Classic blackjack is the purest form of blackjack, and one of the most popular. It is simple, fun, and easy to understand. A good player can also employ a sound strategy and win money at it.

The rules of the game are simple: A player is trying to get as close to 21 without going over and have a combined card value that beats the dealers.

Classic blackjack is played with one deck of cards and does not allow multihand play. This differs from many other versions of casino blackjack that use multiple decks and multihand play.

Here is how it works:
The player places a bet. The dealer gives the player two cards and himself two cards. One of the dealer’s cards is face down. The player then has to gauge the strength of his or her hand against the dealer’s potential hand.

The player has two ways to win automatically – the dealer busts, going over 21, or the player has Blackjack, which is an ace and a card worth 10. (The dealer and player “push” if they have the same hand, and bets are returned). A blackjack pays 3-2 return while any other winning hand returns even money.

In classic blackjack as in all blackjack, suits or the cards are meaningless. Aces have a value of 1 or 11; face cards (kings, queens and jacks) are all worth 10 and cards 2-10 are worth face value.

While you can only play one hand at a time, there are additional ways to make money.

Double down – a player can double down when his card values total 9 through 11. The player then draws one more card and stands. It is equal to the value of the original bet.

Another way to get more action is the split bet. Players can do this when they are dealt a pair. A player can split only once per hand, and the value of the bet for the split is the same as the initial bet. However, blackjack is not allowed even of the player splits two aces and catches two 10-value cards. This is merely a 21.

Players can also buy insurance if the dealer is showing an ace. If the dealer has blackjack, the player’s insurance is paid off at 2-1.

The basics are simple; the dealer will stand on 17 or better. Once you have been dealt your initial two cards, you can continue to take more cards until you bust or reach a number that is playable. Remember, aces can be 1s or 11s so you have more options when dealt an ace.

Your total has to beat the dealer’s without going over 21.

So your options after initial deal are stand; hit to get another card; split if you have a pair; double down on totals of 9, 10 and 11. From there the game will play out.

There are many strategy guides available to help a player determine which hands to play, and many charts that can easily be followed. And by learning to count cards, you can increase your odds to win. Classic blackjack is available in most live casinos as well as online, and it is a fun game to play. Players should consider playing for free online to get a feel of the game before investing real money or going to a casino.

Either way, classic blackjack is just that – classic.