Blackjack is one of the most popular casino card games. It is more engaging than a slot machine and less complex than poker, but it still has the excitement and anticipation of a game of cards. A good player can increase his or her odds of winning by learning the basic strategy and fine-tuning it to specific situations. Blackjack is a great game for players of all experience levels.

In a standard blackjack game, each player and the dealer are dealt two cards each. The player’s goal is to have a total card value of 21 or close to it without going over. Aces count as either 1 or 11, face cards as 10, and the rest at their index values.

Each player can choose whether to hit (request more cards) or stand (stop drawing cards) based on the situation and the rules of the game. A player may also split two cards of the same rank, receiving an additional card for each card. In most blackjack games, a player can only split against a dealer’s up card or a 10. In some blackjack variations, splitting is not permitted.

A blackjack table usually has five to seven seats for players. If a seat is empty, the player can assume it’s his or hers for the taking (unless chips or a coat are holding it for a player who just stepped away or unless there is a No-Midshoe Entry policy marked by a sign at the table).

Once the players have decided how to play their hands, the dealer plays according to set rules. The dealer must draw cards until the hand has a total of 17 or higher, and must stand on any total of 16 or lower. The dealer must also take a hit on any two-card total of 12 or below, and must split aces and 10s.

The house edge in blackjack is calculated as the percentage of bets placed that lose to the house. This house edge is different from that in other casino games, such as roulette and craps, which are fixed by the rules of the game. In blackjack, however, the house edge fluctuates throughout a round of play, based on how many aces and tens are left in the deck and on how the dealer plays his or her hand.

A player’s best bet is to double down when the dealer’s up card is 9 or below, and to split aces and 10s. A player should never stand on a hand of 12, because it has the lowest possible total and is more likely to bust than the dealer’s. A player should always stand on a hand of 18 or more, because it has the highest total and is less likely to bust. In some blackjack games, bets on tied hands are lost rather than pushed, which is catastrophic to the player. This rule is not common in traditional blackjack, but it is sometimes used in “blackjack-like” games such as those found in some charity casinos.