How to Play Live Blackjack

Blackjack is one of the most popular online casino games around the world. The game has a house edge of just around 0.5%, making it one of the best options in the casino.

It also offers a high degree of player involvement; the decisions you make have a tangible impact on your results, creating opportunities for strategy which many players find engaging.

What is blackjack?

Blackjack is a casino card game where players must try to beat the dealer by getting as close to 21 as possible without going over. During your turn, you can take several actions to change the value of your hand, such as hit, split, and double down. These actions give the game its strategic elements and separate it from procedural games such as roulette.

Rules of live blackjack

Before playing live blackjack, we recommend familiarizing yourself with the rules of the game to ensure a positive experience. We've listed the key rules of live dealer blackjack, along with other important aspects of the game in the subheadings below:

• All bets must be placed before the start of the round. You can place your bet by clicking in the rectangular betting area.
• Each card's value is equal to its rank, while jacks, queens, and kings are all worth 10 points.
• The ace is a unique card in that it can either be worth 1 or 11, depending on what's most advantageous for your hand.
• You must take your action within the allotted time. If you fail to act in time, your action will default to "stand."
• If your hand total exceeds 21, you "bust." This means that you lose your bet regardless of what the dealer does.
• Once your turn is finished, the dealer will play their hand according to a list of rules outlined by the casino.
• After the dealer has played their hand, the final hands will be compared to determine the winner. If you win, your bet will automatically pay out.

Live blackjack actions

There are multiple actions you can take while playing a blackjack hand, so it's important to understand how each one works before you play:

Hit

When you "hit" in blackjack, you receive another card from the dealer. This is done when you want to increase your hand total but it comes with the risk of busting.

Stand

Also known as "sticking," this action means that you decline the option to take more cards, keeping your hand total the same. While you avoid busting, you cannot further increase your hand total.

Split

A split in blackjack requires you to double your initial bet; in return, your hand is split into two separate blackjack hands, each receiving an additional card. You are then free to play each hand how you wish. Some casinos will allow you to split multiple times per hand.

Splitting can only be done when you have two cards of the same rank. For example, if you're dealt an 8 and an 8, you have the option to split. However, if you're dealt an 8 and a 7, you cannot split your hand.

Double down

Doubling down allows you to double your initial bet but only allows you to receive one additional card. This action should only be done when you have a high expected value (EV) situation, such as an 11 against a dealer's 6.

Insurance

Some casinos allow players to take insurance against a dealer blackjack when the dealer is showing an ace. The insurance bet is half your initial wager and pays out at 1:1 if the dealer has a blackjack.

Surrender

This action allows you to "surrender" your hand and receive back half your initial bet. By doing so, you limit your losses but give up your chance of winning the hand. This should only be done in low EV situations, such as a player 16 against a dealer 10.

Hard and soft hands

In blackjack, there are two types of hands; a hard hand and a soft hand:

• Hard – A hard hand has a set value; for example, a 10 with a 7 is considered a hard 17.
• Soft – A soft hand has a variable value; for example, an ace with a 5 can either be 6 or 16.

Soft hands will always take on their highest value unless that value results in a bust. So, in the above scenario, If you draw a 5, your hand becomes 21, but if you draw a 10, your hand becomes 16.

Live blackjack terminology

We've covered some of the most important terms used in live blackjack, but there's plenty of other jargon to learn before you hit the tables:

• Blackjack – When a player is dealt a 10-value card and an ace, they've made a blackjack. Blackjacks have increased payouts, paying anywhere from 6:5 to 2:1 on your initial bet.
• Push – If the dealer and player have the same hand value at the end of the round, the hand is considered a "push" or a "tie." In this scenario, the player receives their initial bet back. If both the player and dealer bust, the player still loses their bet.
• Hole card – In some blackjack games, the dealer will deal their second card face down on the table, and is called their "hole card."
• Upcard – The dealer's "upcard" is the card that is face-up on the table.
• Natural – A "natural" is another term for a blackjack.
• Shoe – When dealing the cards, the dealer uses a piece of equipment that holds all the decks together. This is called the "shoe."

How to play live blackjack

One of the benefits of live blackjack games is that they're easy to play. The mechanics of the game are almost identical to traditional blackjack, so if you've ever played it before, you'll be comfortable playing the live dealer version.

If this is your first time playing blackjack; don't panic! We've created a step-by-step guide that you can follow along with at home:

1. Visit one of our recommended live dealer online casinos that offer live blackjack games.
2. Create an account at the casino.
3. Make a real money deposit.
4. Browse the list of live blackjack games and choose the option that most appeals to you.
5. Click the information button to read the rules of the game.
6. Select your bet size by clicking the chip icon.
7. Wait for the next round to start.
8. Make your bet by clicking in the rectangular betting area on the interactive gameboard.
9. When it's your turn, make your actions by using the buttons that appear on your screen.

Once you've completed your turn, the dealer will play their hand in accordance with the game's rules. If your bet wins, you will be automatically paid out.

Live blackjack strategy

One of the aspects of blackjack that separates it from other live casino games is its strategic element. You can make decisions once you have received your cards that will influence the outcome of the hand, which you cannot do in other games such as baccarat.

Your strategy will have a significant impact on the casino's edge; the better you play, the lower the edge is. Perfect blackjack play can reduce the edge to 0.5%, so it's important to learn this strategy before you start playing.

Basic strategy

Despite its simple-sounding name, basic strategy outlines the optimal way to play blackjack based on your casino's rules. This strategy will tell you how to play every single hand against every combination of dealer upcard.

The average house edge of a blackjack game played by an uneducated player varies from 2-5%, while the same game played by a knowledgeable player only has a house edge of around 0.5%.

When learning and implementing blackjack basic strategy, you'll need to use a blackjack basic strategy table.

Key to the table

• S = Stand
• H = Hit
• D = Double down
• SUR = Surrender if allowed
• The first column illustrates the player's hand total, the first row the dealer's up-card.

Hard hand totals

Soft hand totals

To use it, simply find your hand combination on the y-axis, then search for the dealer's upcard on the x-axis. In the corresponding square, you'll find the most profitable action for your specific situation.

For example, let's say you're dealt a 9 against a dealer 10. Start by looking for your hand on the left-hand side. Once you've found it, move across the table until you find the dealer's upcard. In this situation, you'll find that the most profitable decision is to hit.

You decide to hit and receive a 4, bringing your hand total to 13. Your turn isn't over, so start the process again; look for your hand on the left-hand side, then look across to find the dealer's upcard. You'll see that, again, the most profitable decision is to hit, so you take another card. You're dealt an 8, giving you 21; the dealer turns over another 10, giving them a total of 20.

Rather than checking the chart during every single decision, many serious blackjack players try to memorize the table. While this may seem difficult at first glance, there are several easy-to-remember rules that you can learn to simplify the majority of the table, such as:

• Always hit when you have 7 or lower.
• Always split AA and 88.
• Always stand with a hard 18 or higher.
• Never split 55 or TT.
• Always hit with 13-16 when the dealer shows a 7 or higher.

Condensing the table into these short and simple rules makes them much easier to implement while at the tables.

Card counting

Card counting is a blackjack strategy that flips the edge on the casino by tracking the number of high and low-value cards in the deck. The more high-value cards are left in the deck, the more likely it is that the player will win. When this situation occurs, the card counter will up their bet size to capitalize on the +EV situation.

On the face of it, card counting while playing live dealer games seems like the perfect strategy; you're free to physically mark down the cards with no pit bosses looming over you and kicking you out of the game. However, casinos are aware of this and take steps to ensure that it's not a profitable strategy.

The primary reason why card counting does not work in live dealer casino games is deck penetration. Typically, the most profitable situations for the card counter are at the end of the shoe. The fewer cards there are remaining, the better visibility they have over the ones remaining, allowing them to make more accurate bets.

In a brick-and-mortar casino, the average penetration is around 80-90%, which leaves only 20-10% of the deck remaining before they start a new shoe. Live dealer casino games usually have around 50% deck penetration, meaning that half of the deck is yet to be seen before they start the shuffle.

Live blackjack variants

Live dealer blackjack comes in different variants. Since blackjack debuted as a live dealer game, developers have been coming up with ways of shaking up the traditional format. These new games offer unique table dynamics and different rules that add extra dimensions to the gameplay.

To shed some light on the different options available, we've explored the most popular live blackjack variants:

• Power blackjack – This game introduces the concept of the "Power Double" and "Power Split." The Power Double allows you to exchange your third card with the next card in the shoe and can only be done when you have a hand total of 10 or 11. A Power Split allows you to split your hand even if you don't have a pair and can only be done when you have a hand total of 15 or 16. However, if the dealer busts with a total of 22, all live hands are a push.
• Speed blackjack – This variant of live blackjack aims to speed up the process by limiting the time you have to make your decision. This allows you to see more hands per hour and limits the time you spend waiting on other players.
• Blackjack party – This version of blackjack is aimed at beginners with an emphasis on creating a welcoming atmosphere. The table limits are reduced and there are multiple hosts calling the action and interacting with players, making it the perfect way to play live blackjack for the first time.

Pros and cons of live blackjack

Before playing live dealer blackjack games, we recommend taking the time to evaluate their positives and negatives. By assessing both aspects of these games, you can make an informed decision about whether they're right for you.

Conclusion

Live dealer blackjack is a popular casino game that offers interactive gameplay and with a skill, a low house edge. The game requires a high degree of player input which can affect the result of the game, opening the door for strategic gameplay that isn't present in most casino games. The best live casinos offer a variety of live blackjack variants, each offering a unique take on the classic game.