Splitting is allowed when the player’s initial cards are the same. Under some rules, they just have to be the same value, so any pair of face cards can be split. The player can double their wager and be dealt with an additional card to each of the original pair to form two new hands. Sometimes, the player will be dealt a twin pair again and may re-split. House rules vary, and it is up to the website to decide what they allow in their blackjack games.

Splitting is not always optimum. For example, with a pair of fives the player is better off doubling down. It is also generally better to keep a pair of tens with their score of 20 than risk a search for an ace. Conversely, a pair of eights should always be split as 16 is the worst initial score, and splitting aces gives a reasonable chance of gaining a blackjack hand.

An ace is worth either 1 or 11, with picture cards worth 10 and other cards worth their face value.  The best outcome is to have two cards, which total 21.  This is a blackjack.

In a casino there will usually be a maximum of seven players at the table and most will have minimum and maximum amounts set for gambling.  The dealer will also have two cards.  They are obliged to draw more cards if their total is less than 16 and will stick if their total is 17 or more. A player who has chosen to stick with any total will not be permitted to draw more cards. 

In casinos there are additional options when playing the game but the aim is still to get as close to 21 as possible without exceeding that figure.

In the year 1962, Professor Edward O. Thorp created a basic card counting strategy that could be used during the game of blackjack to help give players an advantage over the house.  His published book, aptly titled Beat the Dealer, contains his strategy for “counting cards” – a strategy that quickly became very successful, and equally quickly came to the attention of the casinos.

The 1970s saw casinos alter the game of blackjack from a single-deck game to a multi-deck game dealt from shoes, as a result of the increased use of card counting techniques and the advances in technology.  Today, individuals suspected of attempting to count cards are routinely escorted from the blackjack tables by casino security, and the use of electronic card counting aids is strictly prohibited.

In more recent years blackjack has found its way online, and is currently one of the mainstays of the online casino industry, while still remaining popular in physical casinos around the world. 

The object of modern blackjack is a very simple one; to accumulate cards up to the value of 21.  The hand closest to 21 will be declared the winner and is usually played against the dealer.  To win, a player needs to beat the dealer’s total without going over 21 and a winning hand will earn even money.  If the dealer wins the hand then the stake is taken and the player must place a new amount to begin another hand.  Any hand that goes over 21 is declared bust and will automatically lose. 

If a player is dealt a total of 21 in the first two cards, this is referred to as blackjack and will earn an additional half of the initial stake.  If the dealer also has blackjack then the hand is declared a tie and no additional winnings will be gained.

Getting blackjack will require an ace; aces can either be high or low.  For any other hand, the player must decide to hit, stand or double. Hit means to receive an additional card, standing will stop further cards being dealt to the player and double means increasing the initial bet and taking just one additional card.

In the case that your hand is lower than 11, it is always recommended to hit. If you have between nine and eleven points and the dealer’s open card is less than 10, it is also a good idea to double. When your hand is between thirteen and sixteen points, and the dealer’s open card is 6 or less, the best decision would be to stand. In the case that your hand is 17, it is always recommended to stand. Specific card combinations can be also taken into consideration. For example, an ace and a card worth less than 7 usually implies a hit or a double. On the other hand, if you have an ace and a card more than 7, the best decision would be to stand. Any pair of the same rank is good to be split, with the exception of a pair of fives, where it is advised to double. A pair of nines and a pair of face cards would make enough points by itself, so it is a good idea to stand.

Even though these strategies may be helpful for new players, keeping a clear mind and evaluating the situation carefully is the best strategy one can adopt.

How to Play

Before dealing a player must place their bet.  Each player and the dealer are dealt two cards.  The dealer normally leaves one card face up and one face down.

The players must then decide whether to stick with what they have got or to ask for a hit and receive another card.

Number cards are counted as their face value.  Picture cards (Jack, Queen and King) count as 10 and an ace can either count as one or 11.

Once all players have finished the dealer will play their hand.  A dealer must hit until they have reached at least 17 or bust.

To win, a player must beat the dealer’s hand without going bust (scoring more than 21).

If a player makes a Blackjack with his first two cards – an ace and a ten or picture card – the pay out is higher.

Additional moves

Double down: a player can choose to increase their bet by up to 100 per cent.  However, they must stick after receiving one more card.

Split: if a player is dealt two cards of the same value they may choose to split the cards, make an additional bet and play two hands.

Surrender: a player can surrender their hand at the cost of half the original bet.

Insurance: if the dealer’s first card is an ace a player may buy insurance against the dealer having 21 to minimise losses.

Whether you enjoy playing free blackjack games purely for fun or whether you want to win big money, there are two straightforward, but worthwhile tips that any player can use to improve their chances of winning.

The first tip is to find a reputable online casino or website.  It is an unavoidable truth that there are many websites out there where the table is quite literally rigged.  How do you find the genuine online casino?  All you can do is find one you like the look of and consult an official source or search the internet for reviews of the site.  Fortunately, there are many websites that specialise in reviewing online casinos.

The second tip is to try and find the best odds, because not all online casinos play the same version of blackjack and there are many variations of the game, with adjusted rules.  Make sure you know the rules of each game and that the one you choose employs rules that favour your style and strategy.

Several students at Harvard created the team to test the theories they had learned while attending a ‘How to Gamble if you Must’ seminar at the Business School.  The group were unsuccessful on their first trip to Atlantic City and parted ways on graduation.

However, original member, J.P Massar, was contacted a year later by a gambler who was interested in testing the theories again following a ruling that made it illegal for casinos to ban players who employed card counting techniques.

Massar and his new team revisited Atlantic City on the back of substantial investment stakes and earned a healthy profit.  Massar later met Bill Kaplan in 1980.  Kaplan was a Harvard Business Graduate and the duo became the back bone of the legendary MIT Blackjack team throughout the next two decades.

Their finest hour came in the 1990s when a trip to Las Vegas earned them over $400,000.  However, casinos soon began to identify and bar team members and the group eventually disbanded.  Mike Aponte, Johnny Chang, Dave Irvine and Semyon Dukach are some of the team’s most famous members.

Before you even play your first game of blackjack, at your local casino (or online), you should first make sure you know the basic rules of the game. There are many websites where you will find detailed instructions on how to play blackjack.  

Start off by taking an open seat at the casino table. Then wait until the current hand has ended. This is the time you should buy chips for the amount you are prepared to risk. There will normally be a sign to say what the minimum and maximum amount is you can bet at that specific table.  

After you have placed your bet, the dealer will give you two cards. You then have to decide whether you want to stand, hit, double-down or split.  If you want to hit, you have to tap the table. Should you wish to stand, the correct way to indicate this is to wave your hands over your cards. If you want to double down or split, put down an additional bet adjacent to your first bet. Now all you have to do is to wait for the dealer to play.  Keep in mind that in a multi-deck shoe game you should never touch your cards!  

Well, playing at an online casino games means playing in the comfort of your own home. This is ideal for those with young children who fancy an evening of doing something different without the hassle of trying to get a babysitter. It means having the option to play without the necessity to dress up, as many real casinos have a dress code to abide by.

Online casinos offer the chance to play practice games where no money is needed to play, although no money is won either. This gives the novice the chance to learn how to play before heading into the ‘live’ online games where real money is bet and won. Playing for free is just as much fun as betting cash, and reputable sites try to encourage gambling as entertainment and not as a way of making a lot of money.

Playing online offers the security of being able to set limits on the amount of money spent; that gives the gamer peace of mind knowing that they are only gambling with a certain amount of money, and there is no risk of adding a credit card payment or spending extra cash unnecessarily.

Playing in online casinos from home can also be a social event. There is no reason not to get a few friends round to play also and of course if ‘live’ casino interaction is needed, most online sites offer this too through their chat facilities.