
Gaming Blackjack Tips Aces have a value of either 1 or 11, face cards as 10 and the cards that are left are valued as their face numbers. Because you can play an Ace either way, a hand with an ace is called a soft hand. One to either Five or Seven players at a table. A winning blackjack pays the player 3 to 2. Blackjack beats a count of 21. The dealer must draw cards until they have at least 17 and must stand at 17 or higher. Hit - If you are not pleased with the total of your first two cards, you can draw additional card(s) until you stand or bust. Aces receive only one additional card. After splitting, A-10 counts as 21 and not as blackjack. INSURANCE - If the dealer's up card is an ace, the player may take insurance, a bet not exceeding one-half his original bet. Each card in Blackjack has a certain value. Any other card means a win for the dealer. Jacks, Queens and Kings always have a value of 10. An Ace can count as 1 or 11 depending on what is most beneficial to your hand. If the dealer's first card is an ace and if you think that the dealer's hole card is of value 10, you can buy insurance against dealer blackjack. The insurance bet would be at the price of half your original bet. If the dealer has blackjack, the insurance pays 2:1, matching the amount of your original bet. If you have purchased insurance and the dealer doesn't have blackjack, you'll lose your insurance bet. When surrender is available, if you are not pleased with the cards you were dealt, you may give them up and lose half of your bet.  |