Black Jack - Rules

Blackjack is the most popular casino card game.  The purpose of the game is to get a hand as close to 21 as possible without going over.  A hand with a value over 21 is called a "bust," and it is an automatic loser.   Your opponent in blackjack is the dealer, and in order to win, you must beat the dealer's hand. So whatever hand you get must be less than 21, but still higher than what the dealer has.  The dealer must "hit" or accept another card on 16 and "stay" on 17.

Blackjack is achieved when two cards total 21 ( an "Ace" and any other "10 value" card) and is the highest possible hand.  If the dealer also has "Blackjack" it is regarded as a tie or "push" and no one wins or loses.

Blackjack Breakdown

BLACKJACK Blackjack is a 2 card 21, and the payoff is 2 to 1 on your original bet.

TIES All ties between a Player and the Dealer PUSH (no one wins, no one loses). You do not win or lose. A third card is not drawn. You may leave your bet for the next hand, increase it, or remove it.

DEALER BLACKJACK vs. PLAYER BLACKJACK This is considered a PUSH. The Player does not win or lose his bet.

DOUBLE DOWN A Player may Double Down on his hand. When Doubling Down the Player must match his original bet, and is then dealt only one additional card. The optimum hands for Doubling Down are 9, 10 or 11.

SPLITTING A Player may Split his hand if his two cards are of the same numerical value. The Player then matches his original bet and plays his cards as two hands. A Player may Split his hand more than once if he is once again dealt a card of the same numerical value.

SPLITTING ACES Aces are considered extremely valuable cards and may be Split only once. Because they are so valuable, Players are dealt only one additional card per Ace. When Aces are Split and a Player is dealt a face card or a ten, the hand is considered 21 - not Blackjack - and the payoff is 1 to 1.

DOUBLE DOWN AFTER SPLIT A Player may Double Down after Splitting his cards.

FIVE CARD CHARLIE When the fifth card dealt to a Player brings the total of his cards to 21 or less, the Player automatically wins the hand (no matter what the Dealer's hand totals). The payoff for a Five Card Charlie is 2 to 1.