Blackjacks

Blackjacks, also known as blackjack or twenty-one, is a popular casino card game played against the dealer. The objective is to have a hand value as close to 21 as possible without exceeding it, and to have a higher hand value than the dealer. Aces can count as either 1 or 11, while face cards (kings, queens, jacks) and tens are all worth 10. Number cards are worth their face value.

Players are dealt two cards, and can choose to "hit" (take another card) or "stand" (keep their current hand). If a player's hand exceeds 21, it is a "bust," and they lose immediately. If the dealer's hand exceeds 21, players who have not busted win. If both the player and dealer have the same hand value, it is a "push," and no one wins or loses.

A "blackjack" occurs when a player's first two cards total 21 (an Ace and a ten-value card). This typically results in a payout of 3:2, unless the dealer also has a blackjack, in which case it's a push. Other betting options include "doubling down," where a player doubles their bet and receives only one more card, and "splitting," where a player with two cards of the same rank can split them into two separate hands. The specific rules and payouts can vary slightly between casinos.