Blackjack

How to Play Single-Deck Blackjack

It’s easy to learn how to play single-deck blackjack.  In fact, many professional card players will scour casinos around the globe in search of a good game of single-deck blackjack.  Why?  The biggest reason is that single-deck blackjack is the easiest form of blackjack for card counters to achieve success at.

The object of single-deck blackjack is to get closer to 21 than the dealer without going over.  Aces count as either 1 or 11, face cards count as 10 and all other cards are worth their printed value.

Single-Deck Blackjack Rules

Up to six players can usually sit at a blackjack table.  During single-deck blackjack games, the dealer usually dispenses cards right out of his hand.  With multiple decks, cards will be taken from a device known as a “shoe.”

As per single-deck blackjack rules, the player must place a wager before receiving any cards.  The player then gets two cards face up.  This works in both a live casino or at any online blackjack game you play on the internet.  The dealer also gets two cards, but one is face up and the other is face down.  The face down card is known as the dealer’s “hole card.”

The player can then choose to stand or take additional cards.  Once the player has finished receiving cards (assuming they didn’t bust), the dealer will now reveal their hole card.  In many casinos, the dealer is required to stay on 17 or more.  Otherwise, the dealer will draw cards until they’ve either busted or reached a total of 17 or greater.

If neither the dealer or player busted, then the totals of their cards are compared.  If the player has the higher total, they win even money.  If the dealer has the higher total, he wins the player‘s wager.  If both the dealer and player have the same total, then the hand is considered a “push,” and no money is won or lost.  If the dealer busts, all players at the table are paid even money in accordance with single-deck blackjack rules.

A player whose first two cards are an ace and a 10-value card is said to have achieved “blackjack.” Traditionally, blackjack pays out at 1.5 times your initial wager.  If the dealer also has a blackjack, the hand is considered a push and nobody wins.

Blackjack Betting Options

When first learning how to play single-deck blackjack, there are a number of blackjack betting options which you should be aware of.  These options are listed below:

Surrender - The player can elect to give up their hand and only lose half of their bet.

Early Surrender - This surrender takes place before the dealer checks for blackjack, as the dealer will always check if their up card is an ace or 10 card.  Not all casinos allow an early surrender.

Double Down - Once the player has received their two cards, they can elect to double their bet and receive only one additional card.  Rules on doubling down differ from casino to casino.

Insurance - When the dealer is showing an ace, the players will be asked if they wish to buy insurance.  Insurance can be up to half of the player’s initial bet.  If the dealer does have a natural blackjack, then the insurance pays out at 2:1.  If the dealer does not have a blackjack, then the player loses the insurance bet.

Even Money - If you have a blackjack and the dealer is showing an ace, you can choose to immediately receive a payout of 1:1.  If you’re only just beginning to learn how to play single-deck blackjack, keep in mind that both the dealer and player having a blackjack results in no money being won.

Split - The player splits their initial two-card hand into two new hands.  This is only allowed when the first two cards are of equal value.  The player must also but down another wager equal to the first.

Advantages of Single-Deck Blackjack

The biggest advantage of single-deck blackjack comes for card counters.  Basically, card counters try to keep track of the cards which have already been played, allowing them to know when the situation might be to their advantage.

They don’t actually memorize all the cards played, but rather assign a positive or negative number to each card they can see.  When the value is to their advantage, card counters will often increase their wagers.

Skilled card counters can often reduce the house advantage to near zero in a game of single-deck blackjack.  For this reason, many casinos offer only multiple-deck games in an effort to overcome the advantages of single-deck blackjack.

Disadvantages of Single-Deck Blackjack

When players can find a game, they may often encounter some of the difficulties of single-deck blackjack.  The most common disadvantage is that such games are hard to find.  When they are available, the rules may often be changed to turn the advantage back to the casino.

For example, the dealer may be allowed to hit on a soft 17.  This works against the player, as the dealer has an additional chance to improve his hand.  On cruise ships, it is also common for the dealer to have no hole card.  The dealer’s second card is only drawn after the player is finished, which opens them up to losing doubles and splits.

Another disadvantage of single-deck blackjack is the altered payout.  This can be found in Atlantic City, where the casino advertises a single-deck game but offers a 6 to 5 payout on a blackjack.  Normally, getting a blackjack offers a 3 to 2 payout.  By lowering the payout on blackjack, the house overcomes the disadvantage of offering a single-deck blackjack game.