Two Different Styles of Blackjack

Two different styles of blackjack are played in casinos. Single or double deck pitch games are dealt directly from the dealer's hand. Games with four to eight decks of cards are dealt from a shoe rather than being held by the dealer.

The rules that the particular casino uses are not posted anywhere on the table. If you are in Atlantic City, every casino uses the same basic rules as set by the Casino Control Commission. In Nevada, the rules vary from casino to casino and may even be different in the same casino. The Mississippi casinos use yet a different variation of playing rules, as do most international casinos. The only way to be certain of the exact rules is to ask about the rules

To begin a new round of play, the dealer will shuffle the cards and, after the shuffle, will ask a player to cut the deck by placing a plastic cut card in the deck.

The dealer finishes the cut and places the cut card in a position usually two-thirds to three-fourths from the top card. The depth of the placement is known as the penetration. This means that from two-thirds to three-fourths of the cards will be put into play before the dealer reshuffles.

After the shuffle, the dealer will take the top card and place it in the discard tray. This card is called the burn card and the procedure is called burning a card.

Each player who wants to wager must place a bet in the circle in front of him on the table. The dealer will deal cards starting from his left to right. Each player, as well as the dealer, will receive

a card in turn until each person has two cards.

The first card dealt the dealer is placed face down so that it is not visible to the players. This is called the dealer's hole card. The second card dealt the dealer is dealt face up and is called the dealer's up-card.

When casinos deal either single or double deck games, the cards are usually dealt face down. In these games, the player is permitted to pick up his cards. In games using multiple decks dealt from a box called a shoe, the player's cards are dealt face up. In these games players are not permitted to touch the cards.

After all the players and the dealers have received two cards, the dealer will ask each player, starting from his left and moving clockwise to the right, if he or she wants additional cards. A player may decide to just keep the two original cards and stand. He may ask for as many additional cards as he wants, called taking a hit. He also has other options such as surrendering, doubling down, splitting pairs, or in some instances, taking insurance.

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