The objective of the game is to have your cards totaling twenty-one or as close to 21 without going beyond 21. All play against the dealer (the house) who starts the game by dealing each player with two cards and one card to the house.
BASIC RULES OF THE GAME
Picture cards are counted as 10; ‘Ace’ is considered as either one or eleven. The rest of the cards are considered at face value. If your beginning 2 cards are an Ace with any 10 or picture card, you have Blackjack and can’t draw extra cards.
Blackjack pays 3 to 2 (l½ times your bet). You can’t lose but you could tie if the dealer also has a Blackjack. Blackjack players have all the choices, the house has 1.
PAIR BETS:
An optional ‘pairs’ bet may be laid before getting any cards and will win if both your beginning 2 cards are having the same rank. The payout signage is posted on every table.
SPLIT:
If you are dealt 2 cards with equivalent value, you have the choice of “splitting” them into 2 separate hands. You have to match your original bet if you split. You may split a pair up to three times (making 4 different hands). You can take as many ‘hits’ as you want on every hand apart from when you split aces. Aces can be split only once and will get only one. Card on each of the hands. No more cards can be drawn and can’t divide again even if you get another ace. If you get a picture card, it will be ‘21’, not a Blackjack. Note: Each hand must be finished prior to any cards that may be dealt with the other split hand(s).
Doubling or double down: A participant may select to double any 2 cards (apart from Blackjack and 21) only before receiving the 3rd card to his/her hand. An extra bet, exactly equal to the original bet must be laid and only 1 extra card shall be dealt. You may also ‘double down’ after ‘splitting’ a pair.
Insurance:
When the dealer’s 1st card is an ace, the participant may make an extra wager (any amount up to half your original wager) to secure his/her beginning bet to the Dealer’s possible Blackjack. If the dealer forms Blackjack, the participant’s bet will lose and the insurance bet will be paid 2 to 1. If the dealer is not making Blackjack, the insurance bet loses and the game goes on. When the dealer’s 1st card is an ace and the participant has Blackjack, the player may select to take even money.
Surrender:
The player has the choice to ‘Surrender’ after the first two cards are dealt. If they go for to Surrender, then half of the bet will be lost and cards will be removed. Surrender is not granted when the dealer is displaying an ace as the first card.
Dealer Hand:
Dealer hand stands on 17 points and draw on 16 points exception of dealer card shown soft 17 like hand comprising of an Ace and one or more cards amounting to 6 (Ace +6, Ace +5, etc.) should draw until we obtain 11 as above.
Options
Participants are answerable for the decision to draw extra cards to their own hands.
The dealer shall only perform on-hand signals.
For preventing any misunderstanding or errors, it is essential that ALL participants mention their decisions by means of hand signals.
Surrender is shown by moving the index finger from side to side, behind the cards with palm down and verbal confirmation.
HIT / Draw card is shown by tapping on the table behind the hand where extra card(s) is to be drawn.
STAND is indicated by a little horizontal motion with the open hand, palm down.