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Blackjack: Everything You Need to Know About Today’s Most Popular Casino
Game!
Are you interested in learning how to play Blackjack? Or in fine-tuning
the Blackjack skills you already have? Either way, whether you’re a
novice or an old-hand who wants to improve his game, you’ve come to
the right place. Over the next few pages I will give you everything
from soup to nuts on this very popular casino game, also known as 21.
If you are an international visitor, please note that when I refer to
currency amounts and chip colors, I am doing so from the perspective
of a visitor to a United States casino. All the other information I
am providing, however, should be useful and relevant to you no matter
where you’re playing the game.
The Casino
Before we get into the game of Blackjack, there are a few things you’ll
need to know about the casino itself. This is basic introductory information,
and if you’re already an experienced casino-goer, feel free to skip
ahead.
- The Table.
There are three important
things to check for when selecting the table
you’re going to play at. One: are they playing
Blackjack at this table? You can usually find
the answer to that question fairly easily, as
there should be a sign printed on the table felt
that says “Blackjack pays 3 to 2.” After you’ve
determined you’ve got the right game, you’ll
want to check what the betting limits are, and
again there should be a sign on the table-top
specifying exactly what the maximum and minimum
limits are. You’ll often discover that the biggest
crowds are gathered around the low-limit tables
($3 or $5). Frequently you’ll see that these
betting limit signs are color-coded. In other
words: red is for a minimum bet of $5, green
is for a minimum bet of $25, and black is for
a minimum bet of $100. The third thing you’ll
want to check is what type of game is being dealt.
A “shoe” game – where 6 or 8 decks are being
used – is often the best kind of game for beginners
to play in, because all of the player’s cards
are dealt face-up and the dealer can be helpful
in answering questions. The downside with these
shoe games is that they are ultimately advantageous
to the casino, which is why I would suggest moving
on to fewer-deck-games once you’ve become more
experienced in playing. For the beginner I would
say it’s worth giving the casino the advantage
in exchange for some very important peace of
mind and learning experience.
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The Chips.
When you find a table that
suits your needs, you will need to purchase chips.
There is a standard way in which this is done
– a way which is commonly accepted and recognized
by the dealer and which you must therefore familiarize
yourself with beforehand. Basically, you’re going
to put your cash down on the table in front of
you, at a point when there’s a break in the action
(though at some casinos you will not be permitted
to join the game until the dealer shuffles).
In any event, you can’t simply give your cash
to the dealer. Though you may think of this as
harmless or even more respectful of the dealer
than just placing it down on the felt, he is
not allowed to take the money from your hands.
When you put the money on the table he’ll take
it and give you the playing chips you’ve paid
for in return. You should know ahead of time
that you will not be getting any change back;
whatever amount you give him will be the exact
amount he converts into playing chips, which
he’ll then push across the table to you. There
is a slot in the tabletop into which he will
drop your cash. Now, as for amounts. Across the
casino industry it is pretty much universally
accepted that red chips have a $5 value, green
chips have a $25 value, and black have a $100
value. If you see white chips, those have a $1
value, and in some casinos there’s a pink chip
worth $2.50. There’s also such a thing as a $1
token, which is silver. For amounts over $100,
there’s some variation, but you will usually
find the color purple representing a $500 chip.
The buy-in amount usually ranges from 10 to 20
times your average bet (meaning $50 to $100 if
you are a $5 bettor). You should always make
sure you understand and can identify the values
of the chips, and if you aren’t clear on something,
you should feel free to ask the dealer. Though
in the game of Blackjack itself he is playing
“against” you, it is actually part of his job
to help you learn and understand.
- The Bet.
Okay. When you are ready to
make your bet, there will be a circle or box
right in front of you on the table. You will
put your bet into the circle in a single stack,
before the game begins. The larger-valued chips
must be placed on the bottom of the stack, smaller-valued
chips on top of them. You may not touch the bet
in the circle once the cards have been dealt,
so you must be very sure of your bet before that
point. At the end of the hand, the dealer will
come around the table both to pay winners and
collect chips from those who have lost. Only
after the dealer has done this can you remove
your chips from the circle. You can then place
your next bet. Two commonly asked questions are:
what if I need to know how much I bet for doubling
or splitting (concepts I will explain a little
later)? Since you are not allowed to touch the
chips at that point, you’ll have to ask the dealer
and he will count them for you. The other question:
what if I want to let my winnings ride? In that
case, after the dealer pays you, you will make
one stack of chips from the pre-existing stacks
on the table.
- The Pay-Off.
Exchanging chips for cash
– or cashing in – takes place when you’re done
playing. If you’ve got a lot of smaller-value
chips, the dealer may want to exchange these
– or “color up” – for the larger-value chips.
If you are ready to cash in, you should wait
until the end of a hand and then push your chips
out in front of you. As you won’t want the dealer
to think this is a bet, you should put these
chips between betting boxes, at which point he’ll
take them, count them (also known as “counting
down”) and give you the equivalent in fewer but
larger-value chips. These chips can either be
taken to the cashier and cashed in, or they can
be used to play more games at other tables.
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