The object of the card game is to have your cards total as close to 21 as possible without going over. Everyone plays against the Dealer.
Game Setup:
The Dealer starts the game by dealing each Player two cards face up. The Dealer gets two cards, one card face up and one face down (called the Hole card).
Card Values:
Cards are counted at their face value. Kings, Queens, and Jacks count as 10. Aces count as either 1 or 11.
Gameplay Mechanics:
Once two cards have been dealt to both the Players and the Dealer, each Player’s point total is announced at which time the decision to Stand (not receive an additional card) or Draw (receive an additional card or cards) is determined.
Dealer Rules:
A Dealer must Draw on any point total of 16 or less and must Stand on any point total of 17 or more. If a Dealer’s point total exceeds 21, all Players win who have a point total of 21 or less.
Winning Conditions:
If the first two cards dealt to a Player are an Ace and a 10-value card, the Dealer announces the hand as “Blackjack” and pays the bet at 3 to 2 odds, unless the Dealer also has Blackjack, in which case the hand is a Standoff (Push). Blackjack is the point total of 21 reached in the first two cards of a hand. Blackjack beats a total of 21 reached in three or more cards.
Payouts:
Dealer pays all hands that exceed the Dealer’s point total, takes all bets that are less, and leaves all bets that equal the Dealer’s point total (called a Push). All winning bets are paid even money (1 to 1), except Blackjacks, which are paid 3 to 2.