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How to Play Blackjack
Get closer to 21 than the dealer — without going over. Play free, right in your browser.
The goal
Beat the dealer's hand by getting as close to 21 as you can without going over. Go over 21 and you bust — an instant loss, no matter what the dealer has.
Card values
| Cards | Value |
|---|---|
| 2–10 | Face value |
| Jack, Queen, King | 10 |
| Ace | 11 or 1 — whichever helps |
A hand with an Ace counting as 11 is called soft (a "soft 17" is Ace + 6) because it can't bust on the next card — the Ace just drops to 1.
Blackjack pays 3:2
An Ace plus any ten-value card in your first two cards is a blackjack — an automatic win that pays 3 to 2. A normal win pays even money (1:1), and a tie is a push (you keep your bet).
Your options each hand
You place a bet, then you and the dealer each get two cards (one of the dealer's stays face-down). On your turn you can:
- Hit — take another card. Keep hitting as long as you like, but bust if you pass 21.
- Stand — keep your total and end your turn.
- Double — on your first two cards only, double your bet and take exactly one more card.
- Split — if your first two cards are a pair, split them into two separate hands, each with its own bet, and play them one after the other.
How the dealer plays
Once every player is done, the dealer reveals the hidden card and must play by a fixed rule: the dealer keeps hitting until reaching 17 or more, then stands — including a soft 17. If the dealer busts, everyone still in the hand wins.
One more house rule worth knowing: if the dealer's first two cards are a blackjack, the hand ends immediately — nobody gets to hit, double or split into a bigger loss. If you also have a blackjack you push; otherwise you lose only your original bet.