Although the facts of the actual origins of the game of blackjack have been lost, many sources provide very interesting information. The first mention of the card game can be found in M. Cervantes’s novel “The Ingenious Idalgo Don Quixote of La Manche” – the main character of the book is popularly known simply as Don Quixote. The book describes a scene where gambling cheats play a game called “Ventiuna”. If you are familiar with Spanish, you will recognize the Spanish translation of the game as “21”. Even today, the game has several names – blackjack, blackjack, 21, pontoon. Although the basic game conditions are the same, there are also some differences that we recommend you familiarize yourself with before sitting down at the gaming table and placing your first bet.
What are the main rules of blackjack?
Blackjack is a fairly simple card game where the main goal is to beat the dealer. There are three ways to win a round:
- If your combination is superior to the value of the dealer’s combination, but not greater than 21;
- If the value of the dealer’s hand is greater than 21;
- If your first two cards dealt form a hand value of 21, but the dealer’s hand is lower or higher.
Logically, you also have to be careful, because if you exceed the value of 21 or make a combination whose value is lower than the dealer’s, you will lose, of course! Keep in mind that blackjack is a game where you and the dealer usually battle, although there may be several players at the table. However, this is not poker, where players make the most advantageous hands and all the cards dealt at the table are taken into account. All players at the blackjack table have one goal, to beat the dealer. If other players try to force you to think that it is a team game, don’t be fooled.
Where is the best place to play blackjack?
The question immediately arises – where is it better to play blackjack? Today, the choice is quite wide and everything depends on your own wishes. The traditional way is, of course, a land-based gaming hall, but we do not recommend real casino gaming tables for beginners. Instead, it is worth looking at online casino services. First of all, safe and reliable sites offer free blackjack games – these are the so-called demo games, where you do not invest real money, but practice the game and familiarize yourself with the blackjack conditions using virtual funds. Let’s mention that even in case of victory, it will be only virtual money.
Second, take advantage of all the bonuses and promotions offered. As soon as you feel that you are ready to invest your personal money and try your luck, it is worth doing so with a good introductory bonus, which is usually offered by every online casino. Thus, you will not risk all your money at once.
Finally, if you still like the atmosphere of a real casino and playing against the computer seems boring, then pay attention to Live casino blackjack – it is playing live against a live dealer, who will not only deal cards and manage the entire game in live mode, but also communicate with you, almost or as in a real land-based casino, only this time it will all be available to you from the comfort of your home.
We have mentioned only some of the advantages that are available for playing blackjack online. In the end, it will be your choice, because the conditions of playing blackjack remain the same in any environment, mostly everything depends on the type of game you choose.
What are the types of blackjack?
As we mentioned before, blackjack has several variations of the game, so we always recommend that you familiarize yourself with all the rules before starting the game again, as it will affect both the course of the game itself, as well as the values of the bets and the sizes of the winnings. In turn, we will introduce you to the five most common types of blackjack game, which can be found both in land-based gaming halls and also online.
American Blackjack – often referred to as the classic blackjack game, which is probably the most popular game in the world. The main feature is the dealer’s second dealt card, which will be hidden, i.e. dealt face down and will remain in that position until you make your decision and finish your turn;
European Blackjack – the so-called hole card or the second combination card is not dealt to the dealer until the player – You makes your first move. In general, this version of blackjack has several limitations compared to the American version. You familiarize yourself with the conditions in the information section of the selected game;
Vegas Strip Blackjack – The dealer usually stops at a hand value of 17 and does not take an extra card. From the advantages, the player can split the combination or use the move double down on any pair formed;
Switch blackjack – As a player, you make two identical bets and you can also make side bets. Since the game takes place on two playing fields, you have the opportunity to move the cards. Note that in this form of blackjack, the dealer wins if he makes a hand of 22;
Caribbean 21 – Ace is worth one. Among the disadvantages, if the game ends in a draw, it gives the victory to the dealer, not you.
You will definitely find a lot of different types of blackjack games on the Internet, it is possible that you will like one of them more than one of the most popular or favorite of all. For our part, let us remind you – familiarize yourself with all the rules and try to play the selected game type for free to begin with.
Summary
Many players think that blackjack is a complicated card game where you have to use a computational strategy to somehow achieve good results. It’s not that crazy actually, the main goal is to beat the dealer and get a better hand value than him, and not shoot over the bar and not get more than 21. You don’t need to memorize complicated hand names and ways like in poker, simple calculations and fast games rounds will make spending time dynamic and adventurous. All you need to remember is to play responsibly and only for money you can afford to lose, because at the end of the day, gambling is based on the aspect of luck, not on well-calculated strategic moves.
