Casino House Rules Blackjack

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It's easy enough to find how to play blackjack articles on the internet, but a lot of them ignore the subtler aspects of the blackjack card game's rules.

This post is my attempt to correct that and focus more on the rules of play than the basic stuff.

At the same time, this post should be more useful for the blackjack beginner because it covers rules that other pages don't cover.

A Broad Overview of Blackjack Card Game Rules

You play real money blackjack with the same standard 52-card deck that's used for poker or other casino card games like baccarat. The joker is never used, and there are no wild cards in blackjack. Most casinos use multiple decks of cards, usually 2, 6, or 8 decks.

The dealer uses a blank card to signify when it's time to reshuffle the decks, and if the casino is using more than 4 decks, the cards are dealt from a box called a 'shoe.' In single deck or 2-deck games, the cards are dealt by hand.

The object of the game is to get a score as close as you can to 21 without going over. Casinos near napa california. You have one opponent – the dealer. How the play of the other gamblers goes has nothing to do with your own outcomes.

The cards have point values based on their rankings. In other words, the 2 of spades is worth 2 points, the 3 of hearts is worth 3 points, and so on. The suit doesn't affect the point scores for the cards.

Face cards – the jack, queen, and king – are each worth 10 points.

And an ace counts as 1 or as 11, depending on which is better for the player.

Blackjack Betting Rules (Cash and Chips) – How to Bet on the Card Game

Before you can play, you must buy into the game. This usually means exchanging cash for chips at the blackjack table, but in many casinos, you can play cash, too. Usually you only play cash once when you first sit down at the table, though – as soon as that first hand is dealt, the dealer will want to convert your cash to chips.

It's important that you don't hand your cash directly to the dealer. Lay it on the table. The dealer doesn't want to be accused of stealing your money, which is why they have such specific procedures in terms of counting your money on the table in such a way that it can be filmed by the camera above – the 'eye in the sky.'

You'll find a placard at the blackjack table which lists the betting limits. You'll rarely find a casino offering a minimum bet of less than $5 per hand, and $500 per hand is often the maximum bet. High roller rooms often have higher betting maximums, but it's important to know the minimum before sitting down.

You don't want to buy in for $300 at a $100 minimum blackjack table and wind up with only 3 chips to play with.

The Rules for Dealing Blackjack – How to Deal the Card Game

The cards get shuffled periodically at most casinos, usually when the deck has been dealt down to the cut card. In some casinos, though, a continuous shuffling machine is used. In this case, you can forget all about counting cards.

She waits until everyone has placed their bets and the decks have been shuffled. Then she gives each player a card, one at a time, clockwise around the table. She also gives herself a card, face-up.

The players' cards are dealt face-up in a game dealt from a shoe, but if the game is being dealt from the dealer's hand, the cards are dealt face-down.

After everyone gets their first card, the dealer gives each player a 2^nd card. The players either get both cards face-up or face-down, depending on the nature of the game. But the dealer's 2^nd card is always face-down.

That's how the initial deal goes.

After that, it's time to make game-play decisions.

Blackjack Rules for Naturals

The first thing that happens after the deal in this card game is the adjudication of 'naturals', AKA 'blackjacks.'

A blackjack, or natural, is a 2-card hand worth 21 points. To get a blackjack, you must have an ace, but you must also have a 10-point card. It doesn't matter if it's a face card or a 10, it still counts as a blackjack if it's 2 cards that make up a total of 21.

If a player gets a natural and the dealer doesn't, the player immediately gets paid off at 3 to 2 odds. In other words, if you bet $5 on the hand, you win $7.50 immediately. That's it for the hand.

Some versions of blackjack only pay off at 6 to 5 odds. You should avoid such games, as they give the house a much higher mathematical edge than the standard version of the card game.

If a dealer gets a natural and the player doesn't, the player immediately loses. But you only lose the bet. You don't pay a penalty or anything like that.

If both the player and the dealer get a natural, the result is a push. The player gets to keep his bet, but he doesn't get any winnings. A push is basically the same thing as a tie.

A natural only happens about once out of every 20 of your hands, so it's common enough that you'll see it often.

But most of the time, you'll still have to play your hand.

Blackjack Gameplay Rules – How to Play the Card Game

So far there hasn't been much gameplay to discuss – just betting, shuffling, dealing, and checking for naturals.

Once all that's done, the gameplay begins, and that's where the rules for this card game get interesting.

The player to the dealer's left acts first, and play proceeds around the table. The dealer acts last.

The 2 basic moves in the game are to stand or to hit. To stand means to decline any additional cards and take the total you have to the showdown. To hit means to accept another card from the dealer to increase your total score.

You have no limit to the number of additional cards you can take, but you can also decide to stand at any time.

But, if at any time, you hit and get an additional card that makes your total 22 or higher, you immediately lose and the dealer collects your bet.

This is, in fact, where the house gets its edge. Even if the dealer also busts, you're already out of the game if you've busted. What should be a tie in a 'fair' game is a loss for the player.

But, if you play with basic blackjack strategy, the house edge for blackjack is one of the lowest in the casino. It's less than 1% depending on the conditions of the game.

Also, this is a good time to point out the importance of an ace. Since it can count as 1 or 11, you have more flexibility in how aggressively you play your hand. That's why your total number of points when you have an ace in your hand is called a 'soft' total. It's impossible to bust a soft total because you can always decide to count the ace as 1 instead of 11.

The Card Game Rules for Other Player Options

Hitting and standing aren't your only options. You can also do the following with your hand:

• Double Down – This means to double the size of your bet and take one – and only one – additional card.
• Take Insurance – This option is only available when the dealer has an ace. Insurance is a side bet that the dealer has a 10 for her face-down card, giving her a blackjack. The size of the insurance bet is half that of your initial bet, and it pays off at 2 to 1. Of course, if you win the insurance bet, you lose your main bet, breaking even for the hand. That's why it's called 'insurance.' You're insuring your hand against the possibility that the dealer has a blackjack.
• Split – When you have 2 cards of the same rank, like aces or 8s, for example, you can put up an extra bet and play 2 hands. The starting card for each of the 2 hands comes from your hand, and you get a new card on top of each of them. You play each hand independently from that point forward.

Rules for How the Dealer Plays Her Hand

Once all the players have busted (gotten a total of 22+) or stood, the dealer plays her hand. The dealer doesn't get to exercise judgment when playing her hand; she must play according to the house rules for the dealer.

This means the dealer must hit any total of 16 or lower. It also means the dealer must stand on a total of 17.

There's one wrinkle, though – a soft total of 17 might force the dealer to stand, or it might force the dealer to hit. If the dealer must stand on a soft 17, that's an advantage for the player. If the dealer hits a soft 17, the casino has a higher edge than in the other version of the game.

Winstar Casino Blackjack House Rules

Once the dealer stands, the bets are paid off. If the dealer has a higher total than the player, the dealer wins the player's bet. If the player has a higher total than the dealer, the dealer pays the bet off at even money.

If the dealer and the player stand on the same total, the bet is considered a push. The player gets his bet back, but he gets no winnings on top of it.

Conclusion

That's my best, most complete, and simplest explanation for blackjack card game rules.

If I left anything out, let me know in the comments.

Reno may not be the first place you think of when it comes to blackjack. Instead, you may envision yourself playing blackjack in posh Las Vegas or Atlantic City resorts.

If so, you'll also be missing out on some of the best blackjack action known to man. Reno offers incredibly friendly rules at certain casinos that greatly reduce the house edge.

What are the casinos in question, though? You can find out by reading more on what makes for quality games and where to find the best Reno blackjack casinos.

What Makes For a Good Blackjack Game?

Your preference of blackjack games can vary based on what exactly you're looking for. Here are key factors that you might consider:

Reno isn't known for glitz and glamour. Therefore, you won't get the Bellagio or Wynn feeling when you're playing here.

However, the stakes and rules are what separate Reno blackjack from the pack. You'll find a number of $5 and $10 tables throughout the city.

$10 blackjack is more common in Reno. However, it offers a larger percentage of $5 tables than you'll see in Vegas or Atlantic City.

The rules are exceptional in the Biggest Little City in the World. Reno is one of the few places where you can still play single-deck games with 3:2 natural blackjack payouts.

Most gambling destinations either feature eight-deck games or single-deck tables with 6:5 blackjack payouts. The latter rule increases the house edge by 1.4% when compared to 3:2 payouts.

The Typical Reno Blackjack Game

As mentioned above, Reno offers some of the friendliest blackjack rules anywhere. Here are the common rules throughout the city:

• One deck
• 3:2 natural payouts
• Dealer hits a soft 17
• Only double on 10-11
• No DAS
• No re-splitting aces
• No surrender

These rules lead to a 0.45% house edge in a standard, hand-shuffled game. Outside of Macau and a few Vegas casinos, you can't do any better than this in land-based casinos.

Keep in mind that this is just the average game in Reno! A few casinos offer even better rules and lower house advantages.

Of course, you should never blindly assume that every Reno gambling venue has great games. Some casinos actually have much worse rules that are more on par with a Vegas Strip establishment.

What Reno Blackjack Casinos Should You Choose?

With 20 casinos, the Reno-Sparks area is one of the biggest gambling destinations in the United States. Therefore, you can't walk into just any casino and expect an easy chance to win.

You instead want to target the casinos with the best rules. Below, you'll find the best Reno has to offer regarding blackjack rules at the time of this post (some casinos have different sets of rules):

Casino House Rules Blackjack Free

Rules for Rail City

• One deck
• 3:2 natural payouts
• Dealer hits a soft 17
• Double down on any 2 cards
• Double down after splitting (DAS) allowed
• No re-splitting aces
• No surrender
• House edge = 0.19%

Rules for Alamo, Sands Regency, Western Village

• One deck
• 3:2 natural payouts
• Dealer hits a soft 17
• Double down on any 2 cards
• No DAS
• No re-splitting aces
• Late surrender
• House edge = 0.28%

Rules for Boomtown

• One deck
• 3:2 natural payouts
• Dealer hits a soft 17
• Double down on any 2 cards
• No DAS
• No re-splitting aces
• No surrender
• House edge = 0.32%

Rules for Atlantis, Bonanza, Cal-Neva, Circus Circus, Diamond's, El Dorado, Grand Sierra, Harrah's, Nugget, Peppermill, Sienna, Silver Legacy

• One deck
• 3:2 natural payouts
• Dealer hits a soft 17
• Only double on 10-11
• No DAS
• No re-splitting aces
• No surrender
• House edge = 0.45%

Rules for Cal-Neva, El Dorado, Grand Sierra, Nugget, Peppermill, Sienna, Silver Legacy

But, if at any time, you hit and get an additional card that makes your total 22 or higher, you immediately lose and the dealer collects your bet.

This is, in fact, where the house gets its edge. Even if the dealer also busts, you're already out of the game if you've busted. What should be a tie in a 'fair' game is a loss for the player.

But, if you play with basic blackjack strategy, the house edge for blackjack is one of the lowest in the casino. It's less than 1% depending on the conditions of the game.

Also, this is a good time to point out the importance of an ace. Since it can count as 1 or 11, you have more flexibility in how aggressively you play your hand. That's why your total number of points when you have an ace in your hand is called a 'soft' total. It's impossible to bust a soft total because you can always decide to count the ace as 1 instead of 11.

The Card Game Rules for Other Player Options

Hitting and standing aren't your only options. You can also do the following with your hand:

• Double Down – This means to double the size of your bet and take one – and only one – additional card.
• Take Insurance – This option is only available when the dealer has an ace. Insurance is a side bet that the dealer has a 10 for her face-down card, giving her a blackjack. The size of the insurance bet is half that of your initial bet, and it pays off at 2 to 1. Of course, if you win the insurance bet, you lose your main bet, breaking even for the hand. That's why it's called 'insurance.' You're insuring your hand against the possibility that the dealer has a blackjack.
• Split – When you have 2 cards of the same rank, like aces or 8s, for example, you can put up an extra bet and play 2 hands. The starting card for each of the 2 hands comes from your hand, and you get a new card on top of each of them. You play each hand independently from that point forward.

Rules for How the Dealer Plays Her Hand

Once all the players have busted (gotten a total of 22+) or stood, the dealer plays her hand. The dealer doesn't get to exercise judgment when playing her hand; she must play according to the house rules for the dealer.

This means the dealer must hit any total of 16 or lower. It also means the dealer must stand on a total of 17.

There's one wrinkle, though – a soft total of 17 might force the dealer to stand, or it might force the dealer to hit. If the dealer must stand on a soft 17, that's an advantage for the player. If the dealer hits a soft 17, the casino has a higher edge than in the other version of the game.

Winstar Casino Blackjack House Rules

Once the dealer stands, the bets are paid off. If the dealer has a higher total than the player, the dealer wins the player's bet. If the player has a higher total than the dealer, the dealer pays the bet off at even money.

If the dealer and the player stand on the same total, the bet is considered a push. The player gets his bet back, but he gets no winnings on top of it.

Conclusion

That's my best, most complete, and simplest explanation for blackjack card game rules.

If I left anything out, let me know in the comments.

Reno may not be the first place you think of when it comes to blackjack. Instead, you may envision yourself playing blackjack in posh Las Vegas or Atlantic City resorts.

If so, you'll also be missing out on some of the best blackjack action known to man. Reno offers incredibly friendly rules at certain casinos that greatly reduce the house edge.

What are the casinos in question, though? You can find out by reading more on what makes for quality games and where to find the best Reno blackjack casinos.

What Makes For a Good Blackjack Game?

Your preference of blackjack games can vary based on what exactly you're looking for. Here are key factors that you might consider:

Reno isn't known for glitz and glamour. Therefore, you won't get the Bellagio or Wynn feeling when you're playing here.

However, the stakes and rules are what separate Reno blackjack from the pack. You'll find a number of $5 and $10 tables throughout the city.

$10 blackjack is more common in Reno. However, it offers a larger percentage of $5 tables than you'll see in Vegas or Atlantic City.

The rules are exceptional in the Biggest Little City in the World. Reno is one of the few places where you can still play single-deck games with 3:2 natural blackjack payouts.

Most gambling destinations either feature eight-deck games or single-deck tables with 6:5 blackjack payouts. The latter rule increases the house edge by 1.4% when compared to 3:2 payouts.

The Typical Reno Blackjack Game

As mentioned above, Reno offers some of the friendliest blackjack rules anywhere. Here are the common rules throughout the city:

• One deck
• 3:2 natural payouts
• Dealer hits a soft 17
• Only double on 10-11
• No DAS
• No re-splitting aces
• No surrender

These rules lead to a 0.45% house edge in a standard, hand-shuffled game. Outside of Macau and a few Vegas casinos, you can't do any better than this in land-based casinos.

Keep in mind that this is just the average game in Reno! A few casinos offer even better rules and lower house advantages.

Of course, you should never blindly assume that every Reno gambling venue has great games. Some casinos actually have much worse rules that are more on par with a Vegas Strip establishment.

What Reno Blackjack Casinos Should You Choose?

With 20 casinos, the Reno-Sparks area is one of the biggest gambling destinations in the United States. Therefore, you can't walk into just any casino and expect an easy chance to win.

You instead want to target the casinos with the best rules. Below, you'll find the best Reno has to offer regarding blackjack rules at the time of this post (some casinos have different sets of rules):

Casino House Rules Blackjack Free

Rules for Rail City

• One deck
• 3:2 natural payouts
• Dealer hits a soft 17
• Double down on any 2 cards
• Double down after splitting (DAS) allowed
• No re-splitting aces
• No surrender
• House edge = 0.19%

Rules for Alamo, Sands Regency, Western Village

• One deck
• 3:2 natural payouts
• Dealer hits a soft 17
• Double down on any 2 cards
• No DAS
• No re-splitting aces
• Late surrender
• House edge = 0.28%

Rules for Boomtown

• One deck
• 3:2 natural payouts
• Dealer hits a soft 17
• Double down on any 2 cards
• No DAS
• No re-splitting aces
• No surrender
• House edge = 0.32%

Rules for Atlantis, Bonanza, Cal-Neva, Circus Circus, Diamond's, El Dorado, Grand Sierra, Harrah's, Nugget, Peppermill, Sienna, Silver Legacy

• One deck
• 3:2 natural payouts
• Dealer hits a soft 17
• Only double on 10-11
• No DAS
• No re-splitting aces
• No surrender
• House edge = 0.45%

Rules for Cal-Neva, El Dorado, Grand Sierra, Nugget, Peppermill, Sienna, Silver Legacy

• Two decks
• 3:2 natural payouts
• Dealer hits a soft 17
• Double down on any 2 cards
• No DAS
• No re-splitting aces
• No surrender
• House edge = 0.55%

Several games on this list offer house advantages ranging from 0.19% to 0.32%. These options are about as good as it gets anywhere in the world.

Most Reno casinos feature a table with either a 0.45% or 0.55% house edge. These blackjack games are still better than over 95% of what else is out there.

You can't go wrong at most of Reno casinos. But Rail City, Alamo, Boomtown, Sands Regency, and Western Village offer the best blackjack odds.

Can You Count Cards in Reno?

What if you could combine card counting with some of the top blackjack rules anywhere? You'd be in for quite a score!

But before you jump in the car and start heading to Reno, you should know a few things about the city's blackjack scene.

This town presents somewhat of a dichotomy regarding card counting. The pit bosses are friendlier than what you'll find in Vegas, but they also back you off faster.

A back-off either refers to when the pit boss restricts your betting limits or forces you to quit playing blackjack. Restricting your bets serves to prevent you from capitalizing on positive counts.

Reno already features the best blackjack rules across the board. They don't want to also give you an opportunity to count cards on top of everything.

I'm not saying that you can't make money when counting in Reno. Some casinos are relatively lax before they take action against suspected advantage players.

However, you won't be able to spread your bets as large when counting in Reno. Assuming you normally spread from the table minimum to 10x this amount (i.e. 1-10 spread) in Vegas, you'll need to consider a 1-6 or even 1-4 spread here.

Pit bosses are much more concerned when they see you spreading at 1-8 or anything higher. If you're going to count here, then you definitely want to be more conservative.

Is Reno Ultimately Worth Visiting for the Blackjack Experience?

Reno is definitely a nice place to visit as a serious blackjack player. It offers plenty of tables and excellent rules.

You'll benefit heavily from the latter if you're a serious amateur player. Most of the time, you'll only face around a 0.5% house edge or lower.

Many casinos either feature eight decks or only pay 6:5 on natural blackjacks. They also include other unfavorable rules that push their advantage up over 1.5%.

A 1.5% house advantage isn't terrible when compared to other casino games. However, it's not quite on par with Reno blackjack tables.

The other side of the situation is the resort aspect. While this city has some quality resorts, it doesn't have the same glamorous casino-hotels available on the Vegas Strip.

If you're more concerned about the surrounding atmosphere than beating the game, then Reno isn't for you. It's a laidback spot that focuses on comps and favorable casino odds above all.

Tips for Improving Your Blackjack Winnings in Reno

You've seen that Reno has incredible blackjack games. Of course, you also need the skills to achieve the lowest-possible house advantage. Here are some tips to help you pull this off.

Study a Strategy Chart

Casino House Rules Blackjack Card Game

Without proper strategy knowledge, you don't have a shot in the dark of enjoying a 0.45% house edge or anything remotely similar. Luckily, blackjack strategy isn't that difficult to master.

You can quickly start on this matter by getting a blackjack strategy chart. A simple Google (Images) search will result in many options.

These charts show what decisions you should make based on your score and the dealer's upcard. I recommend memorizing as much as you can before playing.

After all, dealers and players don't like you slowing down the action to review your chart every five seconds.

Make Sure You're Properly Bankrolled

Pay by mobile casino sites uk. Blackjack has low volatility compared to slot machines and a few other games. You win approximately 42% of your hands, plus extra for natural payouts and successfully doubling down.

Nevertheless, you can go on some cold streaks and quickly burn through your bankroll. You want to be properly bankrolled to ensure that you can survive these rough patches.

I suggest having at least 20 units for the average stakes you play. Assuming you bet $10 per hand, then you'll want $200 or more per outing.

Look for the Best Rules

Casino House Rules Blackjack Rules

You can refer to the advice covered here on which casinos have the best rules. Again, these rules are accurate at the time of this writing.

You may ultimately decide that you don't like one or more of the casinos with the friendliest rules. But with several options to choose from, you should eventually find something good.

Casino House Rules Blackjack Game

Conclusion

Reno will never win the title for being the glitziest gambling hotspot. However, it does deserve recognition for being one of the best places to play blackjack for real money.

The Biggest Little City is a throwback to the days when many casinos offered great rules. Now, most gambling establishments feature poor blackjack odds.

You don't have to settle for such casinos when you're in Reno, though. Instead, you can look forward to a wide selection of games with house edges ranging from 0.19% to 0.55%.