By the bjshoe team · Everything from dealing to payouts to rule variations · Updated May 2026
Blackjack is the most popular casino card game in the world. The rules are simple at the surface — beat the dealer's hand without going over 21 — but a handful of secondary rules (insurance, surrender, splits, dealer hits soft 17) materially affect both gameplay and house edge. This page is the complete reference.
Get a hand value closer to 21 than the dealer's, without exceeding 21. You aren't trying to hit 21 exactly — you're trying to beat the dealer. A hand totalling 17 beats a dealer's 16, even though neither got close to 21.
| Card | Value |
|---|---|
| 2 through 10 | Face value |
| Jack, Queen, King | 10 |
| Ace | 1 or 11 (player's choice — whichever helps the hand more) |
Suits are irrelevant in blackjack — only the rank of the card matters.
After bets are placed, the dealer deals two cards to each player and two to themselves. Standard procedure:
If the dealer's up-card is an Ace or a 10-value card, they may peek at their hole card to check for blackjack before play continues. This is called American-style dealing. In European No-Hole-Card (ENHC) rules, the dealer takes their hole card only after all player actions, which slightly changes optimal strategy for hands against an Ace or 10.
If your first two cards total exactly 21 — an Ace plus any 10-value card — that's a natural or blackjack. It pays 3:2 (a $10 bet wins $15) and the hand ends immediately. Some casinos pay only 6:5; this is a significantly worse rule and worth avoiding when possible.
If both you and the dealer have blackjack, the hand is a push (tie) — your bet is returned but no winnings paid.
On your turn you choose one action at a time until you stand, bust, double down, surrender, or have a hand auto-finished by the rules.
Take one more card. You can keep hitting until you stand or bust (exceed 21).
Keep your current hand and end your turn.
Double your original bet and take exactly one more card. Only allowed on your first two cards. Some casinos restrict doubling to totals of 9, 10, or 11; most allow it on any two cards.
If your first two cards are the same rank (e.g. 8-8, or two face cards), you can split them into two separate hands, with a matching bet placed on the second hand. You then play each hand independently. Common sub-rules:
Forfeit half your bet and end the hand. Only available as your first action, before any other moves. Two flavours:
If the dealer's up-card is an Ace, you're offered insurance — a side bet of up to half your original wager. If the dealer turns out to have blackjack, insurance pays 2:1. If not, you lose the insurance bet and play continues normally.
Mathematically, insurance is a bad bet for non-counters. The dealer has blackjack only ~31% of the time when showing an Ace (in a 6-deck game), and the 2:1 payout doesn't make up for it. Decline insurance unless you're counting cards.
Unlike players, the dealer has no choices — they follow a strict mechanical rule:
| Outcome | Payout |
|---|---|
| Win (your hand beats dealer) | 1:1 (even money) |
| Natural blackjack (3:2 table) | 3:2 |
| Natural blackjack (6:5 table — avoid) | 6:5 |
| Push (tie) | Bet returned |
| Loss (bust or dealer wins) | Lose bet |
| Surrender | Half bet returned |
| Insurance win (dealer has blackjack) | 2:1 on insurance bet |
Different casinos run different rule sets. These are the variations that materially change the house edge:
bjshoe runs a standard Vegas-style game by default — configurable in the Settings menu:
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