Basic Concept Behind the Game

You are playing against the house, even if there are other players at the table. Before the game begins, each player bets an amount of money, no betting is allowed once the game starts. If a player is wins, every bet won is paid double. The goal of the game is to have a higher score, then the dealer you are playing against, without going over 21. If you go over 21, you automatically loose.

Each card is worth its number, while all cards with “pictures” (jack, queen, king), are worth 10 points. Ace is the only exception; it can be worth either 1 or 11, depending on the total sum of other cards. Also if the player has an ace that is worth 11 points, his score is referred to as “soft”, because even if he technically goes over 21, ace becomes 1 and he is saved. In other cases his score is “hard”. In case the player has 2 aces, one has to be counted as 11. The game starts when the dealer deals every player with 2 face down cards, which only they can see, while he deals himself one face down and one face up card. Every card dealt after is turned face up for everyone to see. The players play in clockwise order.