To begin playing, players sit at a blackjack table and place their bets. The dealer will deal each of the players, and himself, two cards. The player is then expected to make a choice regarding how they will play out their turn. They can choose to stand, in which case they will be dealt no more cards and their turn will end or they can choose to hit, in which case the dealer will deal them another card and their turn will continue from there. They will continue to be presented with these same options until they choose the stand option to end their turn, they go over 21 points (go bust), they achieve a total of 21 points exactly and stand or the dealer has dealt them a total of 5 cards without them going over the maximum 21 points (in which case they should stand).
Once all players in the blackjack game have ended their turns, the dealer plays his hand. Players' hand values are compared only to the value of the dealer's hand. A hand consisting of an Ace and a card valuing 10 (such as a ten, or a face card) is considered "blackjack." This hand wins compared to any other hand that adds up to a total of 21 points (for example, a hand consisting of 8, 8 and 5) or any hands with a total value of less than 21. Players will then be paid if they have won or their bets will be collected if they lost.
It is worthwhile to learn some basic blackjack strategy before beginning to play blackjack. It is possible to find online blackjack games that allow players to play for free. These sites often offer players the ability to learn blackjack strategy and blackjack tips as well. This is an excellent option for the novice blackjack player as it gives them the opportunity to practice and improve their game before playing for real money.