How to play Blackjack
Blackjack, also called 21, is the world's best-known banking card game: you play against the dealer, not against other players. The aim is simple - finish with a hand closer to 21 than the dealer's without going over. Number cards count their face value, jacks, queens and kings count 10, and an ace counts 11 unless that would take you over 21, in which case it counts 1. A hand with an ace still counted as 11 is called soft - a soft 17 (ace-six) can take another card without any risk of busting.
This table plays with free chips only. There is no real money, nothing to buy and nothing to cash out - it is a place to learn the game and practise good decisions.
- Bet - tap the chips to build your bet (10 to 500), then press Deal. Your last bet stays in the circle for the next round.
- The deal - you get two cards face up; the dealer gets one face up and one face down (the hole card). With an ace or a ten showing, the dealer checks for Blackjack straight away.
- Hit or stand - take another card, or keep what you have. Go over 21 and you bust and lose the bet, even if the dealer busts later. Reach 21 and your hand stands automatically.
- Double down - on your first two cards, double your bet and take exactly one more card.
- Split - two cards of the same value can be split into two hands with a second bet; you can split again up to four hands. Split aces get one card each.
- Surrender - as your very first decision you can give up the hand and get half your bet back.
- The dealer - reveals the hole card and draws until reaching 17 or more, standing on every 17, soft ones included.
Wins pay 1 to 1, a Blackjack (ace plus a ten-value card as your first two cards) pays 3 to 2, and equal totals are a push - your bet comes back. When the dealer shows an ace you are offered insurance, a side bet of half your stake that pays 2 to 1 if the dealer has Blackjack. You can also play with the keyboard: H hit, S stand, D double, P split, R surrender, Enter to deal.
Basic strategy: the right play every time
Every combination of your hand and the dealer's up card has one mathematically best play, worked out by computer simulation decades ago. Following it cuts the house edge to about half a percent - it will not make you win every hand, because nothing can, but it makes every decision the best one available. Turn on Hints in the toolbar and the game highlights the basic-strategy move for these exact rules. The summary:
| Your hand | Best play |
|---|---|
| Hard 17 or more | Always stand. |
| Hard 13-16 | Stand against a dealer 2-6, hit against 7 or higher. Surrender 16 against 9, 10 or ace, and 15 against 10. |
| Hard 12 | Stand against 4-6, otherwise hit. |
| Hard 11 | Double against 2-10, hit against an ace. |
| Hard 10 | Double against 2-9, otherwise hit. |
| Hard 9 | Double against 3-6, otherwise hit. |
| Hard 8 or less | Always hit. |
| Soft 19-20 (A-8, A-9) | Always stand. |
| Soft 18 (A-7) | Double against 3-6, stand against 2, 7 or 8, hit against 9, 10 or ace. |
| Soft 13-17 (A-2 to A-6) | Double against 5-6 (A-4/A-5 also against 4, A-6 against 3-6), otherwise hit. |
| Pairs | Always split aces and eights. Never split tens or fives. Split 2s, 3s and 7s against 2-7, 6s against 2-6, 4s against 5-6, and 9s against 2-9 except 7. |
- Assume the hole card is a ten. Almost a third of the deck counts 10, which is why a dealer showing 2-6 is weak: they are likely to have to draw, and likely to bust.
- Let the dealer bust. With a stiff hand (12-16) against a weak dealer card, standing is right even though it feels passive.
- Double when the dealer is weak and you are strong. 10 and 11 are the best doubling hands; soft hands double against 4-6.
- Skip insurance. It is a separate bet that loses over time, even when you hold a Blackjack yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Is this Blackjack game free, and is it real money?
It is completely free and there is no real money anywhere: you play with free chips that cannot be bought, won or cashed out. You start with 1,000 chips, and if you run out you can reset to 1,000 and keep practising.
Does the dealer hit or stand on soft 17?
The dealer stands on all 17s, including a soft 17 such as ace-six. The dealer must keep drawing on 16 or less and has no choices of their own, so the dealer's play is completely predictable.
How much does a Blackjack pay?
A Blackjack - an ace and a ten-value card as your first two cards - pays 3 to 2, so a 100-chip bet wins 150. If the dealer also has Blackjack it is a push and your bet is returned. A 21 made after splitting is an ordinary 21, not a Blackjack, and pays 1 to 1.
Can I split and double down?
Yes. You can double down on any first two cards, including after a split. You can split any two cards of the same value (a king and a jack count as a pair) into up to four hands. Split aces receive one card each and cannot be split again.
Should I take insurance?
Almost never. Insurance is a side bet of half your stake that the dealer has Blackjack when an ace is showing, and it pays 2 to 1. Fewer than a third of the cards that could be under the ace are tens, so over time insurance loses chips - basic strategy says decline it.
How many decks are used and when is the shoe shuffled?
Six standard decks (312 cards) are shuffled together into a shoe. A cut card sits about three quarters of the way through; when it is reached, all six decks are reshuffled before the next deal. Every shuffle is random and the deck is never adjusted to help or hurt you.
More free card games
Like quick hands with a bit of luck? Try the flip-and-take classic War, the real-time race Spit, or push your luck with the dice in Farkle. Prefer a quiet game alone? Klondike Solitaire is one click away.