Free Online Blackjack

 Free Online Blackjack

Enjoy Free Online Blackjack

Our blackjack online free demo is the easiest way to get started learning how to play Blackjack. A demo of the game is available to help you get started with Blackjack before you play for real at an online casino.

How to Play Online Blackjack With Real Money

After getting used to the demo version's basic rules, you can start playing real money online blackjack. You want to be as close as possible to "21" and not exceed it in order to beat the dealer. Only the player has access to their cards.

Our directory ranks the best online Blackjack games, assessing their safety and security and offering a variety of options.

Scope of the Game

Blackjack's goal is to get a hand that is close to 21 relative to the dealer's hand.

Simply draw cards and add them. Then, decide when you want the dealer to end his hand.

The dealer must follow strict guidelines. He cannot make his own decisions. The dealer must draw another card if he is below 16; he can stand if he is above 17 and 18.

Blackjack: Card Values

These are the three types of blackjack cards:

Aces are counted as either 11 or 1.

Face cards count 10

The regular value of numeric cards is their numerical equivalent.

It doesn't matter which suit the cards hold.

Soft and hard hands

Hands with no aces can be calculated easily: J-5-2 = 17, 9-9 = 18, K-2-6-6 = 20, etc.

Your hand can contain two values simultaneously if it has an ace, which can count for both 11 and 1. This is called a soft hand or soft ace and it allows you to draw additional cards without risking going bust (going above 21).

Let's say you get dealt A-5.

Now you have 16 and 6 cards, so you can draw another card.

If your third card, a 5, is a 21, the Ace counts as 11.

Your hand would be busted if the third card you have is not a 6 or more.

A "hard hand" is a ace that can only count as 1 and it's called a "hard ace" or "hard hand".

When studying the Blackjack strategy charts, it is important that you remember the distinction between hard and soft hand. Both are treated differently in the game.

Blackjack - 21 for the First Two

A blackjack (or a "natural") is equal to any card equal to ten, paired together with an ace to equal 21.

This pays 3:2 in most casinos, online and offline. Also, a $10 wager pays $15.

Blackjack is only possible with the first two cards. All other combinations will result in 21.

Except if the dealer has blackjack, a blackjack beats all other cards. If the dealer has blackjack, it's a push. If the dealer wins with a regular 21 and the card player has blackjack, the player wins.

Blackjack Player's Choices

Hit: A hit is when you draw another card. It adds to your total hand value.

Stand: This means you're done with your hand, and the dealer can complete his.

Double Down: This is when you double down and place another wager equal to the first and get one, and only one, more cards. After that, you can no longer draw.

If you use it in the right places, this can be very lucrative. 

For example, let's say the dealer has a 6 and you have two cards.

This is the perfect time to double down. The dealer is likely to bust. And if you draw a 10, you'll have 21, because you can't choose from any other face cards.

Split: You can split the cards if you get a pair from the first two cards.

Imagine you get two eights. The basic blackjack strategy suggests that you split your bets and get one additional card for each eight.

Now, play the first one, then move on to playing the second.

But, each casino has its own rules for slit hands.

Some allow you double down after a split while others don't (say, you'd get 3 in the above example).

Some allow you split again if your partner gets another pair. Others don't.

This is often not considered blackjack if you get 21 on your first two cards of a split hand. Instead, you get a normal 21,

Take insurance: If the dealer's upcard is an Ace, players can be offered insurance. Be careful with salesmen selling insurance. Blackjack is no exception to this rule.

It sounds like this:

If the dealer shows an Ace, you can place a side bet equaling half of your original wager. If the dealer flips either a ten or blackjack face card, your side bet is paid at 2:1. You will break even if you don't have blackjack and tie the original wager.

It may sound like a great deal, but it's not!

If the dealer has a less than ten in the hole, your insurance will be cancelled. You'll still need to play your original hand with the possibility of losing it. The dealer will not have a 10 in the hole frequently enough to make insurance mathematically profitable. So, forget about this option.

Surrender: This applies only to games that allow you to surrender. However, this is often not true. This type of blackjack can be found on some online casino sites.

Surrender is basically the act of surrendering your hand. This means you can give up half of your original wager. Let's say you have 16 cards and the dealer gives you an ace. If this happens, you should waving the white Flag and taking half your wager back.

There are two types, however: early and later surrenders. 

You can fold your hand in early surrender games which are far better for you, and the dealer will check if you have blackjack. This is a big advantage that is why it's rarely offered.

In late-surrender blackjack games, the dealer first checks for blackjack on his card. If he has an A, you can't surrender the hand.

The surrender rule should never be confused for insurance. If used correctly, surrendering increases the expected value.

Additional Reading

These are the rules of blackjack. This is not enough to know how to play the game.

The blackjack strategy chart is our recommendation. You can print it out to keep handy for any tricky situations or open it in another window when playing online. Check out our Blackjack trainer for real-time advice and help.

CasinoToplists has created a list of the best online blackjack sites. Choose one of them to ensure a pleasant online-blackjack experience. The basics of online blackjack