Understanding the Basics of Blackjack

Blackjack is a game where the objective is to have a hand total closer to 21 than the dealer’s without going over. The game is played using one to eight 52-card decks. All number cards (2-10) are worth their printed value, the face cards (Jack, Queen and King) count as 10, and aces can be either 1 or 11.

The dealer deals two cards to each player and then starts dealing themselves. The dealer will have one card facing up and a hidden card facing down (the hole card). Players can make side bets on the dealer having an ace. These bets are known as insurance bets and they pay out when the dealer has a blackjack.

Some casinos have changed the rules of blackjack to reduce the payouts for a player with a blackjack to 6 to 5 instead of the usual 3 to 2. This raises the house edge and makes it more difficult for players to beat the dealer. It also makes the game less attractive to card counters.

There are a few different types of blackjack games, including single-deck, multi-deck, and shoe game. Most of the games are shuffled after each deal, which helps to keep the cards appearing randomly. This is important for the game’s fairness, as a card counting advantage would be easier to achieve with a deck that has been shuffled more often.

Most casinos have tables for both a single dealer and multiple dealers. If you’re dealing a table with multiple dealers, it’s important to understand the different roles each has. Each dealer will need to distribute the cards, call “hit” and “stand” when appropriate, and keep track of the player’s bets. The dealers will also need to tally up the results of the hands.

When a player’s first two cards are an ace and a ten-card, it’s called a blackjack or a natural. A blackjack beats any other hand unless the dealer has a blackjack, in which case the player wins the bet equal to their original bet amount.

Players who choose to split pairs must do so before the dealer reveals their up-card. Generally, a pair of 8’s or 10’s should be split, while a pair of 4’s or 5’s should not be split. It’s important to know the rules for splitting pairs because it changes the strategy of the game.

If you’re a player who wants to learn how to deal blackjack, it’s important to get familiar with the game’s basic rules. Then, you can practice and improve your skills. Once you’re ready, you can find a casino to try your hand at dealing blackjack. You can also look for online casinos that offer this casino table game. Many of these sites feature video tutorials that teach you the basics of dealing blackjack. The videos will walk you through how to deal the game and answer your questions. They’ll also show you the proper hand signals for each step of the process.