Blackjack rules say that the total value of your cards must be 21, or as close to 21 as possible. You win if your total card value is 21 or closest to it. If your card value is 20 and the dealer’s is 19, you automatically win. However, your card value cannot exceed 21, as going over 21 makes you a loser. In Blackjack, the aces are considered to be 1 or 11 points. The cards with pictures are counted as 10 points, while those with numbers are given their apparent face value.
In Blackjack, the basic idea is for your hand to have a higher value than the dealer’s, without crossing the magic number of 21. If the dealer and the players have the same point value the situation a push; not a draw as in board games. In a push situation neither player wins, and Blackjack beats a 21 score.
Since Blackjack is a game of numbers, the correct strategy to adopt is to count your cards. While blackjack is a game that is played universally, variations exist across the globe, and also in different casinos. You may wonder how it is possible to adapt to all the different types of blackjack. The trick is to know the basic rules; then the variations are easy to adapt to. Adapting to the variations in rules is what makes you a good blackjack player.
Blackjack affords the player the best advantage among all casino games in terms of winning. In most cases, it is the house that wins in the long run, the simple reason being that most of these games do not involve card counting. In Blackjack, you can use this technique to ensure you stay ahead of the house. It is not a very simple technique though, and requires practice.
There is a lot of mathematics involved if you are to learn the basic strategy and card counting techniques involved in Blackjack. Knowledge of statistics, even the basic you learn in high school will do, is very handy, as it enables you to subtly modify your play for changes in rules at different casinos. Mastering the strategy tables for all sorts of varied rules will keep the blackjack pit bosses awake all night long.