Standing the test of time: Blackjack

If a game has stood the test of time to remain one of the best table games within casinos around the world and is as popular with players today as much as it was centuries ago, it is clear to all that join the table exactly why it has been given the title as a casino classic. We are, of course, talking about Blackjack!

Whether you find yourself joining a table to play Blackjack online at Paddy Power, for example, or within a brick-and-mortar establishment, the aim of the game, as well as the rules, will always be the same. So, whether you’re joining from your sofa, or in a land-based casino whilst out with friends, beating the hand of the dealer without toppling a total of 21, is the aim of the game.

Basic gameplay

Using a deck – or virtual deck – of playing cards, a dealer (or Random Number Generator (RNG)) will deal both you and themselves two cards to begin with. Your cards will be facing upwards, with only one of the dealers facing upwards – the other will be revealed once you are happy with your hand of cards. To beat the dealer, your hand must total to 21, without going over, or to be as close to 21 as possible, but have a total higher than the dealer’s.

If your hand is close to 21, you can choose to stick with what you have, or risk adding a third card to your hand to reach 21 exactly. If you have room for growth within your two-card value, then we advise adding a third card to your hand. If this takes you over 21, you’ll lose the game automatically, if it doesn’t, and you find yourself close to 21, you can stick with your cards and ask the dealer to reveal their second card. The dealer can then decide whether they want to add a third card to their hand. After the dealer has stuck with their hand, whoever has the highest valued hand, without toppling 21, wins.

Cards and their values

The value of cards is as so: numbered cards hold their own displayed value, the royals – Jack, Queen and King all hold a value of ten. The four Aces, however, hold two values – one or eleven. It is up to you what value the ace holds within your hand, helping you to achieve the best hand within the game.

Whoever holds the highest valued hand, up to the value of 21, wins the game. If your hand value is higher than 21, you automatically lose.

With your Blackjack know-how refreshed, and learning a snippet of just why it has managed to stand the test of time, the only thing now is to decide if you will be trying your hand at beating the dealer online or in person? Will you be following Blackjack into the future?