Classic Blackjack

With 4 decks in play, each containing 52 cards apiece, that's 208 cards of adrenaline-loaded blackjack entertainment. The blackjack dealer shuffles all the cards after every round of play. That way, you are assured of random outcomes with every deal. In poker Aces are called Pocket Rockets, but in blackjack Aces + Jacks go by different names such as blackjack, hijack (High-Jack), and Jackass (Jack-Ace). Either way, these are treasured cards in Classic Blackjack. Soft hands have Aces valued at 1 or 11, while hard hands have Aces valued at 1, or no Aces at all.

If the dealer’s upcard is an Ace, you'll be given the option of an Insurance Bet. If the facedown card is a 10-value card then the dealer has blackjack, and players with Insurance Bets can hedge against a losing hand. Other betting actions available in blackjack include Hitting (drawing another card), Standing (sticking with your hand total), Splitting (splitting identical cards and playing separate hands), or Doubling Down (doubling the bet and taking one final card). In Classic Blackjack, Blackjack pays 3:2, Insurance Bets pays 2:1, and Winning Hands pay 1:1.

Two cards are dealt to the player face up, and the dealer has one face up card and one face down card. Players make decisions about their hand based on the two face up cards and the dealer’s upcard. Ideally, the player would like to form a two-card 21, known as Classic Blackjack. But, any hand total that beats the dealer's hand will suffice. Remember though, if the value of your hand exceeds 21 you automatically lose. Once you've received your first two cards, it's decision time. Will you stand? Will you hit? Will you double down? Will you split? Will you take insurance?

You can draw as many cards as you like, provided you don't exceed 21. If you go over 21, you bust and lose. At that point, it doesn't matter what hand the dealer has, because the dealer never has to reveal their hand when you bust. Stand whenever you feel comfortable with your hand total. Once you've completed your actions, it's showtime. Now the dealer must draw cards according to the rules of play. If the dealer's hand total is equal to or less than 16, the dealer must draw an additional card until their hand total is at least 17. Once the dealer’s hand total is 17, the dealer stands. Remember, you simply have to beat the dealer's hand total to win!

These are the basic rules of Classic Blackjack. In this variant of the game, Classic Blackjack pays 3:2, but to form a blackjack you must have an Ace + 10-value card. A three card 21, or more, does not qualify as blackjack, and actually loses to a two-card 21 a.k.a. blackjack. In Classic Blackjack, only one hand is played at a time. That's where your focus must be – on the one hand in front of you. Blackjack chips are available in the following bet sizes: C$1, C$5, C$25, and C$100. Once you are ready to place your bet, just choose your chip size and place it on the table, one at the time. In Classic Blackjack, the minimum bet size is C$1 and the maximum bet size is C$300. With your bets on the table, it's time for the dealer to shuffle up and deal. Your Classic Blackjack session is about to get started right here at 888 Casino Canada.

Ready to Play Blackjack – Click Deal.

PS, you're welcome to play Classic Blackjack at our mobile casino on Android or iOS devices.

Recall that two cards are dealt face up to you. The dealer’s first card is face up and the other one is face down. You will see your hand total posted on the top left of your cards. Your decision at this point is really important. What will it be? You know that you can Hit, Stand, Double, Split, or Take Insurance (if the dealer’s upcard is an Ace). Once you've completed your betting actions, the dealer will complete their hand, and a winner will be declared. The next game is a click away. In Classic Blackjack, the next round continues at the bet value of the previous round. You can change your bet value before you click the deal button. Simply click, ‘Clear Bets’ to start over.

If you're just getting started, you can play Classic Blackjack free games online. Simply register at 888casino from anywhere in Maple country. Select demo play, and practice until you’re ready to play for real. Your available balance is conveniently displayed in a box just right of the deposit button. If you'd like to change the casino scenery, you can switch tables by clicking the switch tables button. There's also a nifty little feature with in-game advice if you mistakenly decide to stand on a low hand total, or hit on a high-hand total. This free advice is really useful for avoiding mistakes. As with all blackjack games, even the most well-crafted blackjack player hand will lose to a dealer blackjack.

• Aces – 1 or 11, depending on the other cards in the hand
• 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 – Nominal Value
• 10, Jack, Queen, King – valued at 10

• Bust – exceed 21
• Hit – draw another card
• Stand/Stay – don't draw another card
• Hard Hand – a blackjack hand with Aces valued at 1, or no Aces at all. For example, Ace, 9 + 9 is a hard 19, or 10 + 10 is a hard 20.
• Soft Hand – is a blackjack hand with Aces valued 11. For example, 7 + Ace = Soft 18.
• Double Down – After your first two cards have been dealt, you can choose to Double Down. This means you will place another bet the same size as your original bet and receive just one final card. If you previously split your cards, you are welcome to Double Down on both hands.
• Split – You can split identical cards, such as Ace-Ace, Queen-Queen, 6-6, 9-9 etcetera. Once you split your cards, you will play 2 separate hands. Something interesting happens when you split a pair of Aces. In Classic Blackjack, split Aces can never form blackjack since the first two cards are not 21, they are Ace-Ace. Once you split Aces, and draw a 10-value card, the total is 21, not blackjack. A dealer blackjack always beats a 21 from split Aces.
• Insurance – players are given the option of insurance if the dealer’s upcard is an Ace. Remember, a dealer blackjack automatically wins, and the player has to forfeit all bets. If the player wants to protect against a dealer blackjack, the insurance bet comes into play. It costs 50% of your original bet and it pays 2:1. Unfortunately, the insurance bet is known as a sucker bet since the odds of the dealer having blackjack are less than the odds of winning the bet. If the dealer draws a 10-value card with an Ace upcard, you win the insurance bet and lose your original bet. If the dealer does not draw a 10-value card, you lose the insurance bet.
• Push – this occurs when both the dealer and the player form an equal-value hand of at least 17. The result is a draw. Your bet will remain on the table and a new hand will be dealt.

Classic Blackjack at 888casino Canada is played with a dealer and 1-3 players at the table. Of course, each player competes only against the dealer, not against one another. 4 decks of cards are used in Classic Blackjack, substantially less than 6/8 decks in other variants of the game. The decks of cards are shuffled after every round of play. Classic Blackjack begins by choosing your bet size. Multiple chip denominations are available including C$1, C$5, C$25, or C$100. Pick your chip value and place your bets on the table. To get the game started, simply click the Deal button.

After cards have been dealt, you cannot change your bets. Extra bets can be placed while the game is taking place through options like Splitting cards, blackjack Insurance bets, and Doubling Down. You will see each of these betting options listed near the bottom of your screen while you're playing. As the game unfolds, you will notice these betting options presenting to you on the proviso that you're eligible for them. You cannot Split unless you have a pair, and you cannot place an Insurance bet unless the dealer’s upcard is an Ace.

Players must complete all of their betting actions before the dealer acts. If both you and the dealer form an equal-value hand, including blackjack, the result is a Push. If either you or the dealer exceeds 21, the hand busts and the other side wins.

For additional information on game rules, instructions, and payouts, click here.

• Winning hand pays even money
• Insurance bets pay 2:1
• Classic Blackjack pays 3:2

Learn How to Play Any Hand

The first thing to do for those who want to play like a pro is to master basic blackjack strategy, like the basic rules, variations, casino edge, and etiquette of the game. With this knowledge, you’ll be set to play your best no matter what cards you are dealt.

There is a statistical advantage to employing basic strategy — it provides you with skills to double your bet in favourable situations, split when the dealer can’t, stand on totals of 12-16, and capitalize on a bonus payoff where the deal can’t.

While there are plenty of deviations to basic blackjack strategy, it’s wise to hold a firm understanding of the basics before moving on to advanced strategies. 

Unless You’re Card Counting, Stick to a Flat Bet

If you peruse the internet, you might read mention of common bidding strategies like the Martingale. This is a go-to for beginners, but unfortunately, it does not work.

A core principle of these progressive betting strategies is that at some point, a player is “due a win.” This is a common misconception. 

Instead rather use a flat betting system (betting the same amount on every game) for a consistent and disciplined game strategy to help you stay in the game for the long term.

Taking Insurance Is a Bad Bet

Insurance — it seems like a good thing, whether for your home, car, or family, but it is nothing short of a statistically poor bet for basic strategy players when it comes to blackjack.

Insurance bets, no matter their form, have a negative expected value mathematically. This negative expected value means the more you make an insurance bet, the more money you may lose long-term. 

Only Play Games That Offer a 3-2 Payout

Players should avoid tables with 6-5 payout rules. Always.

In a regular game of blackjack, the payout is 3:2. So, if you bet $10 and you get blackjack, you get paid $15. It's easy enough to think as a newcomer that a page out of 6:5 will somehow double that amount, but it doesn't. Under a 6:5 table, if you bet C$10 and you get blackjack, you only walk away with C$12 in winnings.

Don’t Be Afraid to Surrender

Players look at their two-card hands and compare against the dealer. If they know the chances of winning are poor, they still often avoid the surrender and stay in the game to try win their hands. Why?

Surrender can be a smart play if you know which hands to surrender. There are two in which surrender is a smart play:

1. Surrender a hard 16 (but not 8-8) against a dealer nine, 10, or Ace upward.
2. Surrender a hard 15 to a dealer 10 upcard.

Perfect the Art of Doubling Down

Doubling down is a basic blackjack strategy where you make a second bet equal to your first bet. The dealer then gives you an additional card.

This is risky, but it can also increase your payout. Doubling down should only done when you have a statistical advantage against the dealer.

Understand Splitting Strategy

In classic blackjack, you can split cards, but you should only do it under certain circumstances.

Strategically Splitting

You should always split when:

1. You will win more money on average (bold strategy).
2. You will lose less money on average (defensive strategy).
3. You will turn a losing hand into a winning one (offensive strategy).

Learn How to Manage Your Money

Learn the best practices for money management, including calculating the Risk of Ruin (ROR). This comes down to having a sound classic blackjack strategy the necessary bankroll to support it.

Remember, Blackjack is ultimately a mathematical game. With it, players should employ objective, statistically correct decisions that are not influenced by emotions.