The basic premise of the game is that you want to have a hand value that is closer to 21 than that of the dealer, without going over 21. Other players at the table are of no concern. Your hand is strictly played out against the hand of the dealer. The rules of play for the dealer are strictly dictated, leaving no decisions up to the dealer. Therefore, there is not a problem with the dealer or any of the other players at the table seeing the cards in your hand. Indeed, if you’re playing at a shoe game, the player cards are all dealt face up. In any event, when you’re just learning to play, don’t hesitate to show the dealer or other players your cards and ask questions.

Values of the cards

In blackjack, the cards are valued as follows:

An Ace can count as either 1 or 11, as demonstrated below.

The cards from 2 through 9 are valued as indicated.

The 10, Jack, Queen, and King are all valued at 10.

The suits of the cards do not have any meaning in the game. The value of a hand is simply the sum of the point counts of each card in the hand. For example, a hand containing (5,7,9) has the value of 21. The Ace can be counted as either 1 or 11. You need not specify which value the Ace has. It’s assumed to always have the value that makes the best hand. An example will illustrate: Suppose that you have the beginning hand (Ace, 6). This hand can be either 7 or 17. If you stop there, it will be 17. Let’s assume that you draw another card to the hand and now have (Ace, 6, 3). Your total hand is now 20, counting the Ace as 11. Let’s backtrack and assume that you had instead drawn a third card which was an 8. The hand is now (Ace, 6, which totals 15. Notice that now the Ace must be counted as only 1 to avoid going over 21.

A hand that contains an Ace is called a “soft” total if the Ace can be counted as either 1 or 11 without the total going over 21. For example (Ace, 6) is a soft 17. The description stems from the fact that the player can always draw another card to a soft total with no danger of “busting” by going over 21. The hand (Ace,6,10) on the other hand is a “hard” 17, since now the Ace must be counted as only 1, again because counting it as 11 would make the hand go over 21.

The deal of the cards

Once all the bets are made, the dealer will deal the cards to the players. He’ll make two passes around the table starting at his left (your right) so that the players and the dealer have two cards each. (European and Australian players: See exception at the bottom of this section.) The dealer will flip one of his cards over, exposing its value.

In the shoe games, the players cards will be dealt face-up, and the players are not allowed to touch the cards. If you’re just beginning, you’ll probably want to start at the shoe game where you don’t have to worry about handling the cards.

In the hand-held games, the player’s cards are dealt face down, and the players pick up the cards. When handling the cards in a hand-held game, here are a few important things to remember.

You are only allowed to touch the cards with one hand. If you’re a poker player, this can take some effort to break old habits!

You must keep the cards over the table.

Any cards that the dealer subsequently deals to your hand must be left on the table, not added to the cards in your hand.

Once the cards are dealt, play proceeds around the table, starting at the first seat to the dealer’s left, also called first base. Each player in turn indicates to the dealer how he wishes to play the hand. The various player decisions are covered in their own section below. After each player has finished his hand, the dealer will complete his hand, and then pay or collect the player bets.

Now, the exception I mentioned: Some casinos, mostly in Europe, give the dealer only one card face up until all the players have finished their hands. The dealer then deals his second card, and finishes his hand. This is called the European No Hole Card rule. This can change a player’s strategy if, and only if, the dealer collects all player bets in the event of a dealer blackjack. Some casinos that deal only one card at first to the dealer will refund any double-down or split bets if the dealer turns out to have a blackjack. This type of no hole card rule does not have any effect on the player’s optimal strategy, and should not be described as European No Hole Card rules.

How the dealer plays his hand

The dealer must play his hand in a specific way, with no choices allowed. There are two popular rule variations that determine what totals the dealer must draw to. In any given casino, you can tell which rule is in effect by looking at the blackjack tabletop. It should be clearly labeled with one of these rules:

“Dealer stands on all 17s”: This is the most common rule. In this case, the dealer must continue to take cards (”hit”) until his total is 17 or greater. An Ace in the dealer’s hand is always counted as 11 if possible without the dealer going over 21. For example, (Ace,8) would be 19 and the dealer would stop drawing cards (”stand”). Also, (Ace,6) is 17 and again the dealer will stand. (Ace,5) is only 16, so the dealer would hit. He will continue to draw cards until the hand’s value is 17 or more. For example, (Ace,5,7) is only 13 so he hits again. (Ace,5,7,5) makes 18 so he would stop (”stand”) at that point.

“Dealer hits soft 17″: Some casinos use this rule variation instead. This rule is identical except for what happens when the dealer has a soft total of 17. Hands such as (Ace,6), (Ace,5,Ace), and (Ace, 2, 4) are all examples of soft 17. The dealer hits these hands, and stands on soft 18 or higher, or hard 17 or higher. When this rule is used, the house advantage against the players is slightly increased.

Again, the dealer has no choices to make in the play of his hand. He cannot split pairs, but must instead simply hit until he reaches at least 17 or busts by going over 21.

What is a Blackjack, or a natural?

A blackjack, or natural, is a total of 21 in your first two cards. A blackjack is therefore an Ace and any ten-valued card, with the additional requirement that these be your first two cards. If you split a pair of Aces for example, and then draw a ten-valued card on one of the Aces, this is not a blackjack, but rather a total of 21. The distinction is important, because a winning blackjack pays the player odds of 3 to 2. A bet of $10 wins $15 if the player makes a blackjack. A player blackjack beats any dealer total other than a dealer’s blackjack, including a dealer’s regular 21. If both a player and the dealer make blackjack, the hand is a tie or push.

The dealer will usually pay your winning blackjack bet immediately when it is your turn to play. In the face down games, this means that you should show the blackjack to the dealer at that time. Some casinos may postpone paying the blackjack until after the hand is over if the dealer has a 10 card up and has not checked for a dealer blackjack. Other casinos check under both 10 and Ace dealer upcards, and would therefore pay the blackjack immediately. Regardless, when you are dealt a blackjack, turn the cards face up, and smile. It only happens about once every 21 hands, but it accounts for a lot of the fun of the game.

The Player’s Choices

Surrender

We start with one of the least common decisions, but it is appropriate to begin with surrender, because this decision must be made before any other choice about playing your hand. Not every game offers surrender, and those that do fall into two categories which bear expanation: Early vs Late.

Surrender offers you as a player the choice to fold your hand, at the cost of half of the original bet. You must make that decision prior to taking any other action on the hand. For example, once you draw a third card, or split, or double down, surrender is no longer an option.

The two varieties of surrender, early and late, differ only in the way a dealer blackjack is handled. In an early surrender game, a player may choose to surrender before the dealer checks his cards for a blackjack, offering a cheap way out even if the dealer turns out to have a blackjack. Because this offers a healthy advantage to the player, this version (early surrender) is rarely offered. The much more common variation is late surrender, where the dealer checks for blackjack first, and then only if he does not have blackjack will allow players to surrender their hands.

Surrender is a nice rule to have available for players who use it wisely. Unfortunately, many players surrender far too many hands. If you play in a game with surrender, use the Strategy Engine to determine when surrender is the appropriate play. To see how bad a hand must be to properly be surrendered, consider the following: To lose less with surrender, you must be only 25% likely to win the hand (ignoring pushes). That is, if you lose 75% of the time, and win only 25% of the time, your net loss is about 50% of your bets, equal to the amount you’ll lose guaranteed by surrendering. So, learn to use the surrender option, but make sure you know when it is appropriate.

It’s worth mentioning again that the vast majority of surrender is LATE surrender, after the dealer checks for BJ. Make sure you choose the right option over on the Strategy Engine. And if you do find a game that offers early surrender, drop me a note. Good opportunities like that are rare.

Hitting/Standing

The most common decision a player must make during the game is whether to draw another card to the hand (”hit”), or stop at the current total (”stand”). The method you use to indicate your decisions to the dealer depend on which kind of game you are playing.

In the face-up shoe game, you indicate that you want another card by tapping the table behind your cards with a finger. You’ll be required to make the hand signals, rather than just announcing “hit” or “stand” to the dealer. This is to eliminate any confusion or ambiguity in what you choose, and also for the benefit of the ever-present surveillance cameras. If you go over 21, or “bust”, the dealer will collect your bet, and remove your cards from the table immediately. When you decide to stand, just wave your hand in a horizontal motion over your cards.

In the face-down game, things are a little different. You’ll hold the first two cards with one hand. To draw another card to your hand, simply scrape your cards across the table felt lightly. Watch another player at first to see how this works. The dealer will deal your additional cards on the table in front of your bet. Add them to your total hand value, but leave the actual cards on the table. If you go over 21, just toss the two cards in your hand face up on the table. The dealer will collect your bet, and discard your hand. When you decide to stand, you should tuck the two cards you are holding face-down under the chips that you have bet. This can be a bit tricky the first few times. Don’t pick up the bet to place the cards underneath. Remember, once the cards are dealt, you can’t touch the chips in the circle. Simply slide the corner of the cards under the chips.

The descriptions are a lot tougher than the actual play. Just pay attention to what other players are doing and you’ll fit right in.

Doubling Down

Among the more profitable player options available is the choice to “double down”. This can only be done with a two card hand, before another card has been drawn. Doubling down allows you to double your bet and receive one, and only one, additional card to the hand. A good example of a doubling opportunity is when you hold a total of 11, say a (6,5) against a dealer’s upcard of 5. In this case, you have a good chance of winning the hand by drawing one additional card, so you might as well increase your bet in this advantageous situation. If you are playing in a face-down game, just toss the two cards face-up on the table in front of your bet. In either type of game, add an additional bet to the betting circle. Place the additional bet adjacent to the original bet, not on top of it. The dealer will deal one additional card to the hand. In the face-down game, he’ll probably tuck it face-down under your bet, to be revealed later.

Players are allowed to double down for any amount up to the original bet amount, so you could double down “for less” if you wanted. Just remember that you do give up something for being allowed to increase your bet: the ability to draw more than one additional card. If the correct play is to double down, you should always double for the full amount if possible.

Splitting Pairs

When you are dealt a matching pair of cards (remember, ignore the suits), you have the ability to split the hand into two separate hands, and play them independently. Let’s say you are dealt a pair of eights for a total of sixteen. Sixteen is the worst possible player hand, since it is unlikely to win as is, but is very likely to bust if you draw to it. Here’s a great chance to improve a bad situation.

If you are playing a hand-held game, toss the cards face-up in front of your bet just like a double down. Then, in either type of game, place a matching bet beside the original bet in the circle. Note that you must bet the same amount on a split, unlike a double-down, where you are allowed to double for less. The dealer will separate the two cards, and treat them as two independent hands. Let’s say you draw a 3 on the first 8, for a total of 11. Many casinos will allow you to double down on that hand total of 11 at this point. When this is allowed, the rule is called “Double after Split”, predictably enough. Regardless, you can play the first hand to completion, at which point the dealer will deal a second card to the second hand, and you can begin making play decisions on it.

If you get additional pairs (in the first two cards of a hand), most casinos will allow you to resplit, making yet another hand. The most common rule allows a player to split up to 3 times, making 4 separate hands, with 4 separate bets. If double after split is allowed, you could have up to 8 times your initial bet on the table if you chose! Some casinos restrict resplitting, and some allow unlimited splitting. Another fine point is that you are allowed to split any 10-valued cards, so you could split a (Jack, Queen) hand. However, this is usually a bad play: Keep the 20.

The other complication for pair splits concerns splitting Aces. Splitting Aces is a very strong player move, so the casino restricts you to drawing only one additional card on each Ace. Also, if you draw a ten-valued card on one of your split Aces, the hand is not considered a Blackjack, but is instead treated as a normal 21, and therefore does not collect 3:2 odds. Some casinos allow resplitting Aces if you draw another, while many do not allow resplitting Aces although they often do allow resplitting of any other pairs. With all these restrictions, you may wonder whether it makes sense to split Aces. The answer is a resounding YES. Always split pairs of Aces.

Insurance and Even Money

Insurance is perhaps the least understood of all the commonly available rules for Blackjack. This is not necessarily a bad thing because the insurance bet is normally a poor bet for the player, with a high house advantage. However, that’s not always the case. So, here we go:

If the dealer turns an up-card of an Ace, he will offer “Insurance” to the players. Insurance bets can be made by betting up to half your original bet amount in the insurance betting stripe in front of your bet. The dealer will check to see if he has a 10-value card underneath his Ace, and if he does have Blackjack, your winning Insurance bet will be paid at odds of 2:1. You’ll lose your original bet of course (unless you also have a Blackjack), so the net effect is that you break even (assuming you bet the full half bet for insurance.) This is why the bet is described as “insurance”, since it seems to protect your original bet against a dealer blackjack. Of course, if the dealer does not have blackjack, you’ll lose the insurance bet, and still have to play the original bet out.

In the simplest description, Insurance is a side-bet, where you are offered 2:1 odds that the dealer has a 10-valued card underneath (”in the hole”). A quick check of the odds yields this: In a single deck game, there are 16 ten-valued cards. Assuming that you don’t see any other cards, including your own, the tens compose 16 out of 51 remaining cards after the dealer’s Ace was removed. For the insurance bet to be a break-even bet, the hole card would have to be a ten 1 out of 3 times, but 16/51 is only 1 in 3.1875.

The situation is often thought to be different when you have a Blackjack. The dealer is likely to offer you “even money” instead of the insurance bet. This is just the same old insurance bet with a simplification thrown in. Let’s ignore the “even money” name, and look at what happens when you insure a Blackjack. Let’s say you bet $10, and have a Blackjack. You would normally collect $15 for this, unless the dealer also has a blackjack, in which case you push or tie.

Let’s assume that the dealer has an Ace up, and you decide to take insurance for the full amount, or $5. Now, two things can happen:

1) The dealer has a Blackjack. I tie with the $10, but collect 2:1 on the $5 insurance bet for a total profit of $10.

2) The dealer does not have Blackjack. I lose the $5, but collect $15 for my BJ. Total profit, again $10.

In either case, once I make the insurance bet, I’m guaranteed a profit of $10, or even money for my original bet.

So, casinos allow me to eliminate the insurance bet altogether, and simply declare that I want even money for my blackjack when the dealer has an Ace showing.

You’re probably thinking that sounds like a pretty good deal. You’re guaranteed a profit even if the dealer does have Blackjack. Just remember that the guaranteed profit comes at a price. You’ll win more money in the long run by holding out for the $15, even though you’ll sometimes end up empty-handed. Nonetheless, many players are adamant that they prefer to take even money when offered. Just be aware that you’re costing yourself money when you make that choice.

The basic strategy player should simply never take the insurance bet, even the “even money” variety. Card counters on the other hand can often detect situations where more than one-third of the remaining cards are ten-valued, and the bet is then a profitable one. So, unless you know the bet is favorable, just ignore it.

Often, it is hard for regular players of traditional casinos to move forward with the times. They tend to believe in superstitions revolving around their casino games. When it comes to blackjack, many die-hard players refuse to play online for fear of the fairness that online casino games may or may not have. These fears are completely unfounded when you look at the stats and arguments that come to the defense of many online casino games. Time after time, you hear that players enjoy the online version of traditional games just as much, if not more, than the traditional games.

The truth is, when you play online, you are dealing with an automated, technological dealer. Security cameras and casino managers do a great job at securing your blackjack experience. However, it is important to remember that human error does occur. The chance of suffering from human error is more probable when dealing with traditional blackjack than with blackjack online.

Another important thing to remember when playing blackjack online is that due to various factors, the player always has a greater edge (no matter how small) over the dealer or house. This is compared to the edge that the house or dealer has over the player in traditional blackjack games.

While software can be created to cheat you when you play online casino games like blackjack online, it is rare. It is also impossible if you do your part when finding the right casino online. There are always regulations and security applications to make sure that you are playing in a safe online casino hall. When you take the time to play at a reputable online casino hall, you will find that trusting the blackjack game is quite easy. There are many ways to find the reputable casino online that offers you the safest and most reliable blackjack games you can find.

There is risk with many things in life. This is something we have all come to terms with. Some things are worth the risk while some things simply are not. When you choose to play blackjack online, you can be sure that finding a secure site with the risk minimum ( a credit card to sign up in most cases) you will see that there is about as much risk to sign up for online blackjack as there is with buying concert tickets or a book online. Overall, you will find that playing online blackjack is safe and growing as one the liveliest ways folks entertain themselves.

One way to ensure that you are playing at a fair online casino blackjack game is to play often and over a long period of time. Over time, you will find that you are making money and losing money the gambler’s way: with bonuses. Play online blackjack and see how easy it is to win.

1- Always remember to claim every deposit bonus that you can. You’ll get some easily, and others not quite so easily, but unless you clam them, you’ll never be in the running to get them.

2- Whenever possible, play European Roulette instead of American roulette because the additional “00″ in American Roulette almost doubles the house edge compared to European Roulette.

3- Don’t ever take insurance bets in Blackjack because the odds of winning these are more then twice the house odds of other bets and you’re just throwing away your money.

4- Don’t keep any cards in a video poker hand that does not have anything that pays out. The worst you can do is get another five cards that don’t pay out, and you’re just as well off as you were before.

5- The longer you play, the more chance the casino has of winning. Casinos always have the long-term advantage, so quit while you’re ahead.

6- Take your time! One of the biggest advantages of online casinos is that there is no time limit and no one rushing you to make a decision, so sit back take your time and really think about what you are going to bet on.

7- Make sure that the casino that you choose has 24/7 live help available. You may never need it, but if you do, you’ll be thankful that it’s there.

8- Don’t chase after losses. Make sure you set a budget and stick to it! Make sure that you see gambling of any sort as entertainment and not a sport or a way of life.

9- You will almost always play in a different way when you play play-money games and when you play real-money games. Remember that no matter what you are playing for, the games are the same and the odds don’t change.

10- When you win a bit, put that away and save it for later.

Online blackjack has surpassed the expectations of many game experts and players as well. The game of blackjack has created new and exciting experiences for many avid players. That’s why this game became the latest trend in the online gaming business. Blackjack has really come a long way. It has a rich history which can be traced during the time of King Louie, the 14th of France. Blackjack, perhaps, is one of the games which will definitely provide players with mixed emotions of excitement, tension and satisfaction.

Why should you play blackjack?

The game of Blackjack was also called Lucky 21 because the main objective of this game is to have a hand with the value closest to 21. Many players would often speculate that blackjack is a very complicated game, but in reality, this game is very easy to learn. In order for a player to win in this game, the player must know how to count and that’s it. If a player knows how to count the cards correctly, the player will have a greater chance of winning the pot. The main question though is – Why should you play blackjack?

Honestly, the game of blackjack is not that difficult to understand. Even a beginner can play this game without having any practice. A player should only be watchful of the cards being dealt by the house, and the player must only create a hand that adds up to 21 or close to it. If you want to win in this game, you must beat the house by creating a hand with a value that adds up to 21 or closer.

Many players are now enjoying the game of blackjack for the following reasons. First of all, blackjack is a game which provides players with the opportunity to meet new people. On the downside, online blackjack may somehow give you a smaller chance of meeting new people, unless you join the live dealer blackjack game. Blackjack is considered as one of the famous casino games, both land-based and online, because players can develop many strategies and tricks in order to win the game, and in return, the player experience a great amount of pleasure from it.

If you are a beginner, you must not worry because blackjack is quite easy to learn. Many online casinos are offering free tutorials for players who want to do well in blackjack. Online casinos also offer free games for those who want to practice their skills and strategies before joining the real event. The pleasure and the opportunity to win are the factors that make this game even more popular, and the fanatics will continue to grow in number for the years to come.

The upside and downside of online blackjack.

Although many players are becoming die-hard fans of online blackjack, many traditional players are still having doubts about the fairness of the online blackjack. In the traditional blackjack, players will have the firsthand experience of the actual game. The player will see the cards face to face, and the player will definitely be sure of the reactions of the dealer and the opponents.

On the other hand, online blackjack can be played in the comforts of your own home. If you are playing the traditional online blackjack, you will be dealing with a virtual dealer, and you will not see the reactions of your opponents. The only ways that you can read your opponents is through card movements and live chatting.

When it comes to security, land-based casinos have security cameras and casino managers which are always available to monitor your gaming experience. On the other hand, online blackjacks are powered by software. It also pays to know that it is possible that these softwares can be used for cheating, so the player should choose a reputable online casino to ensure that he or she will get his or her money’s worth.

©Copyright 2009 No deposit casino bonus

If you like to gamble, you will find that now you do not have to go to a casino to get this pleasure. There are hundreds, if not thousands of online casinos where you can have a good time playing for both fun and money right from the comfort of your home. No matter what your favorite game, you can usually find it when you go to a casino online. These range from the table games such as blackjack, baccarat, craps and roulette, to online poker.  At many of the online casinos, you can win real money.

 

You do have to be careful, however, when you start to gamble at a casino online. It can be easy for anyone to set up an online casino and you want to be sure that the casino you choose is legitimate, offers the games that you like, and will pay out. In order to find out everything that you need to know about online casinos, you should take a look at reviews for online casinos.  These reviews are written by those who have played the site, as well as other online casinos. They rate them by how easy it is to use the site, the chances of winning, the games that are offered and the payout structure.

 

Obviously, if you are going to play an online casino for money, you will want to learn as much about the casino as you can before opening up an account. Online casinos usually ask that you open up an account before you start gambling, although there are those that will allow you to play for fun. 

 

You will need to know if the online casinos are compatible with your computer. If you are not operating on a Windows system, you will need to look for online casinos that will operate with a flash player. You have to know how much memory you need in order to download the software. 

 

The games offered by the online casinos are important to those who want the experience of Vegas gambling right from home. By reading a review of the site, you can discover what types of games are available. If you like Blackjack, for example, you will want to be sure that the online casinos you choose offer this game. 

 

In some countries, the casino will limit those from other counties who can play and win. Be sure that it is legal for you to play the casino when choosing online casinos in which to play. 

 

Also be sure that they pay out. This is where a gambling review really comes in handy. The online casinos should not only pay out, but in your currency as well. You do not want to spend time gambling on such a site and winning, only to find out that the site will not pay out in your currency. These are questions that can be answered by reading an online casino review of the site before playing. 

 

You can have fun when playing at online casinos, but it is important to know as much about them, especially with regard to legitimacy and structure, before you start to play. This is why you should read reviews about online casinos before opening up accounts or downloading software from the site.   The review can help you determine which is the best casino for you. 

Blackjack is played by millions of people on the internet and at live casinos all over the entire world. Most people do not have a grasp of the blackjack rules and just jump right into blackjack games and lose all their money. If you are just starting out and want to learn blackjack rules to dominate the house, I suggest you keep reading this article.

When you play a blackjack game you compete against the dealer, not against other players. Your goal is to simply beat the dealer by having a higher hand without going over 21. If you bust the dealer automatically wins. The dealer MUST stop on the total of 17 and cannot receive another card. The values of each cards are the following: Jacks, Queens and Kings are each worth 10 points; Aces are worth either 1 point or 11 points-you get to decide, depending on what serves your hand better; cards numbered from 2 through 10 are worth their face value (i.e. a four is worth 4 points). The best hand in blackjack is a 2-card hand with a value of 21. This hand consists of an Ace and a card worth 10 points. Blackjack card counting works well also.

Blackjack Dominator Strategy Tips

• always stand on 17 or better

• always hit on 12-16 when the dealer’s up card is 7 or higher

• always hit on 8 or less

Doubling Down Blackjack Dominator Strategy Tips

• always double down on 11 – except against the dealer’s Ace

• double down on 10 when the dealer shows 9 or lower

• double down on 9 when the dealer shows 6 or lower

Blackjack Dominator Strategy for playing Soft Hands

• always stand on soft 19 and soft 20

• always double down on soft 13-18 if the dealer shows 4,5, or 6

Blackjack Dominator Splitting Strategy Tips

• always split aces and 8’s.

• NEVER split 10 and face cards and never split 5’s

• always split 3’s and 2’s when the dealer shows 4,5,6, or 7

Playing blackjack online is one of the greatest ways to make money if you use the blackjack tips above. There are many free blackjack games on the internet for you to test out to get a feel of the game. Make sure you bring your blackjack cheat sheet with you when playing at any casino or tape it to your computer when you play online. Online blackjack is no doubt the most profitable game of any online gambling games. You can easily learn to dominate the house and give yourself the edge each time. Without having the proper blackjack strategy the house will have the edge every single time. Please expect to lose lots of money at the blackjack table. Blackjack is not a game of luck; it is completely based off skill and knowing when to hit or stand, or double down. Please don’t ever sit down in a blackjack game for real money if you’re not familiar with the blackjack rules. I wish you the best of luck! Blackjack isn’t easy but with the proper strategies you will be winning in no time!

How To Play Blackjack Online. The first and main tip on playing online blackjack is to learn the rules. If you don’t know the rules of blackjack the game may become boring pretty fast. But if you know what’s behind it, online blackjack will be a great way to spend time and have some fun on the web. The cards in online blackjack have different suits and faces values. Picture cards such as King, Queen, and Jack have a ten count. Ace can be either one or eleven, depending on the player’s choice. An Ace with the value of 11 is called «soft hand» and the Ace with the value of one – «hard hand». The total sum of card values in a hand is the hand total. The main objective of online blackjack is to have a hand total higher than that of the dealer’s but without exceeding the twenty-one count. The dealer’s object is to make you exceed the twenty-one count, that will make you lose your whole bet amount to the casino. Every online blackjack game starts when players place their bets. After that the dealer deals two cards to each player and himself. Each player has his cards face up, while the dealer has one face up and the other — face down. The face down card is called a «hole card». At this point a players should decide whether he hits, stands, splits, surrenders or doubles. Hit is when you ask the dealer for an additional card. By standing you remain with the cards you’ve been dealt initially. By splitting you break two cards of the same kind. When you split it is required that you place the exact amount of your bet on the new hand created by the split. Surrender is not available on all online blackjack sites. When you double, your bet is increased twofold and you can take another card. Blackjack Bonuses When playing online blackjack or enjoying the game at a real casino table, don’t forget about using comps and bonuses offered by the casino. These casino offers will make it much more pleasurable and in some cases profitable to play blackjack both online and offline. What are Blackjack Bonuses and Comps? When you play blackjack at a casino for some time, you are likely to be offered with certain rewards, called bonuses and comps. In land-based casinos such bonuses come in form of free meals, drinks, shows or rooms. The casino «rates» all the players at the table and decides who can get a bonus. Bonuses and comps don’t have anything to do with your playing skills, and are based only at the time you’re plating at this particular casino and the amount you’ve spent. When playing online blackjack you can earn bonuses too. They may vary from additional amount to spend at a particular online casino for playing or real merchandise you can get when playing regularly at a casino site. What Blackjack Bonuses are Used For? Blackjack bonuses and comps are free items given by the casino to stimulate the player for more gambling. It is also a way to gain loyal players that will be willing to play more at a particular casino. By providing free items, casinos in a way return a portion of the amount the player has spent at the table, making him feel important and welcome. In case your aim at playing blackjack is to win big, you have to follow your strategy and stay focused. For good players casinos also offer discounts and free items. Online blackjack can also offer some bonuses if you play really good and are a consistent player at a particular casino.