You can hit as many times as you would like to try and draw closer to 21, but the more cards that you take, the more you risk busting and losing your bet. Taking a hit is just another way of asking the dealer for another card. Once you double down, you are not allowed to take another card, and you can only double down on your first two cards, meaning you have to decide to make this play based on your original hand. “ Doubling down” means that you want to double your bet on the next card dealt to you. The following section is a breakdown of frequently used words and phrases at the Blackjack table: Once the game is finished, the dealer pays out the winners and collects from the losers. In a vast majority of cases, dealers always hit up to 16 and stand on all 17s or higher. Once all players have completed their turn, the dealer reveals his face-down card and deals his own turn.

Your choices are your own and you aren’t obligated to play to a specific strategy even if the other players don’t like what you’re doing. You may also choose to split a pair (described below) or surrender your hand. When it is your turn, you may choose to take a “hit” for another card or stand on your existing total. If the dealer doesn’t have 21, play begins. If this happens, the game ends immediately and all player bets are forfeited except those who were also dealt an opening Blackjack or 21. If the dealer’s face-up card is an ace or a 10 they’ll first check to see if they have a dealer Blackjack. Face cards (the Jack, Queen, and King) have a value of 10, meaning there are more 10s in the deck than any other value. The cards in Blackjack are worth the number shown on the card, with the exception of the Jack, Queen, King, and Ace.

How to play blackjack card game