Blackjack is one of the most popular table casino games among gamblers. There are many speculations where this game comes from, but it is believed that the French are responsible for making such a spectacular game in 1700. So, this game has been evolving for a long time, and it is still growing thanks to the Internet. Nowadays, you don't have to go to the local casino, you can always play 21, poker, roulette or free casino slot games from the comfort of your home. 

There are many versions of blackjack, but here, we will be more concentrated on the rules and what every beginner should know before the cards are dealt. 

Basics

Before you start a game, it's important to know what the objective is. In this game, the goal is to get as close as possible to number 21, without going over it, to beat the house. There could be from one to seven people at the table, but you aren't interested in their cards since you aren't playing against them. The only thing that matters are your cards and the dealers’.

Each card in this game has its value that is constant through the game.

• Number ranks. The number of the card is value. 

• Face ranks (king, queen, and jack). Each is worth 10 points.

• Ace. The value of Ace could be either one or eleven, depends on what’s needed more at the moment. Therefore, if a player gets a Face and an Ace, it will be winning the combination immediately. Also, if a player gets the Ace, it is called a "soft" hand.

Actions

As we mentioned before, blackjack could be played alone against the house or there could be six more people at the table. When each player has placed a bet, the dealer deals two cards to all parties involved including himself, and they leave them face up, whereas the dealer reveals only one card. Therefore, you can at least get the clue of how strong the dealer's hand is. When it's your turn, you have several choices to pick:

• Hit. If the score of the hand you got is low, you can try your luck and hit one more card from the deck. 

• Stand. If you are satisfied with the hand you got, you stand. By standing, you will end your turn, and the person next to you will play.

• Split. If a player gets two same ranks (for example two eights), there is an option to split them. By doing so, you get to play two separate hands. A player will get two more cards for each hand, and then the choice is yours, whether you hit or stand. If you split, you will have to put one more bet since now you will have two hands. 

• Double Down. After receiving your cards, you are allowed to double your bet. Then you will receive one more card. Some casinos will allow you to double down on any two ranks you get. However, there are some casinos that will limit your doubling. So, your hand total has to be 11 or less. 

• Surrender. There are still some casinos that will allow you to surrender, and you have to do that before you see the dealer's cards. If you do so, you lose only a half of the bet.

• Taking Insurance. This only happens if the dealer gets Ace. Therefore, you will be offered insurance, which means that you can place a side bet wagering half of the bet. The player is betting that the dealer will have blackjack. If the dealer indeed has got blackjack, the player will lose the original bet but win the insurance bet which will then make it even. 

Results

When the cards are dealt, and you made up your mind whether you will stand or hit or even something else, it is the right time to see what happens when the dealer's hand is revealed.

• Bust. You bust only if the total of your hand is over 21. When this happens, you don't have to wait for the dealer to act. Unfortunately, you will automatically lose. 

• Push. If both the dealer and the player have got the same score of the cards, then the player neither loses or wins the round. This is also called a tie.

• Win/Lose. So, you win if your total is higher than the dealer’s, or the dealer is busted. However, you lose if your total is lower than the dealer’s.

• Natural. If the player is dealt with the Ace and the face card, this is an immediate win for them, since the score is 21. This is called natural or blackjack. The payout is 3 to 2.

One more thing you should know before you start playing. If you decide to go to the local casino and not to play it through the Internet, you should know how to use hand signals properly. So, when they are dealt from the shoe, you are not allowed to touch the cards. Instead, you will have to use hands to make a decision.

• Hit. To signal hit, you just need to tap the table.

• Stand. To signal stand, you need to wave over the top of your cards. 

• Double Down. To signal Double Down, you just need to place another bet next to the existing one.

• Spit. If you want to split a pair, you need to put your second bet next to your first bet, but in the other betting circle, since now you will be playing with two hands.

Conclusion

These were just basic rules, and you should always know when to walk away from a bad hand or take advantage when you have a soft hand. Also, there are many strategies that could be learnt before you take a seat at the table. No matter if you are a casual player or a professional one, you will definitely have some fun playing blackjack. 

However, if you still consider blackjack a difficult game, or you are not into card games, there is always a solution. You could play free slot games for fun. There are many casinos online that even offer free slot games with bonus spins.