Blackjack Rules: How to Play Blackjack, From Card Values to Splitting
Quick answer
In blackjack you try to beat the dealer by getting closer to 21 without going over. Number cards count face value, J, Q and K count 10, and an ace counts 1 or 11. You can hit, stand, double down or split pairs; the dealer must draw to 16 and stand on 17. A blackjack (ace + 10-value card) usually pays 3:2 and other wins pay 1:1.
| Goal | Beat the dealer's total without going over 21 |
|---|---|
| Card values | 2–10 face value; J, Q, K = 10; ace = 1 or 11 |
| Blackjack | Ace + 10-value card on the first two cards; pays 3:2 |
| Player options | Hit, stand, double down, split, sometimes surrender |
| Dealer rule | Draws to 16, stands on 17 (H17 tables hit soft 17) |
| Chance of a blackjack (6 decks) | about 4.75% |
Blackjack, also called 21, is the most popular table game in casinos, partly because the rules fit on a single page. You play against the dealer, not other players. The goal is to finish with a higher total than the dealer without going over 21. This guide walks through every rule you'll meet, and which rule variations quietly cost you money.
Card values
| Cards | Value |
|---|---|
| 2 to 10 | Face value |
| Jack, Queen, King | 10 |
| Ace | 1 or 11, whichever is better for the hand |
Suits don't matter. A hand's total is the sum of its cards. An ace that counts as 11 makes the hand soft: ace + 7 is soft 18. A soft hand can't bust with one more card, because the ace can drop to 1. A hand with no ace counted as 11 is hard.
A blackjack (or natural) is an ace plus a 10-value card as your first two cards. It beats every other 21. In a 6-deck game you get one about 4.75% of the time, or roughly once every 21 hands.
How a round of blackjack works
- Bet. Place your chips before any cards are dealt.
- Deal. You get two cards face up. The dealer gets one card face up (the upcard) and one face down (the hole card).
- Dealer check. If the upcard is an ace or 10, the dealer usually peeks at the hole card. With a blackjack, the round ends straight away; at most tables you then lose only your original bet.
- Your turn. You hit, stand, double down or split until you stand or bust.
- The dealer's turn. The dealer turns over the hole card and draws by fixed rules.
- Settle. Higher total wins. Same total is a push and your bet comes back.
Your options: hit, stand, double, split
| Move | What it means | Hand signal (face-up games) |
|---|---|---|
| Hit | Take another card | Tap the table |
| Stand | Keep your total | Wave a hand over your cards |
| Double down | Double your bet, take exactly one card | Add a matching bet, hold up one finger |
| Split | Turn a pair into two hands with a second bet | Add a matching bet, make a V with two fingers |
| Surrender | Give up half your bet and end the hand (if offered) | Say "surrender" |
You can only double or split on your first two cards (or on the first two cards of a split hand). If you go over 21, you bust and lose immediately, even if the dealer busts later. That's the house's main advantage in blackjack.
Dealer rules
The dealer makes no choices. They draw cards until their total is 17 or more, then stand. The one variation is soft 17:
- S17: the dealer stands on soft 17. Better for you.
- H17: the dealer hits soft 17. In our 10-million-hand simulation of 6-deck games with double after split, H17 raised the house edge from 0.47% to 0.65%.
The table felt usually prints the rule, for example "Dealer must stand on all 17s".
Payouts
| Result | Pays |
|---|---|
| Blackjack (3:2 table) | 3 to 2: a 10 bet wins 15 |
| Blackjack (6:5 table) | 6 to 5: a 10 bet wins 12 |
| Regular win | 1 to 1 |
| Push | Your bet back |
| Insurance (dealer has blackjack) | 2 to 1 |
Avoid 6:5 tables when you can. In our simulation a 6:5 payout raised the house edge from 0.47% to 1.83%, the biggest single rule change we measured.
Insurance is offered when the dealer shows an ace. It's a separate side bet that the hole card is a 10. In a 6-deck game it loses about 7% of what you put on it, so the standard advice is to decline it. "Even money" on your own blackjack is the same bet in disguise.
Splitting rules in detail
- You can split two cards of the same value: two 8s, or a king and a jack at most tables.
- Each split hand needs a bet equal to your original one.
- Split aces usually get only one more card each, and ace + 10 after a split counts as 21, not blackjack.
- Many casinos let you split again (resplit) up to three or four hands, though usually not aces.
- Double after split (DAS) lets you double a split hand's first two cards. Without it, the edge in our S17 simulation rose by about 0.06 points.
Our guide on splitting in blackjack goes pair by pair.
Rule variations and what they cost
| Rule | Effect on the player |
|---|---|
| Blackjack pays 6:5 instead of 3:2 | Much worse (about +1.36 points in our simulation) |
| Dealer hits soft 17 | Worse (about +0.18 points in our simulation) |
| No double after split | Slightly worse |
| Fewer decks | Better, other rules equal |
| Late surrender offered | Slightly better |
| Continuous shuffling machine | No effect on the edge per hand; makes card counting impossible |
The Wizard of Odds rule variations page in our sources lists the effect of dozens more.
Blackjack etiquette at a real table
- Use hand signals, not just words: cameras record them.
- In shoe games with cards dealt face up, don't touch your cards.
- Put chips down, don't hand them to the dealer; ask for change between rounds.
- Your choices don't change the odds for other players, whatever anyone at the table says.
Next steps
- Learn the plays: our blackjack strategy guide explains basic strategy and what it's worth.
- Look up any hand: the blackjack strategy chart.
- Practise free: play our free blackjack game with strategy hints.
Back to the blackjack guides hub.
Frequently asked questions
What are the basic rules of blackjack?
Each player and the dealer get two cards. You add up your cards and choose to hit (take a card) or stand (keep your total), and you may double or split on your first two cards. If you go over 21 you bust and lose. The dealer then draws until reaching 17 or more. Whoever is closer to 21 wins; equal totals are a push.
Is an ace 1 or 11 in blackjack?
Either, whichever helps the hand. A hand where the ace counts as 11 is called soft: ace + 6 is soft 17. If counting it as 11 would take you over 21, it counts as 1, and the hand becomes hard.
What happens if you and the dealer both have blackjack?
It's a push: your bet is returned and nobody wins. If only you have blackjack, you're paid 3:2 at a standard table (6:5 at some tables). If only the dealer does, you lose your bet, except money you put into insurance.
Can the dealer hit on 17?
On a soft 17 (with an ace counted as 11), it depends on the table. S17 tables make the dealer stand; H17 tables make the dealer hit. The rule is printed on the felt. On hard 17 or more, the dealer always stands.
What does double down mean in blackjack?
You double your bet and take exactly one more card. Most tables let you double on any first two cards, and many allow it after splitting. Basic strategy doubles mostly on 9, 10 and 11 and on some soft hands when the dealer shows a weak card.
When can you split in blackjack?
When your first two cards have the same value, you can split them into two hands and add a second bet equal to the first. Each hand then gets a second card and is played on its own. Split aces usually receive only one card each, and a 21 made after a split counts as 21, not blackjack.
Sources
- Blackjack: How to Play — Bicycle Cards. Face cards 10, Ace 1 or 11; split; double down; push returns the bet
- Blackjack Basics — Wizard of Odds. Card values; split; double; push; blackjack pays 3 to 2
- Blackjack Rule Variations — Wizard of Odds. 6:5 -1.39%; H17 -0.22%; no DAS -0.14%; single deck +0.48%; double deck +0.19%; 4 decks +0.06%; 6 decks +0.02% (vs 8-deck S17 baseline); late surrender +0.07%