Blackjack, also known as 21, is a card game that pits players against the dealer. While it is a game of chance and luck, there are strategies that can help you make the most of your bets and payouts.

The objective of the game is to finish with a hand that totals closer to 21 than the dealer’s, without going over. Each player begins the game by placing a bet in one of the betting areas marked on the table. The dealer then deals each player two cards. If the first two cards add up to 21 (Ace and a face card valued at 10), this is a Blackjack and you win immediately! Otherwise, the player must decide whether to stand or ask for additional cards.

When a player has two matching cards (also called a pair) they can choose to split them and play two hands. However, you can only hit each of your new hands once. You may also not split any cards that have a value of 10 or higher. If you split Aces and get a point total of 21, this isn’t considered a Blackjack in terms of payout, but you still push if the dealer gets a blackjack.

Once the players have played their hands, they can either stand or ask the dealer for more cards (‘hit’). The dealer then reveals their cards and will also either stand or draw additional cards until they either bust or reach 21. The dealer will then pay anyone who bought insurance, sweep any bets, and start a new round.

In order to prevent card counting, casinos will shuffle the decks of cards frequently. This helps to keep the cards appearing in a random fashion, making it more difficult to count cards. In addition, the dealers will typically wear a uniform and may not be allowed to speak during the game.

Unlike most casino games, blackjack is a game that is played between the player and the dealer, not against other players. This makes it much easier to learn, but it can also increase the house edge. Some people prefer to play the game this way because they feel that it is more fair to all players.

Before playing blackjack, it is important to understand the rules of the game. The game is played with from 1 to 8 standard 52-card decks, with each number card (2-10) scoring the value shown on it, and face cards (Jack, Queen, King) scoring 10 points. The ace can be scored as either 1 or 11.

Before you play blackjack, it is important to know the rules of the game. The basic strategy is that you should only split pairs of 8s, never splitting 10s or 5’s, and always splitting against a dealer’s up card of 2 to 7. This will give you the best chance of beating the dealer. If you don’t follow the basic strategy, you will lose money at blackjack.