Blackjack is one of the easiest casino games to play – especially with William Hill Vegas. But do you know the rules of blackjack?
Begin your journey to blackjack mastery with these with our William Hill ‘How to play Blackjack – BlackjackCharts’ guide.
Looking to boost your blackjack vocabulary? Check out our glossary of blackjack terms.
Play online Blackjack here at William Hill
Introduction to Blackjack and Blackjack Rules
A classic casino game where you need strategy and a bit of luck, blackjack is the one of the most popular and widely played casino games in the world. Using a traditional deck of 52 cards, the game of blackjack descended from a family of casino games known as ‘twenty-one’, the family includes other popular casino and card games such as pontoon. A great game to play with friends casually or to wager money on in a casino, it’s important to know blackjack rules.
One of the key reasons for its popularity is the simplistic nature of the game, allowing anyone to enjoy and compete in a round of blackjack, whilst having a strategic element that allows more experienced players to be successful when playing blackjack.
Basic Objective of the Game
As said, the premise of the game is very simple. Each participant attempts to beat the dealer by achieving a count of 21 or as close to 21 as possible, without exceeding 21.
If the total on your cards exceeds 21, this is called ’busting’ or ‘bust’ as you have busted your total. The dealer will then collect your cards, and any money wagered on that hand.
Card Values and Hand Combinations
An important part of blackjack rules is the value of the cards you present or are presented with, so it is important to know the different values for each card.
The number cards, cards 1 to 10 of any suit, are worth the value of the number on the card, i.e. the 5 of diamonds, is worth 5 points and vice versa.
Face cards, sometimes referred to as picture cards, are worth 10 points. These cards are the Jack, Queen or King of any suit.
Often the most beneficial card in blackjack is the ace. They can be worth 1 point or 11 points, which depends on what benefits your hand more, this is at the player’s discretion. Due to the versatility of the ace, it is impossible for a player to bust if an ace is shown as the low option of one means that 21 cannot be exceeded, demonstrating the significance of the card.
There are 1,326 different possible card combinations in blackjack and that’s just with 2 cards. The most notable is undoubtedly blackjack. The combination involves a face card, worth 10, and an ace, which in this case would be worth 11, to perfectly make 21. This guarantees a win for whoever draws it, even if the other player draws 21.
If a player was to draw 21 from 3 cards, this is a slightly different situation. Likely, the fact that the player on 21 would win but the dealer does have a chance to tie with the player. The dealer must continue to ‘hit’, up to and including 16. If the dealer does tie with the player on 21, then the player’s bet is deemed a ‘push’, and their original wager is returned to them, this is the card values part of the rules of blackjack.
Gameplay Mechanics and Rules of Blackjack
Before the game begins, each player places their bet in front of them, this will be in a designated area if the game is taking place in a casino, this is an important part of blackjack rules. The minimum and maximum wagering limits are usually based on where the game is taking place, it’s more common that the range of amount wagered per hand is between £1 to £100 but it really depends, some games see upwards of £10000 wagered a hand!
The dealer then shuffles ‘the pack’, most commonly the pack is made up of 6 decks of traditional playing cards meaning there is a total of 312 cards in play. When the dealer is satisfied that the pack of cards is sufficiently combined and mixed, they delegate one member to cut the pack where a plastic insert card is placed where the cards behind aren’t used. This measure is put in place to stop professional card counters, a relatively new part of blackjack rules.
How the game begins with players placing bets
Another crucial part to understand in the rules of blackjack is how the game begins. Each player is then dealt one card each face-up, the dealer gives themselves a card face down. That sequence is repeated once but the dealer’s 2nd card is face-up. All players have two face-up cards each and the dealer has one card face-up, one card face-down.
If a player’s two cards amount to blackjack and the dealer’s does not, they are immediately awarded 1.5x their initial wager. If the dealer has blackjack, he collects the money for all those who don’t have blackjack.
Player Options
Hitting and Standing
When play begins, each participant has several options available to them. They may decide to ‘hit’, this is taking an additional card one at a time, or to ‘stand’, which is to keep the current hand. The idea when hitting is to get closer to get as close to 21 as possible where the player then takes the decision to stand on that amount if they haven’t landed on 21 exactly or exceeded it.
Doubling Down
Another action available to the player is ‘doubling down’. This is where a player’s initial bet is doubled when their cards total 9, 10 or 11. The player is then given another card which is placed face down until the end of the round not turned up until the end of the round where all bets are settled, where the player who doubled down can see if their decision was correct and if they have won or lost double.
Splitting
If a player is dealt two cards of the same denomination, for example two kings, they are allowed to ‘split’ the pair into two separate hands. The original wager is moved to one of the hands and the player must match the wager for the new second hand. The player then must hit or stand as they see fit, treating the two separate hands as different games. The dealer then settles each hand separately.
Surrendering
In certain forms of blackjack, a player may choose to ‘surrender’. A surrender can occur when the house permits a player to fold their original hand before drawing any extra cards. When this happens, half of the player’s original bet is returned, and those cards are withdrawn from that play. Remember, once a surrender is actioned, that player takes no further part in the hand – even if the dealer goes bust.
Not all tables will allow a surrender – so always check the table rules.
Early surrender
Unlike the standard ‘late surrender’ rule, early surrender gives the player the option to give up their hand before the dealer checks for a blackjack and recover half their initial wager.
Late surrender
This is the most common surrender rule in live and online blackjack. The player has the option to surrender after the dealer checks for blackjack and recoup half their original bet.
Dealer Rules and Actions
The dealer’s blackjack rules also need considering. In blackjack, the player takes on the dealer. Therefore, as the player it’s important to know the different rules that apply to the dealer. When a dealer has served every player, the face-down card of the dealer is turned up.
If the total on their cards is 17 or above, the dealer must stand. Whereas if the total is 16 or under, they must hit and take another card. The dealer’s decision, therefore, are automatic whereas the player can always decide whether they want to take another card, if it permits.
The only instance where a dealer must hit on 17 is when they have a ‘soft 17’. This is when their hand contains an ace, which counts for 1 or 11, this hand cannot bust if one more card is taken.
Whereas a hard 17 is when the cards on the table amount to 17 without an ace present in the hand.
Winning and Payouts
Within the rules of blackjack UK, the most common way to win a game of blackjack is simply to be closer to 21 than the dealer, when they either must stand on 17 or if they bust by going over 21. In this situation, you receive a 1/1 payout, where you win back what twice what you put on. This includes your stake and your winnings, which is the value of your stake, this is added to your stake to make your winnings.
The same applies if you double down during a hand and win but to a double amount.
If the player is fortunate to land ‘Blackjack’, you receive back your stake and win an amount that is half of your stake.
A ‘push’ in blackjack is when neither the player nor the dealer ends up having hands of equal value. When this occurs, neither the player or the dealer loses or wins, essentially a tie. In this scenario, the player’s bet is returned, and the house doesn’t lose any money to that player.
An example of this situation would be both the player and the dealer having an ace and a 10, therefore blackjack.
Blackjack insurance
Often in the rules of blackjack UK, a player can be offered ‘blackjack insurance’. If the dealer’s face-up card is an ace, they will ask if any players want insurance – a side bet of up to half the original bet which pays out at 2 to 1. This is a bet that the dealer’s face-down card is worth 10, resulting in a house blackjack.
Please note: an insurance bet is rarely a good option for the player unless they are truly confident there is a high number of ten-cards still left in the pack.
Blackjack FAQs
What is the basic strategy at William Hill based on?
William Hill is an established company and over the years our strategy has been defined by our loyal customers who have played for many years. It aims to mathematically present you with the best chance possible to win the game but is not a guarantee of successful performance.
How to memorise these strategies?
Strategies for memory can vary from person to person, as we all have unique ways of learning, but after having educated yourself on the general rules and strategy, the best way to pick it up is to practice.
How long will it take to memorise the strategy on the charts?
As mentioned previously, the best way to learn is by practicing, and if you use the strategy alongside practicing it shouldn’t take longer than a few times to memorise at least the basics of the strategy.
Which is the most important blackjack strategy?
It is recommended that novices learn the basic blackjack strategy first as it will give a solid foundation for playing the game, especially for new players. If you want to begin your blackjack journey then check out the blackjack games on offer with William Hill.
