Blackjack Rules
Blackjack has one core rule set and a dozen small variations that change the odds. This page states exactly how CardCouch plays, then lists the variants you will meet elsewhere and what each one does to the game.
Play Blackjack NowThe rules here, in one list
- Six decks, dealt from a shoe, reshuffled when about a quarter remains
- Dealer stands on all 17s, including soft 17
- Blackjack pays 3 to 2; dealer peeks for Blackjack with an Ace or ten up
- Double on any first two cards, including after a split
- Split any pair (any two ten-value cards count), up to three hands
- Split Aces get one card each and cannot be split again; 21 after a split is not a Blackjack
- Insurance at 2 to 1 and even money offered against a dealer Ace
- No surrender; play-money chips, minimum bet 5
The deal
You place a bet, then receive two cards face up. The dealer takes one card face up and one face down. If your two cards are an Ace and a ten-value card you have a natural, or Blackjack, and are paid 3 to 2 straight away, unless the dealer also holds one. If the dealer's up-card is an Ace or a ten-value card the dealer checks the hole card first; a dealer Blackjack ends the hand immediately, taking every bet except a player Blackjack, which pushes. Because the check happens before you act, a double or split can never be lost to a dealer Blackjack here.
Player options
- Hit as often as you like until you stand or exceed 21.
- Stand to finish the hand at its current total.
- Double down on any first two cards: your bet doubles, you receive exactly one card and the hand stands. Allowed after a split.
- Split any two cards of equal value into two hands, placing a second bet equal to the first. Each hand is played in turn. A split hand that receives another pair may be split again, to a maximum of three hands. Split Aces receive exactly one card each and cannot hit, double or split again; a ten on a split Ace is an ordinary 21. A split hand dealt 21 stands automatically.
There is no surrender option here (giving up half the bet instead of playing the hand). It exists in some casinos, and with these rules basic strategy uses it only for hard 16 against a 9, 10 or Ace and hard 15 against a 10.
Insurance and even money
With an Ace showing, the dealer offers insurance before anyone acts: a separate bet of half your stake that pays 2 to 1 if the dealer's hole card is a ten-value card. If you have a Blackjack the offer becomes even money: a guaranteed 1 to 1 payout instead of the chance of a push. Both are decided by the dealer's check of the hole card, before the hand continues. Basic strategy declines both; the strategy page explains why.
The dealer's play
The dealer acts last and has no choices. After all your hands are finished the hole card is turned over and the dealer draws until the total is 17 or higher, standing on every 17 including soft 17 (an Ace counting 11 with a 6). If every one of your hands has already bust, or your only hand is a Blackjack, the dealer shows the hole card but does not draw.
Settlement
- Your total higher than the dealer's, or the dealer busts: win 1 to 1 on that hand's bet (double after a double).
- Same total: push, bet returned.
- Lower total, or you bust: bet lost. A bust loses even if the dealer busts afterwards.
- Player Blackjack: 3 to 2, unless the dealer also has one (push) or you took even money. A Blackjack beats a 21 made with three or more cards or after a split.
Variants you will meet elsewhere
| Variant | Effect on the player | Here? |
|---|---|---|
| Dealer hits soft 17 (H17) | About 0.2% worse | No, dealer stands |
| Blackjack pays 6 to 5 | About 1.4% worse, the worst common rule | No, 3 to 2 |
| Single or double deck | Slightly better than six decks | No, six decks |
| Late surrender | About 0.1% better | No |
| No double after split | About 0.1% worse | No, doubling after a split is allowed |
| Double only on 9, 10, 11 | About 0.1% worse | No, any two cards |
| European no-hole-card | The dealer does not check for Blackjack first, so doubles and splits can be lost to one | No, the dealer peeks |
| Resplit Aces / hit split Aces | Slightly better | No |
The percentages are rounded from published house-edge tables and shift a little with the other rules in force. None of these variants is available on CardCouch, and which set a real table uses varies by casino and country.
Frequently asked questions
Can I split two different ten-value cards, like a King and a Jack?
Yes. Any two cards of the same value may be split on CardCouch, so King-Jack or 10-Queen counts as a pair. Basic strategy says never split tens, though: a 20 is the second-best hand you can hold.
How many times can I split?
Up to three hands in total, which means two splits. Each new hand carries a bet equal to your original bet, so you need enough chips in the bankroll to cover it.
Can I double after splitting?
Yes, on any two-card hand that came from a split, except split Aces, which receive one card each and are finished. A hand that has already taken a hit cannot double.
What happens when both the dealer and I have Blackjack?
It is a push: your bet is returned. If you took even money instead, you were paid 1 to 1 before the dealer's hole card was shown, and that stands.
What is the house edge with these rules?
With six decks, the dealer standing on soft 17, doubling after splits and a 3:2 Blackjack payout, a player following basic strategy faces a house edge of roughly half a percent, which is among the more favourable common rule sets. It is play money here, but the rules are the good ones.