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FAQ & How to Play

Rules, payouts, and strategy to help you play smarter.

Basic Rules

🎯 The Goal

Beat the dealer by getting a hand total closer to 21 without going over. You don't need to hit exactly 21 — just beat the dealer.

🃏 Card Values

Number cards (2–10) are face value. Face cards (J, Q, K) are worth 10. Aces are worth 11, or 1 if 11 would cause a bust.

Blackjack

An Ace plus any 10-value card dealt as your first two cards. Pays 3:2. If the dealer also has Blackjack, the hand pushes.

🏦 The Dealer

The dealer reveals their hole card after you act. Dealer must hit on 16 or less and on soft 17, and stand on hard 17 and above.

💥 Bust

If your total exceeds 21, you bust and lose your bet immediately — regardless of what the dealer does.

🤝 Push

If your total equals the dealer's total, the hand is a push and your bet is returned. No chips won or lost.

Payouts
OutcomePaysExample (100 bet)
Blackjack (you)3 : 2+150
Win1 : 1+100
Push00
Loss / Bust−1 : 1−100
Surrender−1 : 2−50
Insurance win2 : 1+100 (on ins. bet)
Player Actions
Hit
Take another card. You can hit as many times as you like until you stand, bust, or reach 21.
Stand
Keep your current hand and let the dealer play. The dealer then reveals their hole card and draws if needed.
Double Down
Double your bet and receive exactly one more card, then you automatically stand. Only available on your first two cards.
Split
When your first two cards have the same value, split them into two separate hands, each with its own bet equal to the original. Only available on the first action.
Surrender
Forfeit the hand and recover half your bet. Only available on your very first action (before hitting, doubling, or splitting).
Insurance
Offered when the dealer shows an Ace. Side bet of up to half your original bet. Pays 2:1 if the dealer has Blackjack. Generally a poor bet — the house edge on insurance is ~7%.
Basic Strategy (Game Theory)

Basic strategy is the mathematically optimal play for every hand based on your cards and the dealer's up-card. Playing basic strategy reduces the house edge to under 0.5%.

Hard 8 or less
Always Hit. You can't bust and need to build your hand.
Hard 9
Double vs dealer 3–6, otherwise Hit.
Hard 10
Double vs dealer 2–9, otherwise Hit.
Hard 11
Double vs dealer 2–10, Hit vs Ace.
Hard 12
Stand vs dealer 4–6, otherwise Hit.
Hard 13–16
Stand vs dealer 2–6, otherwise Hit. Consider Surrender on 15–16 vs dealer 10 or Ace.
Hard 17+
Always Stand. The risk of busting outweighs any gain from hitting.
Soft 13–17
(Ace + 2–6)
Double vs dealer 5–6, otherwise Hit. Soft hands can't bust — use them aggressively.
Soft 18
(Ace + 7)
Double vs dealer 3–6, Stand vs 2/7/8, Hit vs 9/10/Ace.
Soft 19–20
Always Stand. Strong hands — don't risk them.
Pair of Aces
Always Split. Starting two separate hands from 11 is far better than playing 12.
Pair of 8s
Always Split. Hard 16 is the worst hand in blackjack — two separate 8s give you a better start.
Pair of 10s
Never Split. 20 is an excellent hand — splitting risks two weaker hands.
Pair of 4s
Split vs dealer 5–6, otherwise Hit.
Pair of 5s
Never Split. Treat as Hard 10 — Double vs 2–9, Hit otherwise.
Pair of 2s, 3s, 7s
Split vs dealer 2–7, otherwise Hit.
Pair of 6s
Split vs dealer 2–6, otherwise Hit.
Pair of 9s
Split vs dealer 2–6 and 8–9, Stand vs 7/10/Ace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the dealer have an advantage?

The dealer's main edge is that players must act first. If you bust, you lose immediately — even if the dealer would have busted too. This asymmetry is the core house edge in blackjack.

Playing perfect basic strategy reduces the house edge to roughly 0.4–0.5% on a standard 6-deck game, making blackjack one of the best odds in the casino.

What is a "soft" hand?

A soft hand contains an Ace counted as 11. For example, Ace+6 is a "soft 17." It's called soft because you can't bust by taking one card — if the next card pushes you over 21, the Ace becomes 1 instead.

Soft hands are generally played more aggressively than hard hands because of this safety net.

Should I take insurance?

Statistically, no. Insurance is a side bet that the dealer has a 10-value hole card. In a 6-deck shoe, roughly 30% of cards are 10-value, but insurance pays 2:1 — you need to win more than 33% of the time to break even. The house edge on insurance is around 7%.

The only exception is if you're counting cards and the remaining deck is extremely 10-heavy — which doesn't apply here.

When should I surrender?

Surrender gives back half your bet when you have a very weak position. The rule of thumb: surrender Hard 15 vs dealer 10, and Hard 16 vs dealer 9, 10, or Ace. Don't surrender a pair of 8s — split them instead.

Surrender is only available on your very first action before hitting, doubling, or splitting.

What is a "push" and do I get my bet back?

A push occurs when your hand total equals the dealer's total. You neither win nor lose — your original bet is returned in full. It's essentially a tie.

Why is doubling down on 11 so powerful?

Hard 11 is one of the strongest starting totals because there are more 10-value cards (10, J, Q, K) in the deck than any other value — roughly 31% of all cards. This gives you a high probability of hitting 21 or a strong hand (19–21) with one card. Doubling your bet in this spot captures maximum value from a favorable position.

How does the shoe and cut card work?

This game uses a 6-deck shoe (312 cards). After shuffling, one card is burned (discarded) as a security measure. A cut card is then inserted randomly at 60–80% penetration into the shoe.

When the cut card is reached during play, the current hand finishes normally, then the shoe is reshuffled before the next deal. This mirrors standard casino procedure and prevents predictable card patterns late in the shoe.

What currencies / chip types are available?

Multiple chip types may be available (Gold, Silver, Diamond, etc.), each with their own balance and history. You can switch between them using the balance dropdown in the navigation bar. Each currency tracks its own stats, hand history, and session totals independently.