Blackjack Rules
Blackjack, also called 21, is the most popular table game in the world for one reason: it is simple to learn but genuinely rewards skill. Your goal is to build a hand worth more than the dealer's without going over 21. You are not trying to hit exactly 21, and you are not playing against other players - it is just you against the dealer's hand.
Every variant on this site shares the same core rules; they differ only in the number of decks, how the dealer plays a soft 17, what a blackjack pays, and which doubling, splitting and surrender options you get. This page covers the shared rules first, then the differences game by game. When you are ready to memorize the correct move for every hand, see the basic-strategy chart.
The core rules every blackjack game shares
Card values
Cards 2 through 10 are worth their number. Jacks, Queens and Kings are each worth 10. An Ace is worth 1 or 11 - whichever helps your hand more. A hand using an Ace as 11 is "soft"; once the Ace must be 1 to avoid busting, it is "hard".
The deal
You place a bet and receive two cards face up. The dealer takes one card face up (the up-card) and one face down (the hole card). An Ace plus any ten-value card on the first two cards is a natural blackjack.
Your options
Hit to take another card, or stand to keep your total. Double down to double your bet for exactly one card. Split a pair into two hands, each with its own bet. Some games also offer surrender (fold for half your bet) and insurance against a dealer Ace.
Busting
If your total goes over 21 you bust and lose the bet immediately - even if the dealer later busts too. Avoiding needless busts is the heart of good blackjack, which is why you stand on stiff totals when the dealer looks likely to bust.
The dealer's turn
Once you stand, the dealer reveals the hole card and draws until reaching at least 17. The dealer has no choices at all - the rules force every move, which is exactly why your choices are where the skill lives.
Who wins
The higher unbusted hand wins. Equal totals push and your bet is returned. A natural blackjack beats an ordinary 21 and pays 3:2 in a fair game. Only a dealer blackjack ties your blackjack.
How the games differ, at a glance
| Game | Decks | Blackjack pays | House edge | Signature rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Blackjack | 6 | 3:2 | ~0.5% with basic strategy | The original 21 - beat the dealer's hand without busting. |
| Vegas Strip Blackjack | 4 | 3:2 | ~0.35% with basic strategy | The Las Vegas casino ruleset - four decks, liberal splitting, 3:2. |
| Atlantic City Blackjack | 8 | 3:2 | ~0.35% with basic strategy | East-coast rules - eight decks, late surrender, double after split. |
| Single-Deck Blackjack | 1 | 3:2 | ~0.15% with 3:2 payouts | One deck, dealer hits soft 17 - the purest form of 21. |
| European Blackjack | 2 | 3:2 | ~0.6% with basic strategy | No hole card - the dealer draws the second card only at the end. |
| Spanish 21 | 6 | 3:2; bonus 21s pay more | ~0.4% with Spanish strategy | No tens in the deck, but stacks of bonuses and a player 21 that always wins. |
| Double Exposure Blackjack | 6 | 1:1 | ~0.7% with adjusted strategy | Both dealer cards face up - but the dealer wins every tie. |
| Super Fun 21 | 1 | 1:1; diamond blackjack pays 2:1 | ~0.9% with adjusted strategy | Diamond blackjacks, a six-card auto-win, and surrender any time. |
| Blackjack Switch | 6 | 1:1; dealer 22 pushes | ~0.6% with switch strategy | Play two hands and swap the top cards between them. |
| Multi-Hand Blackjack | 6 | 3:2 | ~0.5% with basic strategy | Play up to three hands at once against a single dealer. |
| Pontoon | 2 | 2:1; five-card trick pays 2:1 | ~0.4% with Pontoon strategy | The British 21 - twist, stick and buy, with both dealer cards hidden. |
| Double Deck Blackjack | 2 | 3:2 | ~0.35% with basic strategy | Two decks, dealer stands on soft 17 - shoe-game rules, tighter odds. |
| Vegas Downtown Blackjack | 2 | 3:2 | ~0.4% with basic strategy | The old-school Downtown rules - two decks, dealer hits soft 17, still 3:2. |
| Free Bet Blackjack | 6 | 3:2; dealer 22 pushes | ~1.0% with basic strategy | The house pays for your doubles and splits - but a dealer 22 pushes. |
| Perfect Pairs Blackjack | 6 | Blackjack 3:2; Perfect Pairs up to 25:1 | ~0.5% main game (side bet far higher) | Standard blackjack plus a side bet that pays when your first two cards match. |
| 21+3 Blackjack | 6 | Blackjack 3:2; 21+3 up to 100:1 | ~0.5% main game (side bet ~3%) | Standard blackjack plus a three-card poker side bet with the dealer's up-card. |
| Chinese Blackjack (Ban-Luck) | 2 | Ban-Ban 3:1, Ban-Luck 2:1, five-card 2:1 | ~0.5-1.5% (simplified rules) | The festive Malaysian and Chinese game of 21 - Ban-Ban, Ban-Luck and the five-card win. |
Classic blackjack
European & International blackjack
21 Variants blackjack
Multi-Hand blackjack
Side Bets blackjack
Terms that apply at every table
Hit & Stand
"Hit" means take another card; "stand" means keep your total and end your turn. These are the two moves you make most often, and basic strategy is mostly a chart of when to do each.
Double Down
Double your original bet in exchange for exactly one more card. It is the way you bet more when the odds favour you - most reliably on a two-card total of 11.
Split
When your first two cards match, you can split them into two separate hands, each with its own bet. Always split aces and eights; never split tens or fives.
Surrender & Insurance
Surrender lets you fold a bad hand for half your bet where allowed. Insurance is a side bet that the dealer has blackjack - it pays 2:1 but loses money over time, so skip it.
Blackjack rules FAQ
What is the object of blackjack?
To beat the dealer's hand without going over 21. You win if you are closer to 21 than the dealer, if the dealer busts while you did not, or if you draw a natural blackjack the dealer does not match. It is not a race to reach exactly 21.
How does the dealer play?
The dealer has no choices. In most games the dealer draws until reaching at least 17 and then must stand. Whether the dealer stands or hits on a soft 17 (Ace-6) is the single biggest rule difference between games.
What does a blackjack pay?
A natural blackjack - an Ace with a ten-value card on the first two cards - should pay 3:2, so a 10-chip bet returns 15. Beware games that pay only 6:5, which quietly triples the house edge. Some variants pay even money in exchange for other bonuses.
Can I always double down or split?
You can double on your first two cards and split any pair in most games, but the exact rules vary: some restrict doubling to 9-11, limit re-splits, or forbid doubling after a split. Each variant's page lists its own rules.
Is blackjack the same everywhere?
The core is always the same, but deck count, the dealer's soft-17 rule, the blackjack payout, surrender, and splitting rules differ from game to game - which is exactly why we offer seventeen distinct variants.