Blackjack, also called 21, pits each player against the dealer. The goal is a hand total closer to 21 than the dealer without going over.
Each player and the dealer get two cards — players' cards face-up, the dealer shows one up and one down ("hole card").
Aces count 1 or 11, face cards 10. Players hit (take a card) or stand (hold). Busting over 21 loses immediately.
After all players act, the dealer reveals the hole card and must hit to at least 17, standing on 17 or higher.
Beat the dealer without busting to win your bet. A two-card 21 ("natural blackjack") pays 3:2. Push (tie) returns your bet.
Basic strategy: stand on hard 17+, hit on 11 or less, and always split aces and eights. The house edge drops below 1% with perfect play.
A natural blackjack (ace + ten-value card) pays 3:2 in most casinos.
Stand on 17 or higher, hit on 11 or lower. Between 12–16, hit if the dealer shows a 7 or higher, stand on 2–6.
A hand with an ace counted as 11, like ace-6 (soft 17). Soft hands cannot bust on a single hit.