Extremely popular the world over, Black Jack is a game that appeals for being fast and easy. It is also known as “21”, as the aim is to have a total as close to 21 as possible, without exceeding that number.
Minimum wager : 10 euros.
Number of players seated at the table : from 1 to 7.
Aim of the game : playing against the bank represented by the croupier (dealer), the player must have a hand value on his cards that is the closest to 21, without exceeding that number.
Before the game can start, the croupier shuffles six packs of 52 cards and has one of the players cut the deck with a cutting card before placing them in the shoe : players must never touch the cards, neither when cutting the deck, nor at any point in the game. The croupier then sets the first five cards to one side, or “burns” them.
For the game to begin, the player must place his bet in the middle of the rectangle in front of him. The croupier deals two cards to the player and one to the bank.
Before going any further, you need to know the value of the cards, as follows : cards from two to nine are worth their face value, the Jack, Queen, King and ten are all valued at 10, and the ace can count as either 1 or 11, as the player decides.
After the first deal of the cards, you can either stand or ask the croupier for another card (by saying “card”) to improve your total. Watch out ! If you go over 21, you automatically lose ! When you no longer want any more cards, the croupier deals to the bank for as long as its total is equal to, or lower than, 16, and stops when the bank has 17 points or more.
You will have won if your total is higher than that of the bank without exceeding 21, if the bank goes over 21, or if you make black-jack. If you have the same number of points as the bank, the game is null and void, and the player recovers his bet..
Black-jack means that you have scored 21 with the first two cards that are dealt to you (ace and a Jack, Queen or King, or ace and ten). If the croupier also scores black-jack, the game is null and void for you, and the other players lose their bets.
Payouts : 3 to 2, except in the case of an equal score with the bank.
MORE ADVANCED PLAY...
You can raise your initial bet once the game has started with the following variations to the game :
“Doubling-down” : if you think you have a good hand (when, for example, the bank has started with a 3, 4, 5 or 6, and you already have a total of 10, 11…), after the first two cards have been dealt, you can double your bet, but you will then be dealt only one more card.
“Splitting pairs” : if you are dealt a matching pair of cards, you can split them into two separate hands and thus raise your wager. If the third card you receive is the same, you can create a third hand, by placing the same bet as your original one for each new hand. For aces, it’s a little bit different, as you are entitled to only one more card for each hand and no possibility of any further splitting. In this case, if you are dealt a 10, the card value is 21 but is not considered as black-jack.
“Insurance” : when the croupier’s first card is an ace, you can take out insurance by betting half of your initial stake. You win your insurance stake if the bank makes Black-jack, but you lose it in all other cases. Your original bet follows the game’s usual rules. Payouts : 2 to 1.
Where to play Black Jack : Casino de Monte-Carlo,
Casino Café de Paris,
Sun Casino,
Summer Casino
