If you’re participating in a game of Blackjack online in Ireland, you need to know what you’re doing do you don’t lose lots of money! Read on as we discuss how to play Blackjack below. Why not check out our other gambling guides, such as playing roulette?
In Blackjack, the player is playing against the house, The goal of Blackjack is commonly misconstrued as holding a hand of 21, however, the main aim is to hold a more valuable hand than the dealer while avoiding going “bust”. However, if one does manage to hold a hand valued at 21, it can be referred to by many names depending on circumstances, but it always pays out the most when used to win a hand.
Placing a wager in the betting box will signal to the dealer that you are participating in the next hand to be dealt. Tables will include both betting minimums and betting maximums. Be sure to select a table whose betting range falls within your desired playing style and budget.
Card Values
Before you play Blackjack in Ireland, you must know the value of each card in the deck. The card values are as follows:
Ace = 1 or 11
Face Card = 10
2-10 = Face Value
Playing the Game
In Blackjack, the number of players at the table does not matter. You are competing only with the dealer, as are all other players.
Before you can receive cards, you must place a bet. Note the table limits when you arrive. These will tell you the minimum and maximum bet you can place before a hand begins. If the limits are €1-€100, you can place a bet anywhere from €1 to €100.
When the next hand begins, assuming you’ve placed a bet, you will be dealt two cards. These cards may be dealt face up or face down, it does not matter. The dealer also receives two cards; the first face down, the second face up.
Look at your cards and decide what you would like to do:
Hit: Take an additional card.
Stand: Take no more cards, keeping the total value of cards as is.
Double: To Double Down is to double the size of your bet, taking one only more card.
Split: To Split your cards is to double your current bet by splitting an exact pair. If your cards are not paired, you may not split. A proper split would be a hand like 7+7, 10+10, K+K, etc. You may not split two face cards that do not match (i.e. J-K). The two cards are separated and one more card is dealt onto each, creating two hands, with one bet on each. The first hand is played out as normal. Once you Stand (or Bust) on the first you, you will play the second hand as normal.
Bust: If your hand exceeds 21 at any time, you have busted, resulting in an automatic loss.
Other Betting Options
There are other options you may be able to take advantage of in blackjack. They are:
Insurance: If the dealer’s face-up card is an Ace, you will be asked if you want to purchase Insurance. Insurance costs ½ of your original bet, so if you bet €10, insurance will be €5. If you choose to purchase insurance, the dealer will then check his face-down card to see if he has blackjack. If he does, your original bet is lost, but the insurance bet is paid 2:1 (break even). If the insurance bet is lost, the hand continues as normal.
Dealer’s Rules
The dealer is forced to follow very strict rules of hand development. This is where the casino gains the house edge over the player. The guidelines for the dealer’s hand are as follows:
-If the dealer’s hand is equal to or below 16, he/she must Hit.
-If the dealer’s hand is equal to or above 17, he/she must Stand.
-Soft 17 Rule: If the dealer’s hand equals 17, including an Ace that is counted as 11 (ex: A-6), he/she must Hit.
-Bust: If the dealer’s hand busts, he/she automatically loses and must pay 1:1 odds to any player who remains active in the hand.
Winning Conditions
-If the player’s hand is higher than the dealer’s hand, the player wins, Paid 1:1.
-If the dealer’s hand is higher than the player’s hand, the dealer wins, taking the player’s full bet.
-If the dealer’s and player’s hands tie, it is a Push. The player’s bet is returned.
-Blackjack: If the player gets Blackjack (Ace+10/Face Card), the player’s bet is paid 1.5:1
Note: A Blackjack is not just a hand equal to 21. It must be achieved with only two cards, including an Ace and any card valued at 10 (10 or Face Card).
