How to play single-deck blackjack?

This article focuses on the game of blackjack played with a single deck. Just like in the classical blackjack, player competes against a dealer. The goal is to get a hand value of 21 but without exceeding 21.

One-deck blackjack is played with one standard deck of 52 cards. Numerical cards are counted as their face values. High cards (Jack, Queen, and King) are worth 10 points. Ace can be worth either 1 point or 11 points, depending on the rest of your hand. If Ace is counted as 11 points, you have a Soft hand. If Ace is counted as 1 point, you have a Hard hand. You can bet in one to three boxes. Bets range from 1 to 200 chips.

Playing against a dealer

Player and Dealer are given two cards each. Player is dealt two face up cards, while Dealer only has one open card. After examining your hand, you can choose to either stand, or hit. For a blackjack, you need to have a hand that totals exactly 21 points. Furthermore, you can get insured against Dealer having a blackjack only on the condition that Dealer’s faceup card is an Ace.

Insurance amount is half of your initial bet. If Dealer has a blackjack, your insurance amount is doubled and you lose nothing. If Dealer has no blackjack, your bet goes to the casino. You can insure your bets in all boxes or in any of them.

If you have a blackjack, you are paid 3:2. If after looking at your cards, you decide that continuing the game makes no sense, you can surrender and get half of your initial bet back. However, if Dealer has an Ace, you cannot surrender. Furthermore, you can double your bet in the box you’re currently playing in. To double your bet, you need to receive an additional card and move to the next box. Note that you need to have no more than two cards to surrender. If you have a Soft pair or split your hand, you are not allowed to double your bet.

Specifics

If you are given a pair (i.e. two cards of equal value), you can split your hand into two. When making a split, you need to place another bet, the same as your initial one. If you split Aces, you are given one card to each Ace. You are not allowed to split your hand again, surrender, and double your bet. If you’re playing two hands, a 21-point combination is no longer considered a blackjack. If Player loses, their bet is taken by the casino.

If Dealer’s hand is under 17 points, they must hit (take an additional card). If Dealer goes over 21 points (busts), Player wins and is paid 1:1. If Player has a higher hand than Dealer, Player is paid 1:1. If Player and Dealer has the same total (i.e. draw the game), each gets their initial bet back.