The Right Play For Every Hand

🎯 The Goal

Beat the dealer. That's it. Get a hand total closer to 21 than the dealer without going over. You play only against the dealer — never the other players at the table.

Card Values

• Number cards (2–10) are worth their face value.
• Face cards (J, Q, K) are all worth 10.
• An Ace is worth 1 or 11 — whichever helps you more. You never have to choose; it automatically counts as the better value.
• Suits (♠♥♦♣) don't matter at all.

✋ Your Choices

• Hit — Take another card. Do this when your total is low.
• Stand — Take no more cards. Your turn is over.
• Double Down — Double your bet and get exactly one more card. Great when you're likely to win.
• Split — If your two cards match (like 8♠ 8♥), split them into two separate hands, each with its own bet.
• Surrender — Give up half your bet and end the hand early. Use it when you're very likely to lose.

🙋 Hand Signals: Talking to the Dealer

Every table is watched on camera, so the casino wants your hands to make each decision — not your words. If you say "hit" but signal stand, the signal wins. Learn these five:

🚫 Table Manners: What NOT to Do

✅ Tipping — this isn't a restaurant: tipping is not mandatory or expected. But if you're having a good run and feel like sharing, you're more than welcome to. The classic move is sliding the dealer a chip after a nice win. Some degens go further and bet for the dealer — you place a chip next to your bet (say "for the dealers") and it rides on your hand. If you win, the dealer pockets the winnings; if you lose, it's gone like any other bet. You're literally letting them gamble alongside you, which dealers love — suddenly they're sweating your cards too.

🏟️ Rules That Change By Table

Every casino sets its own rules — that's what the Ruleset box above the charts is for. Here's what each setting means:

• Decks — How many 52-card decks are shuffled together. Fewer decks is slightly better for you.
• Dealer soft 17 — H17 means the dealer hits soft 17 (worse for you); S17 means the dealer stands (better for you).
• Blackjack pays — 3:2 is standard. 6:5 is a bad deal; 1:1 (even money) is terrible. Always find a 3:2 table.
• Surrender — Late lets you give up half your bet after the dealer checks for blackjack; Early lets you do it before the check (very rare, great for you). Many tables offer no surrender at all.
• Peek / No Peek — With peek, the dealer checks for blackjack before you play. With no peek, you can lose your double and split bets if the dealer flips over blackjack.
• Double after split — Whether you may double down on a hand you just split. Allowed is better for you.
• Double on — Which totals you may double on: any two cards, or only 9–11 (D9), 10–11 (D10), or just 11 (D11). More freedom is better.
• Max split hands — How many hands a single pair can become (up to 4).
• Resplit aces / Hit split aces — Whether split Aces get the same freedoms as other pairs. Most tables say no to both.

🤖 The Dealer's Rules

The dealer gets no choices. They must keep hitting until they reach at least 17, then they must stand — except on soft 17 (Ace + 6), where the table rule decides: H17 tables make the dealer hit it, S17 tables make them stand. Here's the catch: you play first. If you bust (go over 21), you lose immediately — even if the dealer busts right after you. That's how the casino gets its edge.

💰 Winning & Payouts

• A two-card 21 is called a Blackjack (or natural). It pays 3 to 2 — bet $10, win $15.
• A regular win pays 1 to 1 (even money) — bet $10, win $10.
• A tie is called a push — you get your bet back, no win, no loss.
• Going over 21 is called a bust — you lose.