Must Know Blackjack Dealer Rules

For many casino players, one of the first names that come to our mind when we think of casino games is Blackjack. After all, the game of Blackjack comes with simple rules, features easy gameplay and offers the ultimate gaming experience to its players.

Given the immense popularity of Blackjack, it’s no surprise that many new players try their hands at Blackjack when they first start their gambling journey. But to play Blackjack effectively, players need to understand the basic premise and other rules of the game.

Blackjack basics

When playing Blackjack online as a beginner, it’s always good to know the basics of the game. So, here’s a quick insight into Blackjack basics that will help you in understanding Blackjack dealer rules, Blackjack shuffle tracking and other Blackjack-related terms:

Naturals

One of the most popular Blackjack myths is that Blackjack is just any card total that adds up to 21. However, Blackjack also referred to as “Natural 21”, is only when the first two cards given to you sum up to 21.

This implies that when you play Blackjack online, you need to get an Ace and a 10-value card as their first two cards to have a Blackjack. In instances where the player has a natural 21 and the dealer doesn’t, the player is immediately paid one and a half times the original wager.

Blackjack card values

Blackjack is a casino card game that makes use of a standard deck of 52 cards. While the deck used is essentially the same in almost all Blackjack variants, the number of decks tends to vary from one game to another. For example, the most popular Blackjack variant employs six decks, whereas Blackjack Switch and other popular Blackjack titles make use of either four, six or eight card decks.

As with other casino games, cards numbered 2 to 10 carry their corresponding value in Blackjack. In contrast, picture cards – King, Queen and Jack – have a value of 10 points each. Note that an Ace can be counted as either 1 or 11 in Blackjack.

Blackjack dealer rules you need to know

Now that you know the Blackjack basics, let’s have a look at the 4 main types of Blackjack dealer rules that will help you play Blackjack Split and other Blackjack variants more effectively:

Blackjack 16 rule

In Blackjack, ‘Hit’ means requesting an additional card and adding it to your hand. On the other hand, ‘Stand’ is when you stop adding new cards to your hand.

According to the Blackjack 16 rule, a dealer must hit when they have a hand of 16 or less. Once the value of their hand increases to 17 or more, they need to stand in the game.

Blackjack dealer hits soft 17

As mentioned earlier, a dealer must stand in Blackjack when the value of their hand is 17. But as per this rule, a dealer can only stand on 17 if they have a hard hand. Now, what exactly does a hard hand means?

In Blackjack, a ‘Hard hand’ is referred to as the one that doesn’t contain an Ace. For instance, the dealer has a “Hard hand” if the values of his first two cards are 8+9 or 10+7. On the other hand, the combination of an Ace and any non-10-valued card forms a soft hand.

All in all, the Blackjack dealer hits soft 17 rule states that the dealer must hit if he has a soft 17.

Blackjack Ace rule

A great thing about Blackjack is that it allows players to hit as many times as they want until they either stop or go bust. However, things aren’t that rosy for the dealer.

According to the Blackjack Ace rule, the dealer must count his Ace card as 11 and should hit until the total hand value reaches 17 or more (but not over 21).

Blackjack hand signals

Many gambling venues draw on Blackjack hand signals as it allows for more efficient gameplay. Here are some common hand signals that you can use when playing Blackjack:

Signs for hit

As mentioned earlier, to ‘hit’ means to request an extra card to add to your hand. The hand signal for “Hit” in Blackjack, is to use your finger to tap the table gently.

Another sign for getting an extra card is to move your fingers or hand in such a way that it motions towards you. While this may seem like an easier hand signal, it’s not used at many Blackjack tables.

Sign for doubling down

When playing Blackjack in top online UK casinos, ‘doubling down’ means increasing the value of your initial wager by up to 100 per cent.

While you don’t need to remember the doubling down sign in online Blackjack as it features a dedicated button for that, the hand signal can be useful when playing Blackjack at land-based gambling venues. To double down, all you need to do is take chips that are worth the same amount as your initial wager and place them on the outer side of the betting box. Then you need to use one of your fingers to point at it.

Sign for stand

If you don’t want to add a new card to your hand, you can do so by waving your hand above your card. This signals to the dealer that you wish to stand.