Online blackjack is no less popular a game than its land-based counterpart, and is probably the most widely played casino table game in the world. However, dissimilarly to a lot of other real money casino games, this one has a very particular set of rules governing it that must be mastered in order to play the game properly. There are many less-than-transparent sites that make money off players who are not well versed in the ins and outs of the game of blackjack, and it is highly recommended that players ensure that they have a good grasp of the concepts governing the game before attempting to tackle the house by means of it.
The Basics of Online Blackjack
The basics of online blackjack games are identical to those that govern playing it at brick-and-mortar places to play, but the advantage of the making use of the internet instead is that free play is so widely offered. These games allow players to replicate the real money game experience without having to risk any of their own cash while they are still finding their feet, and, although no winnings garnered as a result of these games can be kept by the player, they are an excellent way to learn; practice and improve blackjack play overall.
Other than the dealer, a game of online blackjack can include up to seven players, but the players’ aim will not change, no matter how many other people are present. He or she will only be playing against the dealer, and at no point will enter into competition with those enjoying the game alongside them. In order to win a hand, the player will need to hold a hand with cards that have a total value of 21, or be closer to 21 than those that the dealer is holding. If this amount is exceeded the hand is bust, and the bet the player has made will be forfeited.
The Card Values for Online Blackjack Games
The total value of a player’s hand, as well as the cards that the dealer is holding, is the sum of the cards’ face value. In online blackjack, and in games that take place in brick-and-mortar casinos across the world, all so-called face cards at NZD casinos, namely the jack; queen and king, have a value set at ten points each. The cards from two through ten are all valued at the number they represent, with a two of spades equalling two points, a nine of hearts equalling nine, and so on. The ace card is slightly different: it can be played for either one point or 11, depending on what the player’s requirements are.
If the online blackjack player decides to make use of his or her ace card as an 11-point card it will be considered soft, and using it as a one-point card will have it referred to as hard. The important difference this distinction makes is that a soft-hand, or that made up of an 11-point ace card and another, cannot go bust in the event that another face-card is drawn, but a hard-hand, composed in part of a one-point ace card, can do so. Players are encouraged to familiarise themselves with these types of subtleties by playing the game as often as they can, until they are sure they will not be surprised by any nuances in terms of the rules governing online blackjack.