Blackjack Rules Guide for Irish Players

Trying to beat the dealer can be challenging if you’re unfamiliar with the basic blackjack rules or don’t have the skills to play your cards right. Although blackjack is a unique mix of chance and strategy, it’s known that optimal play can significantly reduce the house edge in the game.

Here are the blackjack rules every player should know about, how to play blackjack, the basic rules of blackjack, card values, and the most popular blackjack game variations.

How Does Blackjack Work?

As mentioned above, blackjack is part luck and part skill. This means there are elements in the game you won’t have any control over and others where your skills can prove useful in increasing your winning odds.

The goal of blackjack is to beat the dealer by getting a higher hand value than theirs. The number one rule in any blackjack game is that you can’t exceed 21. If your hand exceeds this total, the dealer wins. Our blackjack blog will give you all the information you might need before starting to play.

Blackjack Equipment

A few pieces of equipment are required to play blackjack at a real casino, some of which may also apply to online blackjack games.

The largest equipment you’ll face is the blackjack table, a semi-circle-shaped table covered in green felt. A typical blackjack table usually seats around five or seven players. The dealer sits behind the straight part of the table. The blackjack payout and dealer rules are displayed on the table and there are rectangles marked for each player’s seat where the dealer places the cards.

A standard 52-card deck is needed to play blackjack, although some game variants use as many as eight decks. The cards are placed in another piece of equipment known as a shoe. This is where the dealer draws cards from. A plastic card is also placed in the middle of the deck to indicate at which point it should be shuffled.

Finally, casino chips are also required to play the game. These are regular colour-coded chips which indicate different values. Players use one or a combination of these chips to place their bets on the blackjack table.

Online live dealer blackjack uses a blend of physical (dealer, table, cards) and virtual elements (chips). Online video blackjack is completely virtual and uses a random number generator to simulate fair results each time.

Basic Rules of Blackjack

Players buy into the round by placing their chips on the table. When the betting time has elapsed, the dealer begins dealing two face-up cards to each player. In most blackjack games, the dealer also gets two cards, but one dealt faced down.

With your cards in hand, the following game options and rules come into play, each explained below.

🔵 Hit

Hitting refers to requesting a third card from the dealer. Generally, you can ‘safely’ hit until you reach 17, although it’s important to consider the dealer’s card. You can hit as many times as you want, but you’ll automatically lose the game if you get a total of 22 or higher.

🔵 Stand

Standing is the opposite of hitting and refers to keeping your first two cards and playing your hand as it is. This move is made when your hand total is above 17, which means the chances of busting by hitting are very high or if you already have a strong hand.

🔵 Split

If you’re dealt a pair, you may be able to split your cards. The dealer will add an additional card to the split hand to create two new hands. This will cost you a bet equal to your original bet, but it’s an advantageous move for certain pairs (like a pair of Aces).

🔵 Double Down

Doubling down is another useful move that will allow you to take advantage of strong hands, like a total of 11. Doubling down will also double your initial bet, and the dealer will add a third and final card to your hand.

🔵 Surrender

Surrendering refers to forfeiting your cards and getting half your original bet back. It’s only allowed in some blackjack variants, but it’s a great option to use when you get a weak starting hand, like a hard 12.

🔵 Bust

Going bust refers to exceeding a total of 21 with your cards. If this happens, the dealer wins, and you lose your bet. Even if the dealer has a lower hand, busting is an automatic loss. In the rare scenario that every player at the table busts, the dealer doesn’t play their hand and wins automatically.

🔵 Push

If you and the dealer get the same number of points when combining the value of the cards, the result is a push according to standard blackjack casino rules. In this case, neither you nor the dealer wins that round, and your original bet is returned to you.

🔵 Regular Win

A regular win can be achieved in a few different ways according to the basic rules of 21 blackjack. The first is having a combined hand total higher than the dealer’s (but never higher than 21). Alternatively, you can win with any hand under 21 if the dealer busts.

🔵 Blackjack/Natural

A natural refers to getting blackjack on your first two cards. This happens when you’re dealt an Ace and any ten-value card. The difference between a natural and a regular blackjack – achieved when you hit and get an exact score of 21 – is that the payout for this blackjack is higher.

🔵 Soft Hands

You can have two types of hands in blackjack: soft or hard hands. A soft hand consists of an Ace and any other card, for example, an Ace and two. A soft hand has two possible values since the Ace has a variable value of one or 11.

🔵 Hard Hands

A hard hand doesn’t contain an Ace. A hard hand can only have one value, so you’ll need to be more careful when playing such a hand. An example of a hard hand is a 10 and a seven.

🔵 Blackjack Card Values

🎴 Card	⚖️ Card Value
👉 2 – 10	Face value
🃏 King, Queen, Jack (face cards)	10
♠️ Ace	1 or 11, depending on the hand’s value

Classic Blackjack Rules

The classic version of this game follows specific casino blackjack rules and is one of the most popular forms of blackjack. In classic blackjack, players get two face up cards. The dealer also receives two cards, but one is dealt face down and remains that way until every player has taken their turn.

Classic blackjack is a single deck game played with a 52-card deck. The blackjack dealer rules in this version state that the dealer must stand on a soft 17. Splitting is allowed once per hand, and doubling is allowed on most hands.

European Blackjack Casino Rules

Most blackjack table rules apply in the European version of blackjack: the dealer also stands when reaching a soft 17.

However, the blackjack splitting rules in this variant state that only same-character face cards can be split. Doubling is permitted on a total of nine, 10, or 11 only. Additionally, if the dealer gets blackjack, they win the round even if you have a total of 21 unless you get a natural.

Vegas Strip Blackjack Rules

Vegas Strip Blackjack is a popular game variant that originated on the Las Vegas Strip, as you can probably guess from the name. Many blackjack card game rules apply, such as the dealer receiving two cards (one facing down) and the rule that they must stand on soft 17.

What’s different in Vegas Strip Blackjack is that four decks are used, and the rules for splitting and doubling are much more flexible. You can split up to four hands in one game (although you can only split Aces once); doubling down is also allowed after splitting and can be done on any initial hand.

Blackjack Switch Casino Rules

Blackjack Switch is a unique variant that allows you to switch cards between hands to create a stronger hand. This variant requires you to play online blackjack two hands with equal bets. Cards are dealt face up as usual, but you can switch cards between the two hands to create the best combinations.

An important difference is that a natural blackjack pays even money only (1:1) instead of the usual 3:2 payout. Additionally, a push results if the dealer has a hard 22 unless you get a natural blackjack on the initial deal.

Blackjack Surrender Rules

Surrendering in blackjack means taking yourself out of the round in exchange for half your initial bet. This means you don’t play your card for that game, but it’s usually a better option than losing your entire bet.

The surrender option is useful whenever you’re dealt a weak hand, such as a hard 15 or 16 against a dealer’s nine, 10, or Ace. However, online blackjack rules don’t always allow you to surrender, so you’ll want to check the game rules carefully before you play blackjack. If offered, you may also want to check whether an early or late surrender is available.

Blackjack Perfect Pairs Casino Rules

Perfect Pairs is one of several blackjack side bets you can play in addition to your original bet. The Perfect Pairs side bet is a wager that your first two cards will form a type of pair. Three types of pairs will earn you a payout when placing this bet.

The first is a mixed pair, which refers to two cards with the same number but different suits and colours, such as three of spades and three of spades. Next is the coloured pair, comprising two cards with the same number and colour but different suits. Finally, a perfect pair is two identical cards with the same number, suit, and colour.

Single Deck Blackjack Rules

A single deck game is played with only one 52-card deck. With only one deck in play, the advantage is slightly more in your favour because there are fewer cards in the deck that can cause you to bust. Additionally, it makes it easier for card counters to keep track of what’s left in the deck.

The rules of single deck blackjack are the same as any regular blackjack game, but basic strategy has some differences. If you compare a single deck chart with a multi-deck basic strategy chart, you’ll notice that some hands should be played differently.

Double Exposure Blackjack Casino Rules

Double Exposure Blackjack is a variant where the dealer receives two face up cards, the same way the player’s cards are dealt. Seeing the dealer’s hand immediately gives you a big advantage because it provides useful information to play your cards right.

On the other hand, there are some disadvantages as well. For example, the payout for a natural blackjack is reduced from 3:2 to even money. If your hand ties with the dealer, you lose your initial wager instead of getting a push. Additionally, the insurance bet and surrender options aren’t available.

Multi-Hand Blackjack Rules

Multi-hand blackjack is another variant that allows you to play multiple hands simultaneously. Besides the option to play multiple hands in one round, most of the rules of the multi-hand version, including the payouts, are the same.

You can play a maximum of five hands in Multi-hand Blackjack, with an equal wager on each. With multiple hands in play, you’ll need to be quicker when deciding how to play your hand, which is why this variant suits more experienced players.

How to Play Blackjack – Tips for Beginners

In the next sections, we’ll delve into further detail about how to play blackjack at each step of the game. These tips are designed for beginners who want to start playing blackjack with confidence at a real or online casino in Ireland.

🔵 Pick a Table & Join It

The first step to playing blackjack is to choose the right table to join. Our tip is to avoid picking a table randomly. Instead, consider the blackjack table rules, the dealer’s rules, betting limits, and the paytable. If you’re a beginner, choose a game with simple rules, like Classic or European blackjack.

🔵 Choose to ‘Hit’

Hitting should only be done if the risk of busting is low or non-existent or if you have a weak hand that can’t compete against the dealer’s. In some games, the blackjack rules for 5 cards drawn in a row without busting gets you an automatic win. The blackjack rule for 7 cards may also apply and refers to hitting seven times in a row without busting.

🔵 Choose to ‘Stand’

You should stand if your hand is strong enough to beat the dealer or can’t afford to take another card without busting. However, there are tricky situations where you might need to stand on a low score. For example, if you have a total of 13 but the dealer’s card is a two or three, you should stand.

🔵 Calculate Your Hand Value

Before deciding to hit or stand, you’ll need to calculate the value of your hand by adding the value of your first two cards. To do so, you can refer to the blackjack card values table included on this page. Based on this value, you can then make the correct playing decisions.

🔵 Dealer’s Cards Revealing

With the exception of Double Exposure Blackjack, the dealer’s second card is always dealt facing down and remains hidden until every player has taken their turn. This means you’ll need to decide how to play your hand based only on the dealer’s face up card.

🔵 Check Who Is Closer to 21

Unless a player or the dealer (or both) get a natural blackjack, the result of a game round is easily determined by whoever is closer to 21. You win the round if your hand is closer to this number than the dealer’s. Any other player with a higher hand than the dealer’s will also win.

How to Improve Your Chances of Winning?

While the house edge in blackjack can’t be eliminated, you can do a few things to improve your chances of winning. The most effective tip for improving winning odds in blackjack is to master basic strategy, which provides the optimal move for any hand you’re dealt.

🔵 Always Split 8s & Aces

Besides following basic strategy, you’ll also be able to keep the odds favourable by knowing how to split your pairs wisely. A pair of Aces or eights should always be split into two new hands. Other pairs should also be split, but it depends on the dealer’s card. Check the blackjack split rules properly before playing.

🔵 Never Split Face Cards

Face cards have a value of 10 in blackjack, which means that if you’re dealt a pair of face cards, you have a total of 20. This is a very strong hand that gives you a very good chance of beating the dealer, so it’s better not to split such a pair.

Blackjack Etiquette When Playing

It’s important to know basic blackjack etiquette when playing at a real casino in Ireland. This will ensure a smooth and comfortable experience for yourself and the rest of the players at the table.

Below are some guidelines you can follow for proper blackjack etiquette:

• Remember to be polite to the dealer and other players at your table.
• Don’t ask the dealer for tips or advice during the game.
• Avoid giving advice to other players or distracting them.

Frequently Asked Questions about Blackjack Rules