Online Black Jack
Black Jack: the History
Black Jack is supposed to have come from France. The first name “Twenty-One” existed already at the beginning of 17 century. The game resembled modern Black Jack in the USA at the end of 19 century. At that time if a player had the ace or the Jack of spades, the payment was 10:1. The English for the Jack of spades is Black Jack. Black Jack was not very popular till 1962, until Edward O.Torp edited the book “Beat the Dealer” that revealed the game of Black Jack from the mathematical point of view and the theory of probability. Torp’s system distressed casinos and they urgently began changing the rules. However, people refused to admit innovations and did not bring them into life. Since then Black Jack has gained a huge popularity as many people seriously think it to be real to beat the casino in this game.
The best Internet casino game is Black Jack
Perhaps, blackjack is the only game in which it is quite easy and real to beat the casino. On the other hand, the game does not offer us such high winnings as slot machines and poker do. However, it is better to have Black Jack in the hand rather than some Jackpot in the bush. Thus, let us get acquainted closer with this entertaining game and find out what one should do to let the casino get nothing.
The main rules in Black Jack
In Black Jack every participant plays against the dealer. Here you have two ways of winning the deal:
- You can take cards until the sum of your points reaches 21 or at most approaches to this figure without exceeding it;
- When the sum of your cards is equal to 12 or more, you may pass in hope that the dealer will take his cards in excess – the sum of his cards will be more than 21.
According to these simple rules, the winner is the one (the dealer or a player) whose sum of cards is nearer to 21.
- The excess of cards: in case one of the players take cards in excess, he is automatically supposed to be the loser;
- Black Jack: if the first two cards of a participant are ten and ace (the sum of which is 21), it is believed to be the combination “Black Jack”, and its owner automatically wins (providing that his opponent doesn’t have the same combination);
- Tie: if the sum of your cards’ value is equal to that of the dealer’s, no one wins and you get back your bet. Remember, the combination of Black Jack always beats the sum of cards 21 made out of more than two cards;
- Payment:
1. The hand won is paid 1:1;
2. Black Jack is paid 3:2;
3. The insurance is paid 2:1.
The meaning of cards:
- Ace – 1 or 11 points;
- Cards with pictures and ten – 10 points;
- The rest of the cards – the points correspond to the value indicated.
In on-line casino in Black Jack, they usually use six packs of cards mixed up after each deal. Sometimes one can see cards with four or even one pack that is much more favorable for us. Therefore, if you come across such games, I advise you to play only them, as the fewer packs there are in the game, the smaller the advantage of the casino is.
Besides, after you get two initial cards, the dealer opens one of his cards to you, and in some types of Black Jack he opens two cards.
In Black Jack there are additional variants of the draw of your cards. For example, after you have got the first two cards, you can make Double or Split instead of taking one more card.
Split
If two of your cards are of the same value (for instance, 6 and 6, 10 and 10), you may divide them into two separate hands. However, you have to make an additional bet, equal to that you have already made. After that, you may take cards as usual. Nevertheless, if you separate two aces you will get only one card for each of them. If you separate two aces and get ten for one of them, such a combination is called 21 points, but not Black Jack. Remember, you cannot usually split the separated cards twice.
Double
When you get the first two cards and believe the third card to bring you a winning (for example, the sum of the first two cards is equal to 10 or 11), you can make Double. In this case, you will double your bet and will get only one additional card.
Insurance
The insurance is in some way a separate game. It gives you an opportunity to protect your bet when you think the dealer will have the combination of Black Jack. If the dealer’s open card is ace and you think his closed card is ten, you may buy the insurance against the dealer’s Black Jack. It will cost you half of your initial bet.
If the dealer really has Black Jack, your insurance will be paid 2:1.
If you have bought the insurance, and the dealer hasn’t got Black Jack, you just lose your bet on the insurance and you may continue playing as usual, taking cards, as you like.
If both the dealer and you have Black Jack at the same time, such a deal finishes with a tie.
It should be noticed that the insurance is rather an unprofitable bet; therefore, it is always recommended to refuse the insurance.
Surrender
It may occur that you do not like your cards, and the dealer’s open card frightens you even more. In this case, you may surrender – you lose half of your bet, but you get back another half.
Surrender occurs quite rarely in on-line casino. Nevertheless, if you have found a game with such a rule, play only it.
The rules the dealer follows
- The dealer must take so many cards until the sum of his points makes 17 or more;
- He must stop if the sum of his cards’ value is 17 or more (thus, if the dealer has 16 points, he must still take a card).
- The dealer cannot decide whether to take a card or not basing on the value of your cards. He just must obey the existing rules for the dealer.
The Strategy for Black Jack
As you see, the dealer is not restricted in making decisions, and one can take an advantage of it. As we know exactly the way the dealer will behave, we can make the right and mathematically proved strategy according to that. The basic strategy for Black Jack is based on two factors: your own cards and the dealer’s open card. There is the basic strategy for a six-pack variant (on the left) and a one-pack variant of the game (on the right) set forth below.
