How to Play: Live Blackjack Tutorial

The goal when playing live blackjack is to have a hand that totals as close to 21 as possible without going over. All players are playing against the dealer in casino blackjack. Either the dealer wins or you do.

Every blackjack hand is the total sum of all cards currently held. The final outcome is determined by comparing your hand against the dealer’s.

Every card will have an assigned value and face cards are always worth 10. The ace will either be worth 1 or 11 points. Any card combination that includes an Ace is thus called “soft.” For example, an Ace + 7 hand is called a Soft 17. Why? Because in case you draw another card and go over 21, these initial cards can also be counted as an 8. In contrast, a Hard 17 can only ever be 17.

Players will look at their cards and determine what move to make. With live blackjack, there are a number of game options that can be employed. Players can stand if they feel their hand will beat the dealer, or they can hit and receive another card. There are also options to split pairs, double down and even take insurance if there is a chance the dealer has a blackjack.

For now, let’s go through the proper steps to play blackjack live.

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Online Blackjack Step-by-Step Guide

1. Find a good live blackjack casino and table. You will need a good site to play blackjack first. If you need help finding a good casino, check out our live casino guide. For specific recommendations, you can find our top 10 casino list here.
2. Take a seat at the table and buy in. Once you open up the game, you may need to take a seat. Some live blackjack tables have limited seats, others don’t. Either way, you use the chips to select your stake as per the table’s betting limits. Here are some great live blackjack games to play for real money.
3. Receive your initial hand and compare it to the dealer. You will receive two cards initially. These are often referred to as “hole cards”, and are the basis of your strategy going forward. the dealer will also deal two cards to their own hand. However, only one dealer card is revealed to the player. The other remains hidden until the end of the round.
4. Resolve potential Natural Blackjack. The term “blackjack” or “natural” refers to a player hand that immediately draws one Ace and one 10-value card. This hand totals 21 and wins the round outright. However, if the dealer’s up-card is a 10 or 11, they will “peek” on the down-card to see if they also have a natural. If they do, your bet is a “push” and the full stake is returned to you.
5. Make your Move(s). The dealer will then go from player to player and wait for their decision. Your options are to Hit, Stand, Double, or Split – you can find the details on what each does below.
6. Dealer Reveal. The dealer will then reveal their second card. If they get Blackjack, all players lose. If not, they will draw according to the table rules. Most tables have the dealer draw on any hand value under 17, and stand on 17 and over.
7. Round Resolved. If the dealer goes over 21 while drawing, all players at the table win (unless they also went bust.) If not, players closer to 21 than the dealer win while others lose.