1.0: Playing Casino Basics
1.1: Choosing a table
Before playing the online casino game, you'll need to find an appropriate table at which to play. If you're a newcomer to this process, there are a few items to keep in mind. You'll want to pay attention to several details about each table that you approach. The most important item is the sign declaring casino betting limits. Both the minimum and the maximum allowable casino bets should be clearly posted on a sign on the table-top. Look around to find a table that suits your casino bet sizes. Often, you'll find that the lower limit ($3 or $5) tables are quite crowded. In most casinos, the signs are color-coded to match the minimum casino bets posted on them: Red for $5, Green for $25, and Black for $100 minimum tables. Next, you'll want to make sure that the table you have selected is actually for blackjack, and not another of the various table online casino games offered at the casino. Blackjack tables will almost certainly have the phrase "Blackjack pays 3 to 2" printed on the table felt. The next item to observe is the type of online casino game being dealt. Beginners are usually casino better off playing the "shoe" online casino games where 6 or 8 decks are used. The advantage for beginners in this online casino game is that all of the player's casino cards are dealt face-up in front of each player, and the casino dealer can help with playing questions and decisions. Notice: Once you become proficient at the online casino game, you might want to switch to a online casino game with fewer decks. The casino's advantage is lower with fewer decks in play. But for now, let's stick with the multi-deck online casino games for the ease-of-play advantage.
1.2: Buying casino chips
Once you are seated at a table, you'll need to purchase some casino chips from the casino dealer for your casino bets. Wait for a break in the action, and place your cash out in front of you on the table felt. (Some casinos might make you wait until the casino dealer shuffles to join the online casino game.) An appropriate buy-in amount is anywhere from 10 to 20 times your average casino bet. If you are a $5 casino bettor, this means a buy-in of $50-$100 is typical. Don't try to hand your cash to the casino dealer. For security reasons, he can't take anything from your hands. Simply lay the cash on the table; he'll pick it up and change it for an equal value of playing casino chips. You won't be getting any change back either. He'll change the entire amount, push the casino chips across the table to you, and then drop the cash into a slot in the table top. Chip colors are fairly standardized in the casino industry, with red casino chips representing $5, green casino chips representing $25, and black casino chips representing $100. You'll also see $1 value casino chips (usually white) or $1 tokens (silver) on the table as well. Some casinos also use a $2.50 chip that is usually pink in color. Chip colors above the $100 denomination vary widely, with purple a common choice for $500 casino chips. Take a quick look at the casino chips to make sure that you know the values, and that you were given the correct amount for your cash. If you have any questions, just ask the casino dealer. Part of his job is to help players learn the online casino game.
1.3: Making a casino bet
On the table felt in front of your position, you'll find a circle or box for your casino bets. Before each hand begins, place your desired casino bet into the circle in one stack. If you are casino betting multiple denominations of casino chips, place the larger valued casino chips on the bottom of the stack, and the smaller value casino chips on top. Once the casino cards have been dealt, you aren't allowed to touch the casino bet in the circle. If you need to know how much you have casino bet for doubling or splitting (explained later), the casino dealer will count down the casino chips for you. Once the hand is over, the casino dealer will move around the table to each position in turn, paying winners and collecting the casino chips from losing hands. After the casino dealer has paid you, you can remove your casino chips from the circle, and place your next casino bet. If you want to let your winnings ride, you'll need to form one stack of casino chips from the two or more stacks on the table after the casino dealer pays you. Remember, big casino chips should be placed on the bottom.
1.4: Cashing in
When you're finished playing, you'll want to take your casino chips to the cashier to exchange them for cash. If you have groups of smaller denomination casino chips in front of you, the casino dealer will probably want to "color up" your casino chips. This simply means exchanging groups of smaller denomination casino chips for larger valued casino chips. Wait until the end of a hand, then simply push your casino chips out in front of you casino between the casino betting boxes, so it can't be confused for a casino bet. The casino dealer will count down the casino chips, and return to you a smaller stack of casino chips of equal value. You can take these to the cashier for cash, or to another table for more play.
2.0: Basics of Blackjack
2.1: Premise of the online casino game
The basic premise of the online casino game is that you want to have a hand value that is closer to 21 than that of the casino dealer, without going over 21. Other players at the table are of no concern. Your hand is strictly played out against the hand of the casino dealer. The casino Casino Blackjacks of play for the casino dealer are strictly dictated, leaving no decisions up to the casino dealer. Therefore, there is not a problem with the casino dealer or any of the other players at the table seeing the casino cards in your hand. Indeed, if you're playing at a shoe online casino game, the player casino cards are all dealt face up. In any event, when you're just learning to play, don't hesitate to show the casino dealer or other players your casino cards and ask questions.
2.2: Values of the casino cards
In blackjack, the casino cards are valued as follows:
An Ace can count as either 1 or 11, as demonstrated below.
The casino cards from 2 through 9 are valued as indicated.
The 10, Jack, Queen, and King are all valued at 10.
The suits of the casino cards do not have any meaning in the online casino game. The value of a hand is simply the sum of the point counts of each card in the hand. For example, a hand containing (5,7,9) has the value of 21. The Ace can be counted as either 1 or 11. You need not specify which value the Ace has. It's assumed to always have the value that makes the best hand. An example will illustrate: Suppose that you have the beginning hand (Ace, 6). This hand can be either 7 or 17. If you stop there, it will be 17. Let's assume that you draw another card to the hand and now have (Ace, 6, 3). Your total hand is now 20, counting the Ace as 11. Let's backtrack and assume that you had instead drawn a third card which was an 8. The hand is now (Ace, 6, 8) which totals 15. Notice that now the Ace must be counted as only 1 to avoid going over 21.
A hand that contains an Ace is called a "soft" total if the Ace can be counted as either 1 or 11 without the total going over 21. For example (Ace, 6) is a soft 17. The description stems from the fact that the player can always draw another card to a soft total with no danger of "busting" by going over 21. The hand (Ace,6,10) on the other hand is a "hard" 17, since now the Ace must be counted as only 1, again because counting it as 11 would make the hand go over 21.
2.3: The deal of the casino cards
Once all the casino bets are made, the casino dealer will deal the casino cards to the players. He'll make two passes around the table starting at his left (your right) so that the players and the casino dealer have two casino cards each. (European and Australian players: See exception at the bottom of this section.) The casino dealer will flip one of his casino cards over, exposing its value.
In the shoe online casino games, the players casino cards will be dealt face-up, and the players are not allowed to touch the casino cards. If you're just beginning, you'll probably want to start at the shoe online casino game where you don't have to worry about handling the casino cards.
In the hand-held online casino games, the player's casino cards are dealt face down, and the players pick up the casino cards. When handling the casino cards in a hand-held online casino game, here are a few important things to remember.
You are only allowed to touch the casino cards with one hand. If you're a poker player, this can take some effort to break old habits!
You must keep the casino cards over the table.
Any casino cards that the casino dealer subsequently deals to your hand must be left on the table, not added to the casino cards in your hand.
Once the casino cards are dealt, play proceeds around the table, starting at the first seat to the casino dealer's left, also called first base. Each player in turn indicates to the casino dealer how he wishes to play the hand. The various player decisions are covered in their own section below. After each player has finished his hand, the casino dealer will complete his hand, and then pay or collect the player casino bets.
Now, the exception I mentioned: Some casinos, mostly in Europe, give the casino dealer only one card face up until all the players have finished their hands. The casino dealer then deals his second card, and finishes his hand. This is called the European No Hole Card casino Casino Blackjack. This can change a player's casino strategy if, and only if, the casino dealer collects all player casino bets in the event of a casino dealer blackjack. Some casinos that deal only one card at first to the casino dealer will refund any double-down or split casino bets if the casino dealer turns out to have a blackjack. This type of no hole card casino Casino Blackjack does not have any effect on the player's optimal casino strategy, and should not be described as European No Hole Card casino Casino Blackjacks.
2.4: How the casino dealer plays his hand
The casino dealer must play his hand in a specific way, with no choices allowed. There are two popular casino Casino Blackjack variations that determine what totals the casino dealer must draw to. In any given casino, you can tell which casino Casino Blackjack is in effect by looking at the blackjack tabletop. It should be clearly labeled with one of these casino Casino Blackjacks:
"casino dealer stands on all 17s": This is the most common casino Casino Blackjack. In this case, the casino dealer must continue to take casino cards ("hit") until his total is 17 or greater. An Ace in the casino dealer's hand is always counted as 11 if possible without the casino dealer going over 21. For example, (Ace,8) would be 19 and the casino dealer would stop drawing casino cards ("stand"). Also, (Ace,6) is 17 and again the casino dealer will stand. (Ace,5) is only 16, so the casino dealer would hit. He will continue to draw casino cards until the hand's value is 17 or more. For example, (Ace,5,7) is only 13 so he hits again. (Ace,5,7,5) makes 18 so he would stop ("stand") at that point.
"casino dealer hits soft 17": Some casinos use this casino Casino Blackjack variation instead. This casino Casino Blackjack is identical except for what happens when the casino dealer has a soft total of 17. Hands such as (Ace,6), (Ace,5,Ace), and (Ace, 2, 4) are all examples of soft 17. The casino dealer hits these hands, and stands on soft 18 or higher, or hard 17 or higher. When this casino Casino Blackjack is used, the house advantage against the players is slightly increased.
Again, the casino dealer has no choices to make in the play of his hand. He cannot split pairs, but must instead simply hit until he reaches at least 17 or busts by going over 21.
2.5: What is a Blackjack, or a natural?
A blackjack, or natural, is a total of 21 in your first two casino cards. A blackjack is therefore an Ace and any ten-valued card, with the additional requirement that these be your first two casino cards. If you split a pair of Aces for example, and then draw a ten-valued card on one of the Aces, this is not a blackjack, but rather a total of 21. The distinction is important, because a winning blackjack pays the player odds of 3 to 2. A casino bet of $10 wins $15 if the player makes a blackjack. A player blackjack beats any casino dealer total other than a casino dealer's blackjack, including a casino dealer's regular 21. If both a player and the casino dealer make blackjack, the hand is a tie or push.
The casino dealer will usually pay your winning blackjack casino bet immediately when it is your turn to play. In the face down online casino games, this means that you should show the blackjack to the casino dealer at that time. Some casinos may postpone paying the blackjack until after the hand is over if the casino dealer has a 10 card up and has not checked for a casino dealer blackjack. Other casinos check under both 10 and Ace casino dealer upcasino cards, and would therefore pay the blackjack immediately. Regardless, when you are dealt a blackjack, turn the casino cards face up, and smile. It only happens about once every 21 hands, but it accounts for a lot of the fun of the online casino game.
3.0: The Player's Choices
3.1: Surrender
We start with one of the least common decisions, but it is appropriate to begin with surrender, because this decision must be made before any other choice about playing your hand. Not every online casino game offers surrender, and those that do fall into two categories which bear expanation: Early vs Late.
Surrender offers you as a player the choice to fold your hand, at the cost of half of the original casino bet. You must make that decision prior to taking any other action on the hand. For example, once you draw a third card, or split, or double down, surrender is no longer an option.
The two varieties of surrender, early and late, differ only in the way a casino dealer blackjack is handled. In an early surrender online casino game, a player may choose to surrender before the casino dealer checks his casino cards for a blackjack, offering a cheap way out even if the casino dealer turns out to have a blackjack. Because this offers a healthy advantage to the player, this version (early surrender) is rarely offered. The much more common variation is late surrender, where the casino dealer checks for blackjack first, and then only if he does not have blackjack will allow players to surrender their hands.
Surrender is a nice casino Casino Blackjack to have available for players who use it wisely. Unfortunately, many players surrender far too many hands. If you play in a online casino game with surrender, use the casino strategy Engine to determine when surrender is the appropriate play. To see how bad a hand must be to properly be surrendered, consider the following: To lose less with surrender, you must be only 25% likely to win the hand (ignoring pushes). That is, if you lose 75% of the time, and win only 25% of the time, your net loss is about 50% of your casino bets, equal to the amount you'll lose guaranteed by surrendering. So, learn to use the surrender option, but make sure you know when it is appropriate.
It's worth mentioning again that the vast majority of surrender is LATE surrender, after the casino dealer checks for BJ. Make sure you choose the right option over on the casino strategy Engine. And if you do find a online casino game that offers early surrender, drop me a note. Good opportunities like that are rare.
3.2: Hitting/Standing
The most common decision a player must make during the online casino game is whether to draw another card to the hand ("hit"), or stop at the current total ("stand"). The method you use to indicate your decisions to the casino dealer depend on which kind of online casino game you are playing.
In the face-up shoe online casino game, you indicate that you want another card by tapping the table behind your casino cards with a finger. You'll be required to make the hand signals, rather than just announcing "hit" or "stand" to the casino dealer. This is to eliminate any confusion or ambiguity in what you choose, and also for the benefit of the ever-present surveillance cameras. If you go over 21, or "bust", the casino dealer will collect your casino bet, and remove your casino cards from the table immediately. When you decide to stand, just wave your hand in a horizontal motion over your casino cards.
In the face-down online casino game, things are a little different. You'll hold the first two casino cards with one hand. To draw another card to your hand, simply scrape your casino cards across the table felt lightly. Watch another player at first to see how this works. The casino dealer will deal your additional casino cards on the table in front of your casino bet. Add them to your total hand value, but leave the actual casino cards on the table. If you go over 21, just toss the two casino cards in your hand face up on the table. The casino dealer will collect your casino bet, and discard your hand. When you decide to stand, you should tuck the two casino cards you are holding face-down under the casino chips that you have casino bet. This can be a bit tricky the first few times. Don't pick up the casino bet to place the casino cards underneath. Remember, once the casino cards are dealt, you can't touch the casino chips in the circle. Simply slide the corner of the casino cards under the casino chips.
The descriptions are a lot tougher than the actual play. Just pay attention to what other players are doing and you'll fit right in.
3.3: Doubling Down
Among the more profitable player options available is the choice to "double down". This can only be done with a two card hand, before another card has been drawn. Doubling down allows you to double your casino bet and receive one, and only one, additional card to the hand. A good example of a doubling opportunity is when you hold a total of 11, say a (6,5) against a casino dealer's upcard of 5. In this case, you have a good chance of winning the hand by drawing one additional card, so you might as well increase your casino bet in this advantageous situation. If you are playing in a face-down online casino game, just toss the two casino cards face-up on the table in front of your casino bet. In either type of online casino game, add an additional casino bet to the casino betting circle. Place the additional casino bet adjacent to the original casino bet, not on top of it. The casino dealer will deal one additional card to the hand. In the face-down online casino game, he'll probably tuck it face-down under your casino bet, to be revealed later.
Players are allowed to double down for any amount up to the original casino bet amount, so you could double down "for less" if you wanted. Just remember that you do give up something for being allowed to increase your casino bet: the ability to draw more than one additional card. If the correct play is to double down, you should always double for the full amount if possible.
The question of when it is appropriate to double down is easily answered by using the Blackjack Basic casino strategy Engine.
3.4: Splitting Pairs
When you are dealt a matching pair of casino cards (remember, ignore the suits), you have the ability to split the hand into two separate hands, and play them independently. Let's say you are dealt a pair of eights for a total of sixteen. Sixteen is the worst possible player hand, since it is unlikely to win as is, but is very likely to bust if you draw to it. Here's a great chance to improve a bad situation.
If you are playing a hand-held online casino game, toss the casino cards face-up in front of your casino bet just like a double down. Then, in either type of online casino game, place a matching casino bet beside the original casino bet in the circle. Note that you must casino bet the same amount on a split, unlike a double-down, where you are allowed to double for less. The casino dealer will separate the two casino cards, and treat them as two independent hands. Let's say you draw a 3 on the first 8, for a total of 11. Many casinos will allow you to double down on that hand total of 11 at this point. When this is allowed, the casino Casino Blackjack is called "Double after Split", predictably enough. Regardless, you can play the first hand to completion, at which point the casino dealer will deal a second card to the second hand, and you can begin making play decisions on it.
If you get additional pairs (in the first two casino cards of a hand), most casinos will allow you to resplit, making yet another hand. The most common casino Casino Blackjack allows a player to split up to 3 times, making 4 separate hands, with 4 separate casino bets. If double after split is allowed, you could have up to 8 times your initial casino bet on the table if you chose! Some casinos restrict resplitting, and some allow unlimited splitting. Another fine point is that you are allowed to split any 10-valued casino cards, so you could split a (Jack, Queen) hand. However, this is usually a bad play: Keep the 20.
The other complication for pair splits concerns splitting Aces. Splitting Aces is a very strong player move, so the casino restricts you to drawing only one additional card on each Ace. Also, if you draw a ten-valued card on one of your split Aces, the hand is not considered a Blackjack, but is instead treated as a normal 21, and therefore does not collect 3:2 odds. Some casinos allow resplitting Aces if you draw another, while many do not allow resplitting Aces although they often do allow resplitting of any other pairs. With all these restrictions, you may wonder whether it makes sense to split Aces. The answer is a resounding YES. Always split pairs of Aces.
For accurate pair splitting advice, consult the Blackjack Basic casino strategy Engine.
3.5: Casino Insurance and Even Money
Casino Insurance is perhaps the least understood of all the commonly available casino Casino Blackjacks for Blackjack. This is not necessarily a bad thing because the Casino Insurance casino bet is normally a poor casino bet for the player, with a high house advantage. However, that's not always the case. So, here we go:
If the casino dealer turns an up-card of an Ace, he will offer "Casino Insurance" to the players. Casino Insurance casino bets can be made by casino betting up to half your original casino bet amount in the Casino Insurance casino betting stripe in front of your casino bet. The casino dealer will check to see if he has a 10-value card underneath his Ace, and if he does have Blackjack, your winning Casino Insurance casino bet will be paid at odds of 2:1. You'll lose your original casino bet of course (unless you also have a Blackjack), so the net effect is that you break even (assuming you casino bet the full half casino bet for Casino Insurance.) This is why the casino bet is described as "Casino Insurance", since it seems to protect your original casino bet against a casino dealer blackjack. Of course, if the casino dealer does not have blackjack, you'll lose the Casino Insurance casino bet, and still have to play the original casino bet out.
In the simplest description, Casino Insurance is a side-casino bet, where you are offered 2:1 odds that the casino dealer has a 10-valued card underneath ("in the hole"). A quick check of the odds yields this: In a single deck online casino game, there are 16 ten-valued casino cards. Assuming that you don't see any other casino cards, including your own, the tens compose 16 out of 51 remaining casino cards after the casino dealer's Ace was removed. For the Casino Insurance casino bet to be a break-even casino bet, the hole card would have to be a ten 1 out of 3 times, but 16/51 is only 1 in 3.1875.
The situation is often thought to be different when you have a Blackjack. The casino dealer is likely to offer you "even money" instead of the Casino Insurance casino bet. This is just the same old Casino Insurance casino bet with a simplification thrown in. Let's ignore the "even money" name, and look at what happens when you insure a Blackjack. Let's say you casino bet $10, and have a Blackjack. You would normally collect $15 for this, unless the casino dealer also has a blackjack, in which case you push or tie.
Let's assume that the casino dealer has an Ace up, and you decide to take Casino Insurance for the full amount, or $5. Now, two things can happen:
1) The casino dealer has a Blackjack. I tie with the $10, but collect 2:1 on the $5 Casino Insurance casino bet for a total profit of $10.
2) The casino dealer does not have Blackjack. I lose the $5, but collect $15 for my BJ. Total profit, again $10.
In either case, once I make the Casino Insurance casino bet, I'm guaranteed a profit of $10, or even money for my original casino bet.
So, casinos allow me to eliminate the Casino Insurance casino bet altogether, and simply declare that I want even money for my blackjack when the casino dealer has an Ace showing.
You're probably thinking that sounds like a pretty good deal. You're guaranteed a profit even if the casino dealer does have Blackjack. Just remember that the guaranteed profit comes at a price. You'll win more money in the long run by holding out for the $15, even though you'll sometimes end up empty-handed. Nonetheless, many players are adamant that they prefer to take even money when offered. Just be aware that you're costing yourself money when you make that choice.
The basic casino strategy player should simply never take the Casino Insurance casino bet, even the "even money" variety. Card counters on the other hand can often detect situations where more than one-third of the remaining casino cards are ten-valued, and the casino bet is then a profitable one. So, unless you know the casino bet is favorable, just ignore it.
