A beginner’s guide to blackjack
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Here, you can find out what the best and worst hands are in blackjack to make you a better player in as little time as possible
One of the most popular card games at online casinos is blackjack. There are several different varieties, but once you have learned how to play one type of blackjack, all other varieties will be just as easy to get to grips with.
If you’re looking to start playing blackjack and want to know what the best and worst hands are, then you’ve come to the right place.
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What’s the aim of blackjack?
The aim of blackjack is really simple, regardless of whether you’re playing the game from a desktop or smartphone device, at a land-based or online casino. In this card game, you play against the dealer (not against any other players), and the aim is to try and get as close to 21 points as possible without exceeding this amount while beating the dealer at the same time. If you go over 21, it’s called going ‘bust’ – the betting round is over, and you are out of the game, just as the dealer would go bust if he or she exceeds 21 points.
Each card is worth its face value in points. Therefore, a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are worth 2-10 points, respectively. An Ace can be worth 1 point or 11, and the Jack, Queen, and King are all worth 10 points. You will initially be dealt two cards, and the value of these two cards will be added together to give you a total. One of the dealer’s cards will be dealt face-up to give you more of a fighting chance at winning.
After the first two cards have been dealt, you can now tap or click the HIT button to receive another card and try and improve the current hand, or click DOUBLE to double your bet and get a third card. Alternatively, if you think you have a good enough hand and don’t want any more cards, hit the STAND button, at which point your turn will end, and it’s now the dealer’s turn. When the dealer has finished, both hands will be compared to see who has won. In many blackjack games today, the dealer must draw to 16 and stand on all 17s.
What are the best hands in blackjack?
With all this in mind, now you’re ready to play. The best possible hand you could be dealt on your first two cards is a 10 and an Ace (10 + 11), which would give you 21 points. This is known as a natural blackjack, and it can’t be beaten. The only thing that would stop you from winning the hand would be if the dealer was also dealt a 10 and an Ace, in which case the game would result in a tie. Other examples of natural blackjack on your first two cards are a Jack and an Ace, a Queen and an Ace, and so on.
If, for example, you get dealt two Aces, you could split the hand, so you could potentially end up with two blackjack hands. Blackjack often pays 3:2 (depending on the game), and with insurance, it pays 2:1 (try and avoid getting insurance, though). An Ace and a 7 could be worth 8 points or 18 points (depending on whether you are using the Ace as an 11 points card or a 1 point card). A King and King, for example, would be worth 20 points, and a 2 and a jack would be worth 12 points, and so on.
What are the worst hands in blackjack?
Surprising to many, the worst hand you could get dealt to begin with in blackjack is 16 (8+8, Jack +6, 7+0, etc.). Getting dealt a 14 or 15 on your first two cards is also pretty bad. However, no matter how bad your hand may seem, don’t forget to look at the dealer’s face-up card, which could be showing a 5 or 6 and mean that the dealer has a pretty bad hand, too.
In other words, all is not lost. The best thing to do when playing online blackjack for the first time in the real money mode would be to take a few minutes to study the best and worst hands, the rules, and basic blackjack strategy to give you a much better chance at winning.
