The Basics of Blackjack

The dealer’s shoe, or dealing machine, will be positioned to the far right of the table, with details about rules and betting minimums and maximums on the left. There will usually be seven betting circles or boxes in which to place your bets. Any side-bet opportunities can be placed in additional betting boxes, which will be clearly marked on the layout. If you are uncertain about how and where to place your bets ask the dealer.

Once you’ve picked your table, checked the stake, the house rules and your bankroll, sit at the table and place your cash in the  position past the betting box towards the dealer. The dealer will probably ask you in what denomination you would like your chips.  It is best to get your chips in the same denomination as the size of bet you want to place. The cash will be pushed through a slot in the table and the dealer will give you your chips, so unlike betting online for example a sportsbook. You may have the feeling that you are in league with the other players at the table, against the house, but this is not the case.

It is you versus the dealer, and your responsibility must lie with yourself at all times. To play, you place one or more chips in the betting box in front of you, and await your cards. You can play more than one box if  you wish, although if you are new to the game it’s better, at least to begin with, to play only one.

Some old school Las Vegas casinos still deal blackjack “down-game”, which means that your cards are flicked towards you face down and you look at them privately and make your own decisions. However, almost every other casino in the world deals an “up-game”, which means that the cards are placed next to your bet, face up, and you are not supposed to touch them at all. The dealer’s will move from his left to his right, he will ask each player in turn what action he wishes to take on his hand. Finally, he will play his own hand, and make the payouts, or collect your losing bets.

When it comes to telling the dealer what you want to do, you can tell him by speaking clearly: “Hit me” or “Card” if you want another card; “Stand”, “No more” or “No card” if you want to stand — you want no further cards. Or, you can gesture, using traditional signals. A hand, palm down, over your cards, means that you want to stand. A bending finger or hand stretched towards you means that you want another card. Some casinos like one or the other; many don’t mind so long as you make your intentions entirely clear.