Blackjack is one of the most important games in casinos, for several reasons. The first is its popularity. Blackjack remains the most popular game in western casinos, and is attaining larger popularity in Macau, Singapore, and the Philippines. Pretty soon, it may just become the biggest card game in the world.
Another reason for the game’s success is that it has generally favorable player odds. This has caused the game to grow in popularity on the internet as well. Anyone can try your luck at the blackjack tables at online casinosand understand just how popular the game is. But, there may be people who want to start playing, but don’t know much about it. That is why, in this article, we explain the basic terms of blackjack.
Hit and Stand
Since this is an explanation for the most basic terms, we have to start at square one, with hit and stand. What does it mean to hit or to stand in blackjack? You might already have an idea based on context or cultural osmosis, but for those who don’t know, the explanations are quite simple.
- Hit: when a player asks for a hit, they are asking the dealer to give them another card. It means the player believes that they can get a higher score, without bypassing 21.
- Stand: when a player asks to stand, they are saying that they don’t want another card dealt to them. In other words, they don’t believe that they can get a higher score without bypassing 21.
Bust and Blackjack
In blackjack, you can get a score referred to as a blackjack. But, what is this score? If a player is dealt an Ace and a royal suit card on their first deal, the score would total 21. This is called a blackjack, and it is the best hand in the game. While getting a blackjack is rare, it is not impossible, and in fact the chances of getting the strongest hand are much higher in blackjack than in say poker.
On the other hand, it is also possible to bust. If blackjack is what you are looking to get, then a bust is what you want to avoid. In simple terms, a bust is what happens when a player exceeds the number 21 when asking for new cards. For example, if a player has a ten and a four, they might be tempted to ask for a hit. If they draw anything higher than a 7, they would bust, and lose the round.
Double Down
Many are almost certainly familiar with the term “double down,” as it has entered the cultural zeitgeist, and our everyday vocabulary. In common speech, to double down means to behave stubborn when speaking about a certain topic. However, the term comes from blackjack, and the question is, what does it mean in the game?
When playing blackjack, a player can ask the dealer to “double down.” What they are doing is, they are doubling their bet, and immediately drawing another card for themselves. There are specific rules for when you can double down, and it is when the dealer has already dealt the initial two cards. The issue is that, once you’ve doubled down, you can’t get any more cards, and you can’t fold.
