Classic Blackjack

The Deal of Blackjack and Classic Game Play

The game of blackjack and it’s classic origin as well as how it is played. Below we will discuss the origin as well as the deal and player choices you have when you play.

True Origin of Blackjack Speculated

Blackjack’s origins is steeped in mystery as no one is really sure where it originated. The earliest recorded mention of Blackjack was in 1601/2 by Miguel Cervantes. Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote, revealed the game while describing one of the main characters in his book Novelas Ejemplares.

Ejemplares was described as being a cheat at “ventiuna” which is the Spanish word for 21. Surrounded somewhat in speculation, one can only assume that this was relating to the game that we know today as Blackjack.

Number of Decks Vary in the Shoe

The deck of cards, or multiples of decks from which blackjack is dealt is referred to as the shoe. Depending on the type of blackjack being played, this number may vary. There is single deck blackjack consisting of a single 52 card deck only.

A shoe can also contain 2 decks, 4, 6 or even 8 decks depending on the variation and tables you play. For this example of classic blackjack, the size of the shoe does not change the basics of game play.

How Blackjack is Dealt

Before any cards are dealt Thereafter two cards are then dealt to the player and two to the house.

Before any game of Blackjack can be dealt your wager is placed on the table. Two cards cards are then dealt to the player and to the house/dealer/bank. The two cards dealt to the player are placed face up as they are the first to play and the dealers cards are played one face up and one face down.

Each card represents a different value and you add up the value of your cards as follows:

• Ace represents either one or eleven.
• Two to Nine is taken at face value
• Ten, Jack, Queen and King all have the same value of Ten.

The Cards Are Dealt, Hit or Stand

Now that the cards have been dealt, you now get to decide if you want additional cards.

As a player you can take as many hits as you desire, but always remember that your goal to win is 21. If you choose to “take a hit” take an additional card, the dealer will deal you another card.

You may also choose to stand or accept no further cards. Once you choose to stand, the dealer will now turn the card that was placed face down on the table. If the dealers two cards amount to 17, the dealer is forced to stand but if the value is 16 or less, the dealer is now forced to take a hit.

Keep in mind once you have a value that surpasses the number 21, you are bust and the hand will automatically come to an end. If you bust your hand and all your wagers will be forfeited.

Dealer’s Turn

After you decide to stand it becomes the dealer’s turn. If the dealer busts, or reaches 17 or above and stands the hand is over.

Once the dealer has finished playing, it will be ascertained who has the closest to the value of 21, and that hand will be deemed the winner. The dealer will now pay any winners or collect any losses. The next hand can now be started.

Casino House Rules For Blackjack

In blackjack the house is restricted to one rule. That is, if the casino dealer (representing the house), are holding cards to the value of 17 or more, they have to stand and cannot take any more cards. But the player is not restricted to this. If you wish to ask for a third, fourth or fifth card (a hit) you are free to do so. Remember that should you take cards that exceed the accumulative amount of 21 you are bust and out of the game.

Players Have More Choices

However should you have two cards that are numerically the same, you are able to split your hand and make two separate hands out of them. These two hands will be dealt with as if they are taken from separate players, so a second wager has to be placed on the table and cards cannot be swapped between the two hands.

If the banker and the player both have the same value at the end of the game, then it will be considered a “push” and a second game, which will then have the old wager amount and the new games wagers, will be played and the winner will take it all.

Blackjack is a fast game, it is an exciting game and it will certainly keep you entertained for hours on end.

Be sure to see some of the other variations and ways to play blackjack in the various articles we have here. Also you should check out some of the blackjack casino reviews here at 1 Blackjack Casinos for the hottest blackjack games online.