The Definitive Blackjack Cheat Sheet For 2023

Blackjack Card Values

One of the best aspects of blackjack is that the type of card you’re dealt doesn’t really matter. The aim of the game is to get as close to 21 as possible while still beating the dealer’s hand. It doesn’t matter if you have two hearts, a heart and a spade, a 10 and a three – it’s the numerical value of the cards that matter. 

Cards numbered from two [2] up to 10 are the same value as their number i.e. a two of spades if worth two. Face cards (jacks, queens, and kings) all carry a value of 10 and, when it comes to blackjack card values, the ace really is tops because it can be valued at one [1] or 11. This gives you options and makes the ace a card you definitely want in your hand. 

Blackjack Rules

The best place to start with any game is the rules. Blackjack rules are, and should always be, the basis for any blackjack game. Let’s take a look at certain common terms, what they mean, and how you can add it to your blackjack cheat sheet.

• Busting

  • ‘Bust’ is never a word you want to hear in blackjack – it means your time at the table hasn’t gone well. If the player goes bust, they have already lost their wager, even if the dealer goes bust as well. 

• Hard vs Soft Hand

  • The difference between a hard hand and a soft hand is whether or not you have an ace up your sleeve … or in your hand. If one of the cards in your hand is an ace, you have a soft hand. An ace can be counted as either one [1] or 11 and, if you have a soft hand, it means your chances of busting are almost zero.

• Chip Value

  • Chip values can differ from casino to casino but, generally, a white chip is worth $1, red is $5, green is $25, black is $100, purple is $500, and orange is $1,000.

• Hitting Rules

  • Two of the most important words in online blackjack real money are ‘hit’ and ‘stand’. ‘To hit’ tells the dealer you want an extra card. You can do this verbally, by tapping the table, or, in the case of an online casino, most blackjack variants will have a ‘hit’ and ‘stand’ buttons. ‘To stand’ means you are happy with your cards and that your turn has ended.

• Pair Splitting Rules

  • Basic strategy and rules indicate that, if you are dealt a pair of identically ranked initial cards, you are allowed to split them into separate hands and ask for a new second card for each while placing a full initial bet identical to the original wager with each.

• Doubling Down Rules

  • ‘Doubling down’ is another common blackjack action where, on your original two cards, you can double your bet before the dealer gives you another card and you place another bet equal to the first. 

• Surrender Rules

  • If the cards are not in your favor, you can surrender and half of your original bet is returned to the stack, while the other half is forfeited to the dealer.