|
|
Now it’s time to look at the card games and the most popular,
exciting and simple to play is blackjack. In this
game, as the name also represents, the objective is to gather
a set of cards with points totaling value of 21 or one
nearest to it but certainly not a value that’s greater or
more than 21. A set of cards with an equivalent of value for
example of 23 would immediately leave you out of the running
because your bet is immediately lost. Jacks, Queens and Kings
(which are popularly referred to as face cards) are worth 10
points. Aces are of equivalent value of 1 or 11, whichever is
beneficial for the player (Here the trick lies). Rest of the
cards is of value according to their number. For example a
spades 7 will be valued as 7 and a hearts 9 will be
equivalent to 9 points.
Shoe is the place where decks are kept.
Chip rack is the place where chips/coins are kept.
Discards box is where used cards are kept.
There can be two types of deck system in this most exciting
table game in casinos. In multi deck blackjack 6-deck
blackjack is the game which you find most commonly in
best casinos and the same is also easy to spot as cards are
dealt out of plastic shoe by the dealer. In these games the
players' cards are dealt face-up. The more decks the dealers
use the better it is for the house. Whereas in Single-Deck
and Double-deck (which is the other form play) one can
improve the odds of winning somewhat by playing
"single-deck" (hard to find these games) or "double-deck"
blackjack and the same is easy to spot because the dealer
deals the cards out of his hand. Players’ cards are dealt
face down.
Basic Terminology/Strategies used in this game:
Splitting is when a player is dealt two cards which are of
equal values, then the player has the option of “splitting"
them into two separate hands. In layman’s language the player
has two separate hands to play but we need to be careful as
for blackjack "splitting", the initial bet has to be
matched in the sense that whatever has been put in as initial
bet, the equivalent amount has to be put in as bet again in
the same game. Each hand is then played she expects the
blackjack dealer's face down cardseparately. After this a
player can keep drawing the cards according to the rules of
the game but if the player splits two Aces, only one more
card is dealt to each hand. It may also be noted that a hand
can only be split once. Now the question arises when to
split. Typically one should not split when the cards are of
values 4, 5 and 10 each. 10 value will include the
face cards. After splitting use the “hard” or “soft” card as
appropriate to play both hands.
Double Down is something in which initial bet is
doubled by the player and then only one more card is dealt.
This is essentially done when the first two cards dealt have
given you a favorable position as against the dealer. We can
also "double down" after "splitting" a pair. Here the only
catch is that when you double down you get only one hit.
Insurance
Insurance typically means getting secured against unexpected
risks. The risk in this game can be of dealer getting a
blackjack. So when the dealer's face up card is an Ace,
the player has the option to go for "insurance" for hedging
the risk that the dealer's face down card is a ten card. The
premium to be paid for this insurance is half the original
bet. Now if the outcome is that the dealer has a blackjack
then the player is paid 2 to 1 on the insurance bet and the
initial bet is lost as it is beaten by the dealer's cards. If
it is the other way i.e the dealer does not have a natural
21, the insurance bet is lost and the hand is played as
normal. So whether one should take insurance or not. Which
ever blackjack book I've ever read says the same
thing; Never ever take insurance (unless you're counting the
cards and the deck consists of 10s). In other words, just say
"no".
Even Game is just similar to insurance but in this case along
with the dealer’s face up card being ace, the player has a
Blackjack. So the player has the option of "even money".
Taking this option means the player gets paid 1 to 1 on the
21 and not 3 to 2 as normal. If the palyer goes for this
option then he or she expects the dealer's face down card is
a ten card. If no even money is taken and the dealer has no
21, the player is paid at 3 to 2.Again the question arises
whether one should go for “even money” or not. The strategy
says don't take even money. Over time you'll win more than
you'll lose by not taking even money. Again, just say "no".
Blackjack card counting is an advanced technique to
win on blackjack. A player must first learn the basic
strategies of blackjack before learning “counting”. By
learning the technique of counting you will have the odds
with you. By card counting it means that remember each and
every card which has been dealt. But for Riviera casino
games are supposed to be for fun and card counting seems like
too much work.
|
|
