How to Play Blackjack

What Is Blackjack and How Does It Work?

How to play blackjack: Blackjack, also called 21, is played against the dealer, not the other players. Each player gets two cards and aims to build a hand closer to 21 than the dealer's without going over. Number cards count their face value, face cards count 10, and an Ace counts as 1 or 11. Going over 21 is a "bust" and loses. The best hand, a "blackjack," is an Ace plus any 10-value card.

In more detail, blackjack is a comparing card game in which each player competes individually against the dealer, not against the other players at the table. The objective is to finish with a hand value higher than the dealer's without exceeding 21. Going over 21 is called a "bust," and a bust loses immediately, no matter what the dealer holds.

The best possible hand is a "blackjack" (or "natural"): an Ace paired with any 10-value card on your first two cards, totaling 21. A natural blackjack beats any other 21 and pays a premium. Everyone at the table plays the same dealer, so you can win even when the table is full, and you only ever need to beat one hand: the dealer's.

What Are the Card Values in Blackjack?

Every card is worth its point value, and only the numbers matter. Suits are irrelevant in blackjack. Learning the values takes about thirty seconds:

• Number cards (2 through 10): worth their face value. A 7 is worth 7 points.
• Face cards (Jack, Queen, King): each worth 10 points.
• Ace: worth either 1 or 11, whichever helps your hand more. The value can change during the hand.

Because the Ace is flexible, hands fall into two types. A "hard hand" has no Ace, or counts an Ace as 1 (for example, a 10 and a 7 is a hard 17). A "soft hand" counts an Ace as 11 without busting (an Ace and a 6 is a soft 17, because it can also be read as 7). Soft hands are safer to draw to, because you can't bust on the next card, since the Ace simply reverts to 1 if needed.

How Do You Play Blackjack, Step by Step?

A round of blackjack follows the same rhythm every time. Here is exactly what happens, in order:

1. Place your bet. Set your chips in the betting circle before the deal begins. Each table posts its minimum and maximum on a small sign.
2. The deal. The dealer gives each player two cards face up and takes two for themselves, one face up (the "upcard") and one face down (the "hole card").
3. Check for blackjack. If your first two cards total 21, you have a blackjack and are usually paid right away unless the dealer's upcard could also make 21.
4. Play your hand. Starting to the dealer's left, each player decides whether to take more cards or stand. This is where your choices, hit, stand, double down, split, or surrender, come into play.
5. The dealer plays. Once every player has finished, the dealer reveals the hole card and draws according to fixed house rules (covered below).
6. Settle bets. Hands closer to 21 than the dealer's win; hands that bust or fall short lose. A tie is a "push," and your bet is returned.

That full sequence repeats every hand, which is why blackjack feels fast and easy to follow once you've played a few rounds.

What Are Your Options on Your Turn?

When the action reaches you, you have up to five possible moves. Knowing what each one does, and roughly when to use it, is the heart of playing blackjack well.

Hit or Stand

To "hit" is to take another card; to "stand" is to keep your current total and end your turn. You can hit as many times as you like until you stand or bust. A common rule of thumb: stand when you hold a hard 17 or higher, and hit a hard 11 or lower, where you cannot bust with a single card.

Double Down

To "double down" is to double your original bet in exchange for exactly one more card, after which your turn ends. It's a way to put more money on the table when your starting two cards are strong, most often a hard 9, 10, or 11. You double down by placing a second bet equal to your first next to your original wager.

Split

When your first two cards are a pair (two 8s, for example), you can "split" them into two separate hands, each with its own equal bet, and play each one independently. Splitting works best with Aces and 8s and is generally avoided with 10-value cards, since 20 is already a winning total.

Surrender

"Surrender," where offered, lets you fold a poor starting hand and reclaim half your bet rather than risk the whole thing. It's a defensive move reserved for the worst situations, such as a hard 16 against a dealer's strong upcard. Not every table offers surrender, so check the felt or ask the dealer.

Insurance

If the dealer's upcard is an Ace, you'll be offered "insurance," a side bet of up to half your original wager that pays 2:1 if the dealer has a blackjack. It is settled before the main hand. Most experienced players skip insurance, because over time it favors the house, but the dealer will always offer it when an Ace shows.

Quick Strategy Starter

These quick pointers are starting guidance, not a winning system. No strategy can guarantee a result. They give a beginner a reasonable default while you learn:

• Stand on a hard 17 or higher.
• Hit a hard 11 or lower, where one card cannot bust you.
• Always split Aces and 8s.
• Never split two 10-value cards; keep the 20.
• Double down on a hard 11.
• Decline insurance.

For the full chart that covers every hand against every dealer upcard, see our blackjack strategy guide.

What Are the Blackjack Hand Signals?

Blackjack is played with hand signals as well as words, so the table's cameras have a clear record of every decision. You'll pick them up in minutes:

• Hit: tap or scratch the table felt lightly with your finger.
• Stand: wave your hand flat, palm down, over your cards.
• Double down: place a matching bet beside your original and hold up one finger.
• Split: place a matching bet beside your original and hold up two fingers in a V.

Using the signals isn't just tradition. In most Las Vegas casinos, the dealer needs to see them to act on your decision. When in doubt, say your move out loud and make the gesture together.

What Are the Dealer's Rules?

The dealer doesn't get to make choices the way you do. They follow one fixed rule: draw cards until reaching a total of 17 or more, then stop. This predictability works in your favor: the dealer's play is consistent, so you can adjust your own decisions around their visible upcard.

The one wrinkle is the "soft 17," a hand of Ace-6 that counts as either 7 or 17. Some tables have the dealer stand on all 17s, while others require the dealer to hit a soft 17. The rule in force is printed directly on the table felt, so you can always confirm it before you sit down. Either way, once the dealer reaches a hard 17 or higher, they must stand.

How Do Blackjack Payouts Work?

• A natural blackjack pays 3:2 at Palms. On a $10 bet, that's a $15 win.
• A regular winning hand pays 1:1 (even money). A $10 bet wins $10.
• A push (tie) returns your bet. You neither win nor lose.

There are three payout outcomes to know, and one number worth paying close attention to before you choose a table. That 3:2 figure is the single most important detail on the table sign. Many Strip casinos have shifted their blackjack to a 6:5 payout, where a $10 blackjack returns only $12 instead of $15. That smaller payout matters more than it looks: switching a game from 3:2 to 6:5 raises the house edge by roughly 1.4 percentage points, all else being equal. Over a session, that difference adds up quickly and quietly. Playing a 3:2 game, like the classic blackjack Palms deals on both double-deck and six-deck shoes, keeps more of every blackjack in your stack. Combined with sound basic strategy, blackjack can carry a house edge of roughly half a percent, among the lowest of any game on the floor.

How to Play Blackjack in Vegas at Palms

Playing blackjack in a Las Vegas casino works exactly as described above, with a few practical notes for your first live session. Buy in by placing cash on the table (not into the dealer's hand) between rounds, and the dealer will exchange it for chips. Wait for a break between hands to join, set your bet in the circle, and use the hand signals as you play.

At Palms, you'll find 23 blackjack tables, with $5 minimums available all day, every day, on an open, walkable casino floor, friendly dealers who are happy to help newcomers, and the widest variety of side bets in town if you want to add an optional wager to a hand. Named side bets such as 21+3 and Perfect Pairs are commonly available at blackjack tables where offered; check the felt at any given table to see which optional wagers it spreads. Every hand you play also earns Club Serrano points, the loyalty program shared with sister property Yaamava' Resort & Casino. If your stakes run higher, the High Limit Room offers a more private setting.

Beginner Tips and Table Etiquette

A handful of habits will help you look and feel like a regular from your first session:

• Learn basic strategy. A basic-strategy chart tells you the mathematically best move for every hand against every dealer upcard. It's allowed at the table and is the simplest way to lower the house edge. We cover it in depth in our blackjack strategy guide.
• Handle cards correctly. In shoe games your cards stay on the table, so don't pick them up. In hand-held double-deck games, use one hand only.
• Keep your chips tidy. Place bets yourself inside the betting circle and don't touch them once the cards are out.
• Tip your dealer. It's customary to tip after a good run, either with a chip or by placing a small bet for the dealer.
• Set a budget. Decide what you're comfortable playing with before you sit down, and treat any winnings as a bonus. Blackjack is entertainment first.

Blackjack Glossary

Keep this short glossary handy for the terms you'll hear most often at the table:

• Blackjack (natural): an Ace and a 10-value card on the first two cards, totaling 21.
• Bust: a hand that exceeds 21 and loses automatically.
• Hard hand: a hand with no Ace, or one counting an Ace as 1.
• Soft hand: a hand counting an Ace as 11 without busting, such as a soft 17 (Ace-6).
• Hit / Stand: take another card / keep your total and end your turn.
• Double down: double your bet for exactly one more card.
• Split: divide a pair into two separate hands, each with its own bet.
• Surrender: forfeit half your bet to fold a weak hand, where offered.
• Insurance: a side bet offered when the dealer shows an Ace, paying 2:1 if the dealer has blackjack.
• Push: a tie with the dealer; your bet is returned.
• Upcard: the dealer's face-up card.
• Hole card: the dealer's face-down card.