How to play Blackjack

The goal

Beat the dealer: finish closer to 21 than the dealer without going over.

Card values

Number cards count their number. Jacks, queens and kings count 10. An ace counts 11, or 1 if 11 would take you over 21.

An ace and a 10-value card as your first two cards is a blackjack.

A round

Choose your bet, then deal. You and the dealer get two cards; one of the dealer’s is face down.

Hit to take a card. Stand to keep your total. Double to double your bet and take exactly one more card. Split two cards of the same value into two hands. Surrender to give up the hand and keep half your bet.

Then the dealer turns over the hidden card and draws until the total is 17 or more.

This table

Blackjack pays 3 to 2.

Dealer stands on soft 17.

Insurance pays 2 to 1.

6 decks, reshuffled when the cut card comes out.

Points are never sold. If you run out, start again with 1,000 points, free.

Hints

Hint, in the bar at the bottom, suggests the best play once per round, with the reason in plain words.