should
be based not only on your own cards, but also on the dealer's up card (the one you can see).
Your goal is to get a better hand than the dealer, without going over 21.
You can continue to hit until you feel your hand is as good as it's going to get.
At that point, your turn is over and the next player gets a turn. Once your turn is
over, you're done, and you wait for the dealer to finish the round.
When you should hit can be rather complex and is discussed more in the section
on blackjack strategies.
You have more options that just hitting or staying though. In some cases, you
have the opportunity to increase your potential winnings.
When you are dealt a pair (two cards that are the same number), you have the
option to split your hand. When you split your hand, each card is placed into a
new hand and you place an additional bet on the table for the additional hand.
The dealer then gives you another card for each. Now you have two hands to
play, each with two cards.
You play each hand separately just as you would with only one hand. The
advantage to this is that you could win twice as much money. But you only want
to split your hand if you have the right cards for it. You'll learn more about
when to split under blackjack strategies.
Another option you have is to double down. When you double down, you double
your bet and you get one more card from the deck. Only one more card. Obviously,
this is also something that you only want to do when you have the right hand
for it. But when it works, you win twice as much money.
The dealer, of course, has much more limited options, which is what gives
you an advantage in blackjack. Find out more about the dealer
rules.
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