Blackjack is a casino game that combines luck with skill to determine the best hand. It is one of the most popular card games and has a lower house edge than many other casino games. You can minimize your house edge to less than 1% when you follow the perfect strategy.

The first step in learning blackjack is to know the rules and strategies of the game. Using these strategies, you will reduce the house edge and increase your winnings. In addition to playing the game correctly, you should also understand the different side bets available at the table.

How to Play the Game

To start playing blackjack, you must place your wagers on the table before cards are dealt. Each player is dealt two cards face up, and the dealer is given two cards, one face up and one face down. Players then use their cards and their knowledge of the rules to calculate their hand value and decide whether they want to ‘hit’ (ask for another card) or’stand’, which means they don’t ask for any more cards until they are satisfied with their hands.

When a player’s hand is close to 21 and the dealer’s hand is also near 21, they can choose to ‘HIT’ or ‘STAND’. If they ‘HIT’, they will receive another card. If they ‘STAND’, they will continue to play until they are happy with their hand or they go over 21.

How to Win at Blackjack

The goal of the game is to get as close to 21 as possible without going bust. Your hand total must beat the dealer’s. You can do this by using your own card values or by consulting the charts we’ve posted here.

You can also use your intuition, but remember that you’re taking a risk of the dealer getting a better hand than you. This is why it’s important to read the charts before you play.

Choosing the Right Starting Hand

It’s important to always start the hand with a pair of aces or eights. This will give you the best chances of winning the hand, while starting with a pair of tens won’t be as advantageous.

In the situation where you have a pair of eights or aces, it’s often best to split them, even if it means you have to make an extra bet. Similarly, it’s better to split a pair of nines than it is to stand on them.

If you have a pair of tens, it’s generally better to stand than to double down because the chance of the dealer busting is higher. You can also bet more on a pair of aces or eights than you can on a pair of tens.

Choosing the Right Bets

When you’re playing blackjack, you have to make sure you’re betting the right amount of money on each hand. If you’re betting too much, you may end up losing more than you should. It’s also important to avoid doubling down on low cards.