The Most Popular Blackjack Dealer Rules

Blackjack is a casino staple that can be found in each and every casino gambling venue across the globe. The popularity of the game lies in the fact that it comes with a variety of betting options and is quite easy to get started with. But in order to play the game effectively, it’s important for you to be aware of the several rules that are applicable to the player and the dealer. In this article, we take a look at important Blackjack rules you need to be aware of.

Blackjack 16 rule

At most live dealer Blackjack tables, the dealer is required to hit if the value of their hand is 16 or lower. If you don’t know, to hit means to draw an extra card and add it to your hand. Once the value of their hand becomes 17 or goes above that, they must stand. To stand means to stop taking any more cards. In addition, if the value of the dealer’s hand becomes 18 or more, they should stand. The last rule is applicable to both a soft hand (with an ace) and a hard hand (without an ace).

Blackjack 17 rule

This live and online Blackjack rule states that the dealer must stand if their hand’s value is a hard 17. As mentioned earlier, a hard hand is one that doesn’t include an Ace. To give you an example, getting 8 and 9 (of any suit) as your initial cards will result in you having a hard hand.

Blackjack soft 17 rule

According to this Blackjack dealer rule, the dealer must hit if they’ve got a soft 17. Again, a soft hand is a Blackjack hand which includes an Ace and has another card whose value is less than 10. This hand is referred to as “soft” because the value of the Ace can be counted as either 1 or 11 in most Blackjack variations. For example, a hand with an Ace and a 6 is referred to as a soft 17 in Blackjack.

Blackjack Ace rule

If the dealer gets an Ace as one of their first two cards, their Ace will automatically be counted as 11. Here, the dealer needs to hit until the value of their hand becomes 17 or more. Interestingly, this Blackjack rule isn’t applicable for players and they can continue hitting until they either go bust or opt to stand.

Other Blackjack rules you need to know

Besides the Blackjack dealer rules explained above, other important mechanics you need to know about the game are:

Blackjack hitting rules

As a player, you can opt to hit if you wish to improve the value of your hand. But at most online casinos, there are rules for who and who cannot use the hitting option in Blackjack games. Usually, only players with a hand value of 11 or below are allowed to hit if the value of the dealer’s upcard is 6 or lower.

Blackjack standing rules

There are no specific rules for who and who can’t choose to stand in the game of Blackjack. If you’re content with the value of your hand, you always have the option to stand.

Blackjack pair-splitting rules

When playing Blackjack, you’re only allowed to split if the value of your first two cards is identical. To use this option, you need to place a wager that’s of the same amount as your initial bet. If you wish to calculate what your winning chances after splitting will be, you can take the help of the Blackjack calculator.

Doubling down

In Blackjack, to double down means to place an additional wager to request an extra card. There are no specific conditions applicable for doubling down in Blackjack, though we suggest you check the rules of your chosen Blackjack game.

Surrender

In some Blackjack games at our mobile casino online, you can use the surrender option. With this Blackjack betting option, what you essentially do is surrender your hand in exchange for half your initial wager.

Conclusion

So, these were some of the most common and highly important rules for Blackjack dealers. Also, our last section has covered the rules for various different betting options in the game of Blackjack. Whether you want to play live Blackjack or want to try RNG-based Blackjack games, keep these rules in mind and have a proper money management system in place. Also, always play responsibly to have an entertaining Blackjack experience.