How to Deal a Hand of Blackjack
Blackjack, also called "21," is a card game in which the objective is to have a hand where the total cards are worth more points than the dealer's cards--without exceeding 21 points. The game can be played with as many players as you want (typically no more than eight, excluding the dealer), but at least two, including the dealer. Blackjack can be played while betting or just for fun.
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Instructions
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1
Combine and shuffle up to eight standard card decks, minus the joker cards, depending on your preference and the number of players. Combining the decks saves time on shuffling between rounds and reduces the risk of a player counting cards. Combined decks are known as a "shoe."
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2
Deal one card face up to each player. Begin with the player to your left, continue to your right and finish with yourself (the dealer). Please note that the dealer's card should be face down, even though all players' cards are face up.
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3
Deal one more round in the same manner as step two. After you've finished dealing the second round, each player should have two cards face up. The dealer should have two cards face down with one on top of the other.
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4
Flip the dealer's bottom card over. If the card is an ace or a face card, the dealer must discreetly look at the other face down card in such a way that no other players can see it. If the other card gives the dealer 21 points, or "blackjack," then all players lose, even those who have blackjack (they tie) and the round is over. If the face-down card does not give the dealer 21 points, then the card remains face down.
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5
Ask each player if they want to "stand" or "hit." Once again, begin with the player to the left of the dealer and move to the right, one player at a time. "Stand" means that the player wants no additional cards. "Hit" means that the player wants additional cards from the deck. If a player chooses to "stand," move to the next player. If a player chooses to "hit," deal one card at a time until they "stand" or exceed 21 points (a "bust").
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6
Flip the dealer's face down card over once all players have either chosen to "stand" or have "busted." The dealer must "hit" if the total of her cards is less than 17 points. If the dealer's hand is 17 points or more, the dealer should "stand." All remaining players win if the dealer "busts."
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7
Determine the total points of the cards of each player left in the game and the dealer. Any player with a total higher than the dealer is a winner. Players with a "natural" blackjack (ace and a face card or a 10) automatically win, beating even a dealer with 21 total points (obtained after the first two cards).
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Tips & Warnings
If a player's two original cards are the same point value (for example, two sevens), they can "split" the hand into two separate hands. The dealer should deal a second card to each of the split hands. Each split hand should be dealt to separately, one at a time.
