Card games were once the domain of seedy saloons in the wild west or dimly-lit gambling dens in the cities, where a single hand could spell the difference between triumph and disaster.
As such, many varieties of card games were developed and some have become classics that any player would know by the mere mention of the name. Some of these variants include poker, crazy eight and blackjack.
The beauty of card games are that they focus on a combination of luck and strategy, which focuses more on a player’s mental skills than physical. The focus is on placing the odds in your favor as much as possible and these games teach this value in the set number of cards present and the various rules that govern these variants.
Because of the popularity of specific variants of these card games, many of these are played in casinos, where they draw plenty of players each year who gamble significant sums of money to get that winning hand (or hands).
One of these card games is blackjack (also known as twenty-one), where the objective is to beat the card dealer by either by getting a total of 21 points on your first two cards drawn; get a final score higher than the dealer without exceeding 21 points; or having the dealer draw additional cards until their hand exceeds 21. The value of the hand is determined by the sum of the card numbers, with aces equal 1 point, 2-10 with the corresponding points, and the kings, queens and jacks having a value of 10 points each. The players and dealer may then draw additional cards to improve their hand until such that either the player or the dealer has the better hand. And of course, strategies have been developed by players to give them the best chance of beating the dealer.
Sound confusing? No worries, there are plenty of useful guides online and in your local library or bookstore to help you understand the basic rules of blackjack and other card games, which will then allow you to get a grasp of the game and how to achieve its objectives. And while reading is good, putting it into practice is the best way to hone your skills and improve the odds of beating the dealer. For this, there are an increasing number of sites and mobile apps dedicated to playing blackjack and other card games, where you can play blackjack online sessions without actually having to give up money.
While blackjack does have an element of gambling involved due to it being the most popular casino banking game in the world, the real thrill of the game is in being able to find the strategy (and a bit of luck) that will get you that all-important winning hand. Most of all, like any good card game, it is a fun opportunity that will lead to hours of enjoyment for you and your friends.