Blackjack Basics: A Foundation for New Players

The Objective of Blackjack

Blackjack is elegantly simple in concept: beat the dealer by assembling a hand value nearer to 21 without going over. Exceed 21 and you bust — an instant loss no matter what the dealer holds.

How Cards Are Valued

- Number cards (2–10): Worth their face value - Face cards (J, Q, K): Each worth 10 - Aces: Count as 1 or 11, whichever benefits your hand more

A "blackjack" — an Ace paired with any 10-value card as your opening two cards — is the strongest hand possible.

The Flow of a Hand

1. You are dealt two face-up cards 2. The dealer receives one card face-up and one face-down (American rules) 3. You decide your action: Hit, Stand, Double Down, or Split 4. Once every player has acted, the dealer reveals and completes their hand 5. The hand closest to 21 wins; identical totals (pushes) return your wager

Core Player Actions

Hit — Request another card. You risk busting but may strengthen your hand.

Stand — Keep your current total. No additional cards are dealt.

Double Down — Double your wager and receive exactly one more card. Optimal on strong opening hands.

Split — When your initial two cards form a pair, divide them into two independent hands, each receiving a new second card.

Key Strategy Guidelines

- Always stand on a hard 17 or higher - Always hit on a hard 8 or lower - Double down on 11 when the dealer shows 2–10 - Always split Aces and 8s - Never split 10s or 5s - Hit on a soft 17 (Ace + 6)

Mistakes New Players Commonly Make

Accepting insurance (a statistically poor bet), relying on gut feelings rather than strategy, and increasing wagers to recover losses are the errors new players fall into most often.