It’s no secret that Blackjack has grown in popularity since its birth, with players from around the world flocking to Blackjack tables to grab themselves a game, with the aim of beating the dealer’s hand to the value of 21.

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Whether you decide to play Blackjack online with casino online at Paddy Power, for example, or within a brick-and-mortar establishment, there will always be a table and dealer waiting for you to join.

With this in mind, we wanted to refresh your game and hand knowledge, so the next game of Blackjack you play virtually, or in person, you are ready to take on the dealer.

Blackjack: The Objective

There are many misconceptions about the aim of a game of Blackjack, but to put it simply, the objective is to draw cards totalling closer to the value of 21 than the dealer.

The hand you have been dealt must total higher than theirs, but not exceed a total of 21.

There are three ways in which you can beat the dealer;

1. Holding a hand with a total that’s higher than the dealer’s hand value.
2. The dealer’s hand value exceeds 21.
3. By being dealt a hand value of 21 with your first two cards, and the dealer doesn’t.

Of course, there are ways in which the dealer can beat you, resulting in a loss. This can happen if;

1. The hand dealt to you exceeds a total of 21, or you choose to hit and receive another card that takes you over.
2. The dealer’s hand value is greater than your hand at the end of the round, without going over 21.

It’s worth mentioning here, that if any other players are sitting around the table with you, whether that be around a physical table within a land-based casino establishment, or virtually within the casino lobby, you are all trying to beat the dealer, not each other. You’ll be playing as an individual, not a team. Your hand is yours alone.

Hand Value

Blackjack is played with a deck of 52 playing cards, but sometimes multiple decks can be used at the same time to help keep gameplay even fairer. The only thing that matters is the value of the card, rather than the suit. There are three variations of cards that amount to different values, helping you to gain the best-valued hand, and potentially win the game against the dealer.

1. Cards from two to ten, of all suits, count as at face value.
2. All face cards, Jack, Queen and King, value at 10.
3. The four aces found within the deck hold two values; one and eleven. The player with an Ace within their hand can decide the value of the Ace, to help them hold the best hand. For example, if a player was dealt an Ace and a Jack, if the player decided the value of the Ace was eleven, the hand would total 21 – a Blackjack.

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With your Blackjack know-how refreshed, the next time you decide to take on the dealer and try your hand at reaching 21, you’ll have a renewed sense of understanding of the game and the hand you need to try and beat the dealer.