Lecture 11

Blackjack Goals The aim of the game is to accumulate a total close to 21. Players play against a dealer not against each other. Player who has a higher point than the dealer not exceeding 21 wins. The best possible blackjack hand is an opening deal of an ace with any ten-point card. This is called a "blackjack". If the player and dealer have the same point, this is called a "push” (draw). Scoring higher than 21 (called "bust") results in a loss.

Card Values Aces are valued as either 1 or 11 according to the player's choice. 2 -- 10-value cards have its numerical values. The jack, queen, and king (also known as "face cards" or "pictures") count as 10.

Basic Rules Betting is done before the players receive the cards. The players and the dealer receive two cards each. The dealer deals cards from her left to her far right. The players' cards are dealt face up. The dealer has one face down and one face up. Only the dealer can see the hole card (face-down card) at this point. If a player and the dealer each have a blackjack, the result is a push for that player. If the dealer has a blackjack, all players not holding a blackjack lose and the game is over.

Rules of play If the dealer doesn't have a blackjack, the game goes on. If the player has a blackjack, the player wins 1.5 times of the bet. Otherwise the game goes on with each remaining player taking action - in clockwise order starting to dealer's left. The player can keep his hand as it is (stand) or take more cards from the deck (hit), one at a time, until either the player judges that the hand is strong enough to go up against the dealer's hand and stands, or until it goes over 21, in which case the player immediately loses.

Rules for the dealer The dealer must hit if the value of the hand is lower than 17, otherwise the dealer will stand. If the dealer goes bust, all players who are left in the game win and the game is over. If the dealer and all players don't go bust, players or dealer with higher point totals close to 21 win and the game is over.

Insurance If the dealer's up-card is an ace, the player is offered the option of taking "insurance". Insurance is a side bet that the dealer has blackjack and is treated independently of the main wager. The player may add up to half the value of their original bet to the insurance. After insurance, the dealer checks the hole card. If the hole card has a blackjack, players who are choosing an insurance receive twice the insurance bet but lose original bet. If not blackjack, players lose insurance bet and the game goes on.

Split When players get two starting cards of the same face value, they have the option to split the hand in two. You place another bet of the same size as the original bet and play on with two hands. When you've decided to split a hand, the dealer immediately deals a second card to each hand and the game goes on. If players split aces, they are dealt a second card to each hand as usual, but you are not allowed to take any further cards. You can split again but aces can not be split again.

Double-down Players are allowed to double down on the initial two-card hand. When players have chosen to double down, they make the initial bet double and they'll only get one more card from the dealer.

Useful Links http://www.wikihow.com/Sample/Blackjack-Chart http://www.wikihow.com/Sample/Blackjack-Rules

Counting cards Basic counting rule: +1 for 2-6 0 for 7-9 -1 for 10-A Only start playing when the count becomes high (typically 17)

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