How to play
How to play blackjack
Blackjack is a race to 21 against the dealer. You win by finishing closer to 21 than the dealer without going over. Here is everything you need for the table on this site.
Card values
- Cards 2 through 10 count their number.
- Jacks, queens and kings count 10.
- An ace counts 1 or 11, whichever helps your hand.
A hand with an ace counted as 11 is called soft, because it can't bust on the next card. Ace and 6 is a soft 17. Any other hand is hard.
How a round works
- Bet. Tap chips to set your bet, then tap Deal.
- Deal. You get two cards face up. The dealer gets one face up (the upcard) and one face down.
- Dealer checks. If the upcard is an ace or a 10-value card, the dealer checks for blackjack. If the dealer has it, the round ends right away.
- Your turn. Hit, stand, double or split until you stand or go over 21.
- Dealer's turn. The dealer turns over the hidden card and must draw until reaching 17 or more. The dealer has no choices.
- Payout. Closer to 21 wins. If you went over 21 you lose, even if the dealer busts afterward.
Your choices
- Hit
- Take another card. You can hit as many times as you like until you stand or bust.
- Stand
- Keep your total and end your turn.
- Double
- Double your bet and take exactly one more card. Only on your first two cards.
- Split
- When your first two cards have the same value, split them into two hands. Each gets a second card and its own bet equal to the first. You can double after splitting. Split aces get one card each, and an ace with a 10 after a split counts as 21, not blackjack.
- Insurance
- When the dealer shows an ace, you can bet half your wager that the dealer has blackjack. It pays 2 to 1. If you have blackjack yourself, the same offer is called even money. Basic strategy says to decline both; the strategy guide shows why.
Payouts
| Result | Pays |
|---|---|
| Win | 1 to 1 (bet $10, win $10) |
| Blackjack: an ace and a 10-value card as your first two cards | 3 to 2 (bet $10, win $15) |
| Push: you and the dealer tie | Your bet comes back |
| Insurance, when the dealer has blackjack | 2 to 1 |
The rules at this table
- Six decks, reshuffled when about three quarters of the shoe has been dealt.
- The dealer stands on all 17s, including soft 17.
- Blackjack pays 3 to 2.
- Double on any first two cards, including after a split.
- One split per hand. No surrender.
- You start with $2,500 in play money. If you run out, you can reset.
The strategy chart
With the chart switched on, the game shows the basic strategy play for every decision. That's the play that loses the least over time. It's tagged BOOK on the button and lit up on the chart where your hand meets the dealer's upcard. Switch the chart off to test yourself; your score is in the Stats tab.
Daily challenge
Every day there's one shoe, shuffled the same way for everyone. You get 20 hands and one attempt. When you finish, share your result and compare with friends. A new shoe deals at midnight.