Blackjack is a card game characterized by betting and counting cards, where the objective is to create a hand whose value comes closer to 21 than that of the dealer’s hand without going over 21. It is typically played on semicircular tables which seat multiple players simultaneously; typically seven spots will fit comfortably on these tables but some larger versions can hold as many as 12 players (also called “spots”).
When playing blackjack, the casino dealer shuffles and mixes their deck(s). After doing this, they distribute two cards – one face up and one face down – to each player including themselves, including themselves. Once each player has received two cards they decide whether or not they want to hit (receive additional cards) or stand (keep their current hand).
Unless a player exceeds 21, their total is considered over. When the dealer busts, their highest value wins (with all bets collected and round completed). When neither player or dealer have blackjacks available to them, all bets are collected before round ends.
While there are various approaches to blackjack, its basic rules remain constant. Each hand of 52 cards in play must contain between 2-9 cards; those valued between 10 (jack, queen and king), 1 or 11 may also count towards your hand as needed. Ace cards may either count as either 1 or 11, depending on which way it will help your hand the most.
The rules of blackjack vary between casinos, but in general a dealer should hit any hand with an initial total of 16 or lower and stand on any totaling 17 or greater – similar to “Spanish 21.” Unfortunately, however, certain casinos have reduced the payout for blackjacks to 6 to 5, thus increasing the house edge and rendering this form of gaming less desirable for card counters.
As well as the standard rules of blackjack, there are also many additional bets that can be made on it, including betting that either the dealer will get a blackjack hand or bust and betting that a player will double down with his/her first two cards. These side bets should typically be made simultaneously with your main bet and paid out according to odds.
Casino blackjack dealers typically work shifts during evenings and weekends, subject to secondhand tobacco smoke and noise levels that range between moderate and loud. Furthermore, they must stand for long periods while using their hands to handle and feel cards while speaking frequently with casino guests – leading them to incur repetitive stress injuries in both back and legs. Furthermore, some employees may also be regularly exposed to perfumes or cleaning chemicals used at the casino which can trigger allergic reactions that lead to headaches and fatigue for some individuals.