Blackjack is first and foremost about numbers. Indeed, according to the blackjack rule, the goal of this game is to get as close as possible to 21 points with your hand , without ever exceeding them. This game is played with a croupier (who holds the bank) and one to several players. And unlike many casino games, in blackjack players play against the dealer and not against other players around the table.

The flow of the game is simple. The dealer begins by dealing your first cards, after you have placed your initial bet. He deals 2 to each player, as well as 2 for himself, one of which is face up. The players must then succeed in beating the dealer by getting as close as possible to the value of 21. This is a sort of bet on the value of the dealer’s hand . Knowing the blackjack rules will then allow you to apply a basic strategy to decrease the house edge. We will discuss the calculation of the score below.

The cards are dealt by the dealer from a shoe. The total of your cards must be greater than the dealer’s score, but less than or equal to 21. The value of the cards is determined as follows:

• Cards from 2 to 9: the points are equal to the number on the card (a 3 of spades is worth 3 points for example).
• Cards 10, Jack, Queen and King: these cards are all worth 10 points.
• Ace: the player chooses the value of the card, 1 or 11 points

A “Blackjack” occurs when a player is initially dealt two cards with a total score of 21 (an ace + a 10 or a face). In this case, the banker (here the dealer) pays the player 3: 2 (1.5 times his bet), unless he also realizes blackjack.

• Initial deal: the dealer deals 2 cards to each player and one for himself (or a second face down). This is when we see if one of the players has Blackjack.
• Player turn: The player has the choice between six actions (detailed below) according to the total score of his hand.
• Dealer trick: the dealer draws cards until he has reached at least 17 (see depending on version / casinos), and hands are compared to determine the winner.
• Payout of winnings: winnings are paid according to the result, if there is a tie the player simply recovers his stake.

Once the winnings have been paid, the game can continue with a new distribution, and so on.