Summary Books 21

Casinos are the homes of chance, where gamblers engage in games of luck. Unfortunately the casino always ensures that it has the statistical advantage. This is called the house edge. Therefore, customers are more likely to loose money than make to money. However, in the game known as Blackjack or as some call it “21”, it is possible to tip the odds in one’s favor by card counting.  

The rules of Blackjack are as follows: all royals have a value equaling ten and all number cards are equal to their integer. An ace can either be valued as a one or an eleven depending of which beneficial to the player. For example a hand made up of an ace, a five and a ten is equal to 16, because if the ace were equal to eleven it would be a bust.  

The goal in Blackjack is to get a hand with a total value as close to 21 as possible without going over. If one’s hand does goes over 21 it is a bust. In Blackjack the participants play against the dealer as opposed to each other.

Once all players have placed their bets the dealer then distributes two cards to each player and two to himself as well; one facing up, the other down. Play moves in a rotation, the dealer turns to each player and asks if he wants to hit, which is it take an additional card to try get closer 21, or if he wants to stand(do nothing). If the player hasn’t busted from his first hit than he can hit again. Play does not move until the player busts or stands.

After all players have finished their turns the dealer then flips up his second card, if the total value of his hand is 16, or lower, he must hit, but if his hand is 17 or higher he must stand. There is no exception to this ruler. If the dealer busts then all players haven’t busted win, if he doesn’t his hand is compared each player’s and the player with the hand closest to 21 wins. A tie is called a push. The player gets his bet back but earns no winnings.

One should first be familiar with Blackjack’s basic strategy before learning how to card to...