Black Jack
The Object of the Game
The object is achieve a higher card count than the croupier without exceeding a count of 21. 8 decks of 52 cards are used.
The Bets
Select the seat and the amount you would like to wager on a hand. You MUST click the 'Place Bet' button after you've finished dragging and dropping chips for the bets to be registered and valid. After each player has pressed the 'Place Bet' button and/or the betting time period has expired.
The Play
Beginning on the croupier's left, a card is dealt face up to each player in turn with the croupier being last in rotation. A second card is then dealt in the same manner, face up to each player; the croupier gets a hidden card.
Once all initial cards are dealt, each player gets a turn to improve their counts. The order of the turns is the same as the order the cards were dealt. During your turn, you have the option of standing or hitting (drawing) one or more cards to improve your count. Once you stand, your turn is over. If you exceed a count of 21, this is called a bust, and you lose your bet immediately; otherwise, your bet remains unresolved. If you initial count (with two cards) is 21, this is called a Blackjack.
You are not allowed to draw to (hit on) a Blackjack. If there is no possibility that the croupier also has a Blackjack (that is, the croupier's card is neither a face card, a Ten, nor an Ace), then you win your bet immediately upon the start of your turn, and your bet is paid off at 3 to 2. If there is a possibility that the croupier also has a Blackjack, the resolution of your bet is delayed until the croupier's final count is established.
After all players have had a turn, the croupier
open the hidden card, then stands or draws as appropriate, according to the
house strategy. If the croupier exceeds a count of 21, she busts, and all
unresolved bets are winners.
If she stands without busting, each player's count is then compared to the
croupier's. If your count is closer to 21 than the croupier's, you win. If the
croupier's is closer, you lose. If you and the croupier tie, the bet is a push
(a standoff), which means you neither win your bet nor lose it. Once all bets
have been resolved, the croupier announces the beginning of the next betting
period.
The Cards
Face cards (Jacks, Queens, and Kings) are worth 10, while Aces are worth 1 or 11. After a player has stood, a hand containing one or more Aces is considered to be at its highest possible value without exceeding 21.
Player Options
After the first two cards are dealt, each player gets an opportunity to improve their counts. They may also alter their wagers in the following ways:
Splitting Pairs
Pairs, two cards of equal value, may be split into two separate hands, each with
a bet equal to the original bet amount. If you split your hand, the second card,
for both subhands, are dealt automatically (immediately) by the system after the
split is done, and you are permitted to stand or hit one or more cards to
improve the count. Once you stand on your first subhand, your second subhand is
dealt a second card, and you are then permitted to stand or hit on that hand.
Split aces are an exceptional case. When you split a pair of Aces, each subhand
receives exactly one additional card with no option to you to hit. Further, a
count of 21 with the two cards in a subhand of split Aces is not consider
blackjack, and will lost to a croupier's Blackjack.
Subhands may not be resplit.
Doubling Down
After the first two cards are dealt, you have the option to double down, which
means you wager an additional amount equal to your original bet and receive
exactly one more card on that hand. However, you aren't allowed double down
after splitting a pair.
Insurance
If the croupier's up card is an Ace, you may obtain insurance, which is a wager
of a sum equal to one half of your original bet. If the croupier draws a
Blackjack, the insurance pays two to one. If the croupier fails to draw a
Blackjack, you lose your insurance. You may obtain insurance even if you have
Blackjack.
The House Strategy
Unlike the players, the house has no choice in whether it hits or stands its hand. The house must:
A soft hand is a hand in which an Ace may be counted as either 1 or 11 without the count exceeding 21. A hard hand is a hand in which all Aces may only be counted as 1 each to avoid the count exceeding 21.
Payouts
A Blackjack, a two-card 21 not arising on split
Aces, is paid at three to two as long as the croupier does not also have a
Blackjack. If both you and the croupier have a Blackjack, the bet is a push. A
Blackjack beats any three-or-more-card 21.
All other winning bets are paid at one to one.
A croupier/ player tie is a push, and neither wins nor loses.
You bust and lose your bet with a card count exceeding 21.
Bet Behind in Blackjack
This feature allows a player who is NOT seated in
Blackjack to place wagers based on a seated player. A player who is already
seated on the table cannot use this feature. Players can choose not to sit on
the table even if when empty seats are available but can instead bet behind a
seated player.
Players can only be behind seated players and cannot bet behind on a seat where
no player is seated.
Players using the Bet Behind feature to place wagers behind a seated player are
not allowed to make decisions for that hand. Only the seated player makes any
decisions for the hand.
Players using the Bet Behind feature to place wagers behind a seated player are
not allowed to interact with the seated player.
Players betting behind a seated player does not have the option to call for
insurance and also cannot double down on a hand.
The min & max bet values remain the same as the table limits.
When the seated player opts for a card split then the payout for the bet behind
user will be based on the result of the first hand only.
The payout rules for Bet Behind wagers are the same as that of a seated player
EXCEPT in the case of an insurance or double down.
To use this functionality, just login to any of the blackjack tables and place a
bet behind a seated player.