How to play blackjack

Give lady luck a little help by learning the basics of blackjack. Watch this video to learn how to play blackjack.

You Will Need

* A deck of cards
* Two or more players
* And a table

WARNING: Several states bar all gambling, including pools in which the organizer does not profit. Know your local laws.

Step 1. Know the rules

Know the rules. Blackjack is a counting game. Face cards are worth 10 and aces are worth one or 11. The values of number cards are their numbers. The goal of Blackjack is to get closer than the dealer to a total of 21 without going over.

Step 2. Select a dealer

Select a dealer and place your bets.
Dealer selection can be accomplished by the first Ace method. A random player deals one card to each player around the table (person the left first) and continues until a player gets an Ace. That player dealt the first Ace becomes the dealer until another player gets blackjack. The deal will then pass to first player who got blackjack.
During

Step 3. Deal

The dealer deals one card face down, then one card face up, to each player, beginning from the left.

Step 4. Hit, stand, or go bust

Tell the dealer “hit” if you were dealt a low hand and want another card. Repeat this as many times as you wish, or until you “bust,” which means you went over 21. Tell the dealer “stand” if you don’t want any more cards.

Step 5. Resolve the dealer’s hand

Once every player has either declared a stand or busted, the dealer shows his face-down card. If the hand is worth less than 17, the dealer must take cards until his card total reaches at least 17.

Step 6. Finish the game

A player wins if his hand is closer to 21 than the dealer’s, or if the dealer busts. If the dealer ties with a player, it’s considered a “push.” The player’s original bet is returned and nobody wins.

FACT: Both France and Italy claim to be the birthplace of blackjack, but the game’s exact origins are unknown.