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Millions of players have heard the message that of all the casino table games, blackjack is the only one that can be beaten. Practical systems for counting cards in blackjack to gain an edge over the casino were made available to the public in the early 1960s. Fortunately, few players actually learned how to beat the house. Furthermore, the conditions of the game have changed since then. Some tables use more than one deck at a time or cut a percentage of the cards from play so that card counters never see them.

Although most players lack the skill to win consistently, the belief that blackjack can be beaten is enough to fuel a boom in the game. Blackjack is by far the most popular casino table game in the United States, with more players than craps, roulette, and baccarat combined.

Many people don’t have the patience, persistence, and concentration required to count cards or the bankroll to make it effective. However, they can still narrow the house edge to less than 1 percent in blackjack. The secret is to learn the basic strategy for hitting, standing, doubling down, and splitting pairs. A little time spent learning how to play well can go a long way in making your money go further in the casino. In this article, you’ll learn the basics of the game of blackjack, as well as some strategies to improve your chances of winning. Let’s start by learning how to play the game:

Rule

Blackjack is played with one or more standard decks of 52 cards, with each denomination assigned a point value. Cards 2 through 10 are worth their face value. Kings, queens, and jacks are worth 10 each, and aces can be used as either 1 or 11. The player's goal is to draw cards as close to 21 as possible, without going over the dealer's card total.

The best total of all is two 21s, or blackjack. Blackjack pays 3-2--that is, two 21s on a $5 bet will pay $7.50 instead of the usual $5 payout on other winning hands. However, if the dealer also has two 21s, the hand is a tie, and you only get your original bet back. However, if the dealer goes on to draw 21s on three or more cards, your blackjack is still a winner with a 3-2 payout.

The game is usually played on a curved table with seats for seven players outside and a dealer inside. In one corner of the table is a rectangular plaque that states the minimum and maximum bets at that table, as well as variations on the general rules. For example, the sign might read, "BLACKJACK. $5 to $2,000. Split any pair three times. Double on any two cards." That means the minimum bet at this table is $5 and the maximum is $2,000. Pairs may be split according to the rules described below, and if more suited cards are dealt, pairs may be split up to three times for a total of four hands. Players may double their initial bet (double down) and receive only one more card on their two-card total.

Most games today use four, six, or eight decks. After being shuffled, the cards are placed in a container called a shoe, from which the dealer can draw one card at a time. Single- or double-deck games, most common in Nevada but also popular in Mississippi and some other markets, can be dealt from the dealer's hand.

The game begins when you place a bet by placing one or more chips in the betting box on the table directly in front of you. After all bets have been placed, each player and the dealer are dealt two cards. In a hole-card game, all of the players' cards are dealt face up, and players are not allowed to touch their cards. In a single- or double-deck game dealt from the hand, the cards are dealt face down and players can pick them up with one hand. Either way, one of the dealer's cards is turned face up so that the players can see it.

After the cards are dealt, players take turns deciding how to play their cards. After all players have finished, the dealer plays by a set of rules: The dealer must draw more cards until the total is 16 or less and must stand on a total of 17 or more. In some casinos, the dealer will also draw on a "soft" 17 -- a 17 including one or more aces that can also count as a 7. The most common soft 17 is ace-6, but some other totals, such as ace-3-3 or ace-4-2, and even ace-ace-ace-ace-ace-ace in multi-deck games, are soft 17s.

• Hit: When you hit, you take another card or cards in the hope of getting closer to 21. If a player's total exceeds 21 after a hit, the player is said to have "busted" and loses the bet. In shoe games, the player signals a hit by pointing to his cards or scratching or waving his hand toward himself. In facedown games, the player signals a hit by scratching the table with his cards. Verbal calls to hit are not accepted -- the signal is used for security cameras at the table, so the footage is available to resolve any potential disputes.
• Stand: If you stand, you choose not to draw any more cards in the hope that your current total will beat the dealer. Signal your stand by holding your palm flat over your cards in an open game or by sliding your cards under your bet in a closed game.
• Double down: You may choose to double your initial bet and receive only one more card, regardless of the denomination. Some casinos restrict doubling to hands where your first two cards total 10 or 11. Others allow you to double down on any two cards. Double down by taking one or more chips equal to the amount of your initial bet and placing them next to your bet. In a closed game, you also need to turn over your initial two cards at this point.
• Split: If your first two cards are of the same denomination, you may choose to make a second bet equal to the first and split the pair, using each card as the first card in a separate hand. For example, if you are dealt two 8s, you may slide a second bet equal to the first into your betting box. The dealer will separate the 8s, then place a second card on the first 8. You play the hand normally until you win or bust; then the dealer places a second card on the second 8, and you play that hand.
• Insurance: If the dealer's up card is an ace, you can take "insurance," which is essentially a bet that the dealer has a 10-value card to complete a blackjack. Insurance, which can be taken for half the original bet, pays 2-1 if the dealer has blackjack. The net effect is that if you win the insurance bet and lose the ante, you come out even. For example, the player has 18 with a $10 bet. The dealer has an ace. The player takes a $5 insurance bet. If the dealer has blackjack, the player loses the $10 bet on the hand but wins $10 at a 2-1 payout on the $5 insurance bet.

Many dealers advise players to take insurance if they have blackjack. This can be done by simply saying, "Even money" -- because if the dealer does have blackjack, the player will get paid the same as the player's bet, not the usual 3-2 payout for a blackjack.

Here are the steps: The player bets $10 and is dealt a blackjack. The dealer has an ace. The player makes an insurance bet of $5. The dealer has a blackjack. The player's blackjack ties the dealer's blackjack, so no money changes hands on the original bet. However, the $5 insurance bet wins $10 at a 2-1 payout -- the same as if the original $10 bet had won at even money.

Incidentally, the dealer who suggested this play was giving bad advice. Insurance would be an even bet if the dealer's showing ace completed a blackjack about one-third (33.3 percent) of the time. However, only 30.8 percent of the cards are 10-value cards. Taking insurance is a bad percentage play, no matter what the player's total is, unless the player is a card counter who knows that there is still an unusually large concentration of 10-value cards to be played.

Variations

Not all blackjack games are created equal. Some rule variations are good for the player, and some are bad. Changes in the house edge may seem small, but they make a big difference in games where the total house edge is less than 1 percent against basic strategy players. Here are some common variations and how they affect the house edge:

• Double down after splitting pairs is allowed: A great rule for the player, this rule cuts the house edge by 0.13 percent. In areas where few casinos are within a reasonable distance, players should choose games that allow double down after splitting.
• Resplitting aces is allowed: In most casinos, players who split aces receive only one more card on each ace. However, if the player receives another ace, some casinos allow the resulting pair to be resplit. This option cuts the house edge to 0.03 percent. Rarely, you will find games that go even further by allowing players to draw more than one card to split aces, an option that cuts the house edge to 0.14 percent.
• Early surrender: When the dealer's up card is an ace, the dealer checks to see if the down card is a 10 to complete a blackjack before continuing play. If the dealer allows the player to surrender half of the original bet instead of playing a hand before the dealer checks for blackjack, that is an early surrender. A good rule for players, and a rare one, early surrender cuts the house edge by 0.624 percent. Surrender can be easily abused by beginners who have not yet mastered basic strategy.
• Late surrender: Found more often than early surrender, but still uncommon, late surrender allows the player to surrender half the bet instead of playing the hand after the dealer checks for blackjack. This reduces the house edge by 0.07 percent in multi-deck games, 0.02 percent in single-deck games.

• Double-down limited to hard 11 and hard 10: Some casinos do not allow players to double down on totals less than 10 or on soft hands. The net gain is a 0.28 percent increase in the house edge.

• Dealer hits soft 17: If, instead of standing on all 17s, the dealer gets a hand that includes one or more aces that can total 7 or 17, the house edge increases by 0.2 percent.

• Blackjack pays 6-5: Common in single-deck games on the Las Vegas Strip, this game takes a toll on the player's bankroll. For example, two 21s pay only $6 for a $5 bet instead of the usual $7.50, which adds a 1.4 percent edge to the house--more than the house edge against experienced players' basic strategy in almost any game with a normal 3-2 return.

Now that you know how to play, let's cover some of the essentials of the game. In the next section, you'll learn blackjack etiquette and strategy.

Blackjack Etiquette and Strategy

There is more to mastering the game than a basic understanding of how to play. You must also know the customs of the game and how to master the rules.

Etiquette

When you sit down at the table, wait for the dealer to finish the current game. Then you can buy chips by placing currency on the layout, pushing it toward the dealer, and saying, "Change, please."

Do not leave money in the betting box on the table. In most newer gaming jurisdictions, casinos are not allowed to accept cash bets. However, some casinos do allow cash bets with the call "Money in play." Don't leave the dealer wondering if that $100 bill is a request for change or a bet for the next hand.

Once you have placed your bet, do not hold the chips in the betting box until the hand is over.

If you are betting chips of different denominations, stack them with the smallest denomination on top. If you are placing larger denominations on top, the dealer will rearrange them before continuing the game. This is one way casinos discourage someone from trying to add large denomination chips to their bets after the outcome is known.

In multi-deck games, signal the decision to play with a hand signal. In one- or two-deck games that are dealt face down, pick up the cards in one hand, rub the table with the cards to get a hit, and tuck the cards under your chips to stand. Turn the cards face up if you bust or if you want to split a pair or double down. At the end of the game, let the dealer turn any cards that were face up under your chips.

If you are a beginner, it is best to avoid sitting in the last seat at the table, the one furthest to the left of the players. This is called "third base," and the player here is the last to act before the dealer. While in the long run bad play will help other players as much as it hurts them, in the short run other players will notice if a mistake by the third baseman hurts them. For example, the dealer shows a 6, the third baseman has a 12 and hits a 10 to bust. The dealer raises the 10 for 16, then draws a 5 for 21, busting everyone at the table. The third baseman will likely get some flak from the other players for taking the dealer's bust card instead of standing. If you don't want flak, sit somewhere else.

If you need to use the restroom and return to the same seat, you can ask the dealer to mark your spot. A clear plastic disc will be placed in your betting box to indicate that the seat is occupied.