Blackjack Table Layout
Blackjack games and rules can differ quite a lot with the game types that are now accessible online. However, the way the tables look and how they are laid out rarely change.
The table will include several seats at the bottom where the players sit. If you are playing online these are fairly close together and if you are playing live, then they are a little more spread out.
Assuming you are sat directly opposite the dealer, in the top right corner will be the shoe. This is where the cards for the game are held. In the top left corner will be a box with the discarded cards that have already been drawn for that game.
In the middle of the table will be the rules for the game. It will state the rate that it pays for hitting “Blackjack” and the terms for when the dealer can stand and when they might draw.
It could also include other information such as the price paid for insurance bets or if there is a jackpot attached to the game, it could be written here as well.
Directly in front of the player will be the bet box. You need to move chips into this before the cards are dealt to signify to the dealer that you want to play.
Around the box could be several smaller boxes, depending on the game. These might be side bets, jackpot bets and perfect pairs games.
The game will start with the dealer moving cards in front of you assuming you’ve got chips in the bet box. They will also deal themselves two cards; one face down and one face up.
The dealer takes cards from the shoe and distributes them accordingly. Once all bets have been placed, they play out their own hand and then pay out any winnings. Winning chips will be placed next to your original stack. Make sure that if you are playing live you do not touch your chips before you’ve been paid out as this could void your hand with some casinos.
Blackjack Basic Strategy Chart
One of the reasons why blackjack is as popular as it has been is that it’s easy to play and it has a low house edge. However, there is a big caveat to the house edge theory in that, the house edge only remains low if you play what is known as a “perfect game”.
Unlike the majority of casino games, there is an element of skill involved with blackjack or at least, there is a method that will increase your chances of winning. Given that you’ve choices to make for each hand, these choices can affect your overall chances of winning.
For example, each decision and card combination have to be taken into consideration to make a play that is mathematically beneficial for the player. It’s only when you make the right play every single time, that the house edge becomes as low as it’s reported.
A hand chart allows you to see the correct play to make with every combination of cards that you are dealt. It does this by taking into account the dealers up card and then highlighting the play that will be most profitable.
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Charts will go beyond simply saying to hit or stand. You need to include plays such as double down (if allowed), split and split is “DAS” (Double After Split) is offered.
Using the chart is a very simple process. You simply find the combination of cards that you hold between the soft total, hard total and pairs section, then you match that up with the up card for the dealer. In the box, the chart will specify the move that you need to make.
A key to the table might look like this:
- H = Hit
- S = Stand
- D = Double if allowed, otherwise hit
- Ds = Double if allowed otherwise stand
- N = Don’t split the pair
- Y = Split the pair
- Y/N = Split the pair only if “DAS” is offered
If you are playing online then you can keep the chart handy as you play, and you will have time to check off the correct play. If you are playing live, some casinos will allow you to keep a chart at the table, and some might ask you to remove it.
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Either way, it’s going to be massively beneficial for you to memorise the chart. Once you have this engrained you will then be able to play a much more enjoyable process, rather than checking the chart for each hand.
We must add that this basic chart that we have included is just the starting point. Depending on the house rules and the type of blackjack game you’re playing, this chart will need to be altered accordingly. Changes will be minimal, which makes memorising it that much easier when it comes to playing new games.
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Blackjack Simulator
Blackjack simulators are relatively new to the industry, but they are a great way to perfect your strategy and learn how the games work.
Most simulators are set up by independent sites, which are not linked to any casino. You will not be playing for real money here and the idea is that you learn, rather than wager.
The better platforms will allow you to alter the house rules to make it work the same as the casino that you’re looking to join. Features such as the number of decks, blackjack payout, dealer rules, double down rules and many other aspects of the game can all be altered.
Blackjack Calculator
A blackjack calculator is another training tool that is brilliant for reviewing the play and working through tough scenarios that you may be faced. Instead of the game running through as it would at a casino like on a simulator, the calculator allows you to input all the data for a specific hand to see how that might work.
You will be able to set the table up as you like, then assign the face card for the dealer and your two cards. The scenario then plays out and the calculator can tell you what the best next play is and how a certain decision will affect how the play goes down.
This is one of the best ways that you can improve how you play blackjack and also learn the hand chart that we made earlier. Sometimes it’s easier to learn from actual examples and as you can see from the chart, lots of combinations fall into the same correct play.
Free Blackjack Online
One of the best ways to learn is to try and get access to real casinos who offer free play modes of the actual game that you’re going to play. These are often called demo modes and it works by the casino giving you a play money balance that you can use to bet on that game.
If you lose you simply replenish your play money account and if you win, the balance simply increases. It will reset every time you leave and join a new game.
The reason we think that this is the best learning tool is that you’re playing a game with the exact rules that you will be playing with real money. The calculator and the simulator might be limited when it comes to certain features that you can access that the casino is offering. This will affect the perfect strategy if this is the case.
Chips Value in Blackjack
When playing online, most casinos will highlight the value of a chip with a number that appears on the screen. But, when you are playing live, even though chips are numbered, the colour of the chip is often the quickest way to work out what the value is.
The value and the colour of each chip can vary from casino to casino, but there is a set range of colours and nominations, as listed below:
- White = NZ$1
- Red = NZ$5
- Green = NZ$25
- Black = NZ$100
- Purple = NZ$500
- Orange = NZ$1,000
If Blackjack isn't for you then we recommended checking out our list of Poker or Bingo sites
Number of Card Decks in Blackjack
There is no rule set in stone about how many decks a casino will use for a game of blackjack. If you play at home you’re likely going to play with just a single deck of cards, but a casino will use multiple decks.
The numbers usually range between 4 and 8, but they must specify this at the table for all players to be aware of. The same principles need to take into account online as well, as it can have big implications on the house edge.
What you will find is that the greater the number of decks of cards, the higher the house edge becomes. The reason is that as more decks are added, the number of blackjack combinations reduces. With a single deck, the ratio between blackjack hands and non-blackjack hands is at its highest.
The beauty of online means that you can shop around to find casinos that are offering games with the fewest number of decks. Even though the margins are small, you want to try and take every edge you can or at least minimise the edge that the casino is looking to take.
Why Play Blackjack Online?
There is no doubt that online blackjack, at online casinos or mobile casinos, has changed the way that most players address the game and it’s opened up a whole new world to game variations.
The number one reason to play online is that the house edge is almost always lower than it is with land-based casinos. As we have mentioned, there are many ways that the rules can adjust the house edge in blackjack, but with a land-based casino, you are basically taken what you are given. Online you can quickly shop around, so if there are games with a higher house edge, they simply won’t get the traffic to make them profitable.
Online blackjack has a much wider range of games to choose from as well. Some of them include Spanish 1, Super Fun 21, Pontoon, War Blackjack, Face Up Blackjack, Double Attack, Down Under and many, many more. The base of each of these games are the same, but subtle rule changes mean that they are individual of each other, offering up great choice.
The game is one that is very simple to play. You don’t have to worry too much about playing perfectly each time either, although long term it will benefit you. Most people at least know basic rules, so this makes it highly accessible.
Finally, it’s one of the few casino games where you can apply a bit of strategy to your bets. Unlike things like pokies or roulette, blackjack is an art that can be mastered. You will always be an underdog to the casino, but you can at least minimise this, unlike almost all other games, which in reality, a monkey could play.