Online Blackjack Guide for Indian Players

The game of blackjack has always been a part of any casino, and with the surge of online casinos, online blackjack has become one of the pivotal card games that attracts and entertains. Blackjack, also referred to as 21 (twenty-one), is a table card game that involves the player(s) and the dealer, or the house (the casino). You are given two starting cards that are face up, while the dealer keeps one card face-down and the other face-up. The purpose of blackjack is for you to get the highest hand possible up to 21 or beat the dealer’s hand. This way, you will be able to double the amount you wagered with. In terms of the card values, all values are the same as their face-number, with the exception of the J, Q, and K which stand for 10 points, and the Ace(s), which stand for your choice of 1 or 11.

There are several house rules, as well as player options that you should become familiar with. Learn about the different types of online blackjack games at different online casino like Royal Panda and Betway; all of which welcome Indian players. Some of the casinos listed also have our favorite variety, live dealer blackjack, where attractive female dealers deal the hand live via a webcam.

Best Sites for Online Blackjack

Blackjack Rules

There is one rule that will always be present at any blackjack table, Hit or Stand on Soft 17. A soft 17 is when the dealer has a value of 17, but one of the cards in his hand is an Ace. There will be tables where the dealer must hit on a soft 17, while at other card tables the dealer will simply stand on soft 17. This is important for you to know, as it could affect your advantage over the house if you do not play in the right manner.

The golden rule in blackjack online and offline is that that dealer must stop taking hits if they have a hand with a value of 17 or higher, and the soft 17 rule makes an exception to that.

Blackjack Player Options

When you play online blackjack, you will be given several different options that you will use to play including, Hit, Stand, Split, Double, and the sucker bet, Insurance.

Hit Option: Taking a ‘hit’ means that you are requesting an additional card from the deck in hopes of getting a value close to 21, if not 21 (the best hand) in order to beat the dealer’s hand. You can use this option after the round has started and with any combination of cards.

Stand Option: When you choose to ‘Stand’ it means that you are satisfied, or don’t want to risk busting (going over 21 and losing), with your current hand and will then bet your current hand against that of the dealer’s to come. This option can also be used at any time during your turn, but once it is used, you will pass the turn over to the next player or the dealer.

Double Option: The Double option allows you to place an additional wager on your cards, the same amount as your first wager in exchange for one additional card. You will only be able to use this option once per hand, and you will receive only one card, so use this option carefully.

Split Option: This option can only be used when you have a paired hand. In other words, your hand must have two cards of the same value; like two 8’s or Q’s, etc. You would use this option to split those two cards into two separate hands, where you would play on them as you would normally. Unless you have a pair of Aces, you will be able to use any of the player options to play.

Insurance, a Suckers Option

Insurance is used when the dealer is showing an Ace. This gives the dealer a chance of having a 21, and the house gives players the chance of putting insurance on their initial wager. You would pay half of your initial wager as insurance, and if you win, you get paid 2:1 on your insurance, but still lose your initial wager. If you lose, you lose your insurance, but would continue to play as normal since the dealer does not have a 21.

This is a sucker’s option, since you will never win any money if you use this option. Many believe that it is not worth the trouble to place insurance on a dealer’s Ace, since if it is a 21, they will still lose their initial wager; they will end up even. On the other hand, they will lose half of their money if the dealer does not have a 21. Either way you will lose or come up even, but will never be able to win any money using the insurance option.

Types of Online Blackjack

At various different online casinos, like Royal Panda and Betway there are different types of online blackjack game variants that are offered to you.

At Royal Panda:
• Blackjack
• Blackjack Surrender
• Blackjack Surrender Multihand
• Multihand Blackjack
• Live Blackjack

At Betway:
• Blackjack
• Blackjack Switch

Blackjack House Odds

Blackjack is a very statistical game, and as such there are certain odds that will give you a slight advantage or disadvantage. Most of the time it depends on the number of decks that are used that help determine the house odds.
• 1 Deck: +0.02%
• 2 Decks: -0-31%
• 3 Decks: -0.43%
• 4 Decks:-0.48%
• 5 Decks:-0.52%
• 6 Decks:-0.54%

As the number of decks increase, the chances of you winning go down, while the house odds go up. This is referred to as Player Advantage. The lower the percentage, the lower your odds of winning are.

Blackjack Strategy

There are certain strategies that can help out an average blackjack player increase their own chances of winning, for instance knowing when to hit, stand, double, and split your cards.

When to Hit:
• Dealer is showing a 2 through 4 when your hand is 4 – 9.
• Dealer is showing a 7 or higher when your hand is a 6 or less.
• Dealer is showing a 7 or higher when your hand is a Hard Hand of 12 – 16.
• When you have a Soft Hand of 15 or less.
• Dealer is showing a 7 or higher when your hand is a Soft Hand of 16 – 18.

When to Stand:
• If you have a Hard Hand of 17 – 21.
• Dealer is showing a 6 or less when your hand is a Hard Hand of 12 – 16.
• If you have a Soft Hand of 19 or higher.

When to Double:
• Double when you have a hand of 10 or 11 if the dealer has a card of lesser value.
• Double when you have a hand of 9 if the dealer is showing a hand of 3 through 6.
• Double when you have a Soft Hand of 16 – 18 if the dealer is showing a 6 or less.

When to Split:
• Always split 8 and Aces.
• Never split 4, 5, 10 or face cards.
• Split the other pairs if the dealer is showing a hand of 6 or less.