Blackjack is a card game where you try to beat the house by going the closest to 21 without busting (going over 21), or by the dealer's hand going bust. This game is also known as 21.

Blackjack only happens when the hand contains an ace and a ten. It is the strongest hand in the game and can't be beaten but just matched. The classic blackjack game is played with a deck of 52 cards shuffled before each game.

Payout

A winning hand will pay as follows :

* if blackjack, you are paid 3:2 (ex for a 20$ bet, you win your original bet plus 20x3/2, making 50$).

* for a winning hand, but different from a blackjack, you are paid 1:1 (ex for a 20$ bet, you win your original bet plus 20x1/1, making 40$).

* insurance : if you lose against a blackjack and if you had insurance, you will be paid 2:1 on your insurance bet (insurance cost = 50% of your original bet). Example : for a 20$ bet, you take a 10$ insurance bet against a blackjack. If the dealer has blackjack, you are paid 10$x2/1 + your original insurance (10$). Making thus 10x2/1+10 = 30$. So, you lose your bet, but get back 1.5x your bet.

Definitions

21 : a hand where the total value of the cards makes 21 (a 4 of clubs + a 8 of spades + a 9 of diamonds).

Blackjack : when your hand is made of a ten and of an ace. The strongest.

Bust : you lose your bet when you bust. You bust when your hand goes over 21.

Cards : jack, queen and king have a value of 10. Ace has the value of 1 or 11. Other cards have their face value.

Double down : if your hand has a value of 9, 10 or 11 and if you think that you will do better than the dealer's hand, you will be dealt one card. The cost of the doubling is the same as the original bet. If you win, you will be paid the double of your total bet (thus 4x your original bet).

Hit : when you request a card - because you hand is not strong enough to win.

Insurance : you may take insurance against a blackjack in the dealer's hand, and only if the first of his cards is an ace. The cost is 50% of your original bet.

Push : when it is a tie. You get back your original bet.

Split : you are authorized to split when you have two cards of the same denomination (2 kings but not a king and a 10 even they have the same value). Your hand becomes 2 hands, and on the second hand a bet of the same value of the original is placed. A new card will be dealt to each hand.

Stand : when you feel satisfied with the value of your hand, you stand and this ends the play of your hand. The dealer will continue to draw cards until a winner is found.

Rules for general and classic blackjack.

General rules

A standard deck of 52 cards - shuffled after every game completion.

Blackjack always beats 21.

Aces have a value of 1 or 11.

You may draw up to 9 cards to make a hand of 11 cards. At this point, you stand. Provided you didn't bust, the dealer will play his cards.

The dealer stands automatically on 17.

Betting and payout rules

If the dealer is bust, you win.

If you have an ace and a 10, you have a blackjack. This will stand your hand and this cannot be beaten but just matched. If you beat the dealer, you are paid 3:2

A tie in blackjack is called a push. You are paid your original bet.

If you and the dealer have blackjack, it is also a tie...so you are paid your original bet.

If the dealer has blackjack after you hit, double down or split, you total bet is lost.

Splitting rules

You may only split two cards of the same denomination (denomination is not the same as value). You may not split cards of the same value, and you can only split once per hand.

If you split a pair of aces and then draw a 10, your hand is a 21, but not a blackjack.

Double down rules

Double down is only available when your hand is 9, 10 or 11. You will be dealt one card, and you will stand automatically. This bet is equal to your original bet.

NB:No double down after a Split, and only one double down per hand.

Insurance rules

Some things I have to add :

Insurance is only taken on your original hand, and you cannot take an insurance after a hit, split or double down. So, you can only take insurance when :

* you have 2 cards dealt
and
* the dealer has one card face-up.

If the dealer has no blackjack, the insurance is deleted and the cost of the insurance will be deducted from your balance...