How to Play Blackjack
Description
The house sets the rules, the table plays the odds, and every player is working toward 21. Beat the dealer's hand without going over and you take your bet back twice.
Also known as: Twenty-One; Pontoon
Objective
Get your hand as close to 21 as possible without going over — and beat the dealer's hand to do it.
Setup
One dealer, any number of players.
Everyone gets two cards face up; the dealer gets one card face up and one face down.
Number cards count at face value, face cards count as 10, and Aces count as either 1 or 11 — whichever helps your hand more.
Rules
On your turn, choose to hit (take another card) or stand (keep your current total).
Go over 21 and you bust — you're out immediately, regardless of what the dealer ends up with.
Once every player has finished, the dealer reveals their hidden card and must keep hitting until they reach at least 17.
If your first two cards match in rank, you may split them into two separate hands, each played out on its own. You may also double down: double your bet in exchange for exactly one more card, then stand.
Winning
Whoever's closest to 21 without busting wins that hand.
A two-card 21 — an Ace with a 10 or face card — is a natural blackjack and beats any other 21.
If the dealer busts, every player still standing wins automatically.
A tie between a player and the dealer is a push — nobody wins that hand.