| Casino Blackjack games
is played at a table. You should always note the
important rule information printed on the table
cover and on the card next to the dealer. Some casinos
offer single deck games where the dealer actually
holds the deck as she distributes the cards, but
most casinos have multiple deck games. Two to eight
decks are stored in a box called a shoe. The dealer
pulls cards from a slot at the front of the shoe.
A player's cards are usually dealt face down in
a single deck games. Multiple / deck games can be
either face up or face down. Your chances of winning
are the same either way, although face up gives
you more information about cards that are in play
and therefore unavailable.
The games begins when you sit down. Any seat is
fine. You have an equal chance of winning at all
of them. The seat to the dealer's far left is commonly
called first base. The sea at the other end of the
table, the dealer's far right, is third base. The
terminology is of no consequence in the games, but
it may with an' help you in a conversation with
an experienced Casino Blackjack games player.
The cards will be shuffled and you or another player
will be allowed to cut the deck(s). In a single
deck games, this is simply lifting a top portion
of the deck and laying it next to the bottom portion.
In multiple deck games you will use a plastic card-sized
stop. Put it somewhere near the middle. The dealer
completes the cut, and burns the new top card by
discarding it in a tray or putting it face up toward
the end of the deck. At this point it's time to
bet. Put your wager in the circle in front of you
and don't touch the chips again. You'll either lose
them at the end of the hand or be given more chips
by the dealer.
Starting on her left the dealer gives one card to
each player and then one card face up to herself.
A second card is dealt to each player and the dealer
receives another card called the hole card. This
time it's face down.
You can see only one of the dealer's card. Let's
say it's a ten. Does the dealer have Blackjack?
Does the dealer have nineteen? Does the dealer have
thirteen? If you have twenty-one or twenty it doesn't
matter, you'll stand and probably win or tie. But
what if you have thirteen? Should you hit? What's
that other card?
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