Classic blackjack

Classic blackjack is rightly considered one of the most popular casino games in the world — millions of people play it, and for good reason it has a place in every self-respecting casino. If you haven’t got to know the game yet, we’ll be blunt: you’re missing out, and that’s worth putting right.

What classic blackjack is

The rules of classic blackjack are the oldest in the game’s history: they’re the ones that were tweaked to spin off more specialised versions. Even so, the classic game is still the most recognisable and popular kind of blackjack, and it’s exactly where newcomers are told to start; it’s also potentially the best pick for players with a middling level of experience.

Classic blackjack asks the player to take two or more cards so as to land, ideally, on 21 points (blackjack). Fewer is fine, but your hand (the combination of cards) has to beat the dealer’s; going over is strictly off-limits, because a bust automatically means you lose. Although several players sit at one table, the only one you have to beat is the dealer. The house edge (House Edge)¹ under ideal conditions comes to a mere 0.15%, though more often it’s 0.43–0.46%, which is still better for the player than in many other casino games.

Key features and card values

Despite the name, classic blackjack doesn’t actually mean the rules are fully standardised — conditions can differ a little from table to table.

How many decks are used

Ideal classic blackjack is played with one standard 52-card deck (single deck), no jokers. That version really can be found, and it’s more player-friendly². Online casinos, including live-dealer ones, may deal 4–8 decks at once while keeping every other aspect of the rules classic; that setup lowers the RTP (return to player)³ somewhat.

Card values and the goal of the game

The main goal of the game is to collect 21 points in a hand of two or more cards; failing that, land at least on more points than the dealer, but never exceed the target of 21. The cards dealt to the player carry these values:

• the ace — 1 or 11 points, depending on what the player needs;
• face cards (king, queen, jack) — 10 points each;
• numbered cards — worth the number on the card.

That means the two cards the dealer hands out at the start can be enough for a natural blackjack⁴ if those cards are an ace and any card worth 10.

The rules of classic blackjack

One of the big reasons for blackjack’s huge popularity is how relatively simple the rules are: the concept you need to grasp in order to join in can be explained in a couple of minutes.

The flow of a hand

The dealer starts by dealing every player two cards, with both of the players’ cards face up, while the croupier shows only one of his own and keeps the second hidden. That gives the player some sense of the dealer’s chances of making blackjack or at least a strong hand, but leaves an element of mystery too. The dealer stops drawing cards once he holds at least 17 points.

Player actions

If the player has managed to make a natural blackjack, the hand ends right there. But if there’s no 21, the player has to take certain actions and tell the dealer about them:

• Hit — take another card, keeping in mind that a bust means an instant loss;
• Stand — stop drawing; sensible when your hand is already strong and almost any extra card would bust you;
• Double Down — worth it when you hold 9–11 points (a strong hand is likely) and the dealer shows a low card; after doubling, the dealer can give you only one more card;
• Split — heavily used on pairs of 8-8 or A-A, when the hand is inherently weak and one more card could bust it; splitting lets the player effectively play two separate hands⁵;
• Insurance against a dealer blackjack — a side bet of half your main stake, used when the dealer’s first card is an ace; it pays 2:1 if the dealer makes 21 and loses in every other case.

Classic blackjack almost never offers the Surrender option, which lets you bow out at a certain stage before the results are announced and salvage at least half your bet.

Payouts

Classic blackjack has different payouts on a win:

• player has blackjack, dealer doesn’t — 3:2;
• no blackjack, but the player’s hand beats the dealer’s — 1:1;
• insurance against a dealer blackjack comes in — 2:1⁶;
• a push (player and dealer hold hands of equal strength) — the bet is usually returned.

At some classic blackjack tables the 3:2 payout isn’t offered — instead a blackjack pays 6:5.

Important: the player is better off avoiding those tables. On a notional $10 bet, a 6:5 payout wins you only $12, whereas the standard 3:2 would have paid $15 — and over the long run that gap speeds up the erosion of your bankroll.

House edge and RTP of classic blackjack

In blackjack it pays to understand what proportion of cards of each value is left in the deck — only then can you gauge your own chances of winning objectively. That’s exactly why single-deck blackjack delivers a higher RTP. That said, the difference in house edge only fully shows itself over the long haul: in a single session you can just as easily come out ahead as lose the lot.

By strong rules we mean the player has the maximum number of moves to choose from. For example, if the classic rules also include the option to surrender and take back half the bet (not usually offered in classic blackjack), a seasoned player can save half his money, whereas at other tables he’d simply have lost the whole sum.

The 6:5 versus 3:2 trap

We touched on this above: on otherwise equal terms you’re short-changed on every blackjack you make, which means your wins don’t cover your losses on other hands as efficiently. It even shows in long-run RTP: a 3:2 payout is roughly 99.5% even on standard rules, but a 6:5 payout drops the figure to around 98.5% or lower.

Over the long run the player inevitably loses at blackjack, but that’s no reason to speed the process up — on the contrary, why not stretch out the fun for less money. Within a single session the question may be simpler still: the player either manages to come out ahead or doesn’t.

Important: to boost your chances of success, steer well clear of tables paying 6:5 instead of 3:2.

Basic strategy

The thing about blackjack is that, for any given combination of the player’s hand and the dealer’s up-card, you can work out the probability of success for each possible next move. You don’t have to do this on the fly: it’s all been done for you in what’s known as blackjack basic strategy. The chart shows how to act in each of the possible situations if you want to win as often as you can; that said, it applies only to the classic single-deck game, with the dealer standing on soft 17, doubling allowed on any cards (even after a split) and no surrender.

Important: this is the strategy for so-called ideal conditions, where the house edge is just 0.15%. Any single change to the conditions described above the chart calls for adjustments to the maths.

Single deck versus several

As a rule, classic blackjack is played with one 52-card deck, but online casinos often allow themselves to use several decks at once. The number of decks directly affects the game’s key parameters.

The numbers make it plain that, where possible, it’s better to seek out a single-deck classic blackjack table — and one paying 3:2 at that.

Where and how to play

Classic blackjack is one of the most popular casino games precisely because you can play it in almost any online casino in the world — bar the handful that focus purely on slots. If you have no prior experience or want to practise and cement your grasp of basic strategy, start with RNG (random number generator) blackjack — those come with a demo mode for free practice. Only move on to real-money play, whether RNG or a live-dealer table, once you’ve built up some experience.

When choosing a blackjack table, always read the detailed rules — they can differ even when two tables offer supposedly the same classic blackjack. Ideally, look for rules identical to those described above the basic strategy chart: they’re considered strong because they deliver a high RTP. And if you fancy comparing the classic game with its closest relative, where the dealer draws his second card later, take a look at our breakdown of European blackjack. Weigh up the casino itself just as carefully — our regularly updated ranking of the best blackjack sites will help you pick one.