Learn how to beat the dealer and play the game with the best advantage to the player in the casino. After reading our blackjack guide we strongly suggest playing our free blackjack game where you can play for free and get yourself familiar with the most popular casino game around.

For the player your objective in blackjack is to get as many cards as close to 21 without going bust (e.g. by going over 21). At first the player and the dealer is dealt an initial card. The game of blackjack is split between face cards and other cards which represent there number. A face card is either a jack, queen, or king and each of these is worth 10 points to either player or dealer. Another card of note is the Ace card, in blackjack the Ace card can represent 2 numbers it can be used as either the low number of 1 or as a high card of 11. So for example if dealt an Ace and an 8 this can either represent a 9 or a 19 depending on how you want to play your cards. Trust me on this one if you are dealt an Ace and an 8 you want to keep it a 19

Should the player and the dealer (house) be dealt the exact the same cards this will be a tie and no one will win or lose, it can also be referred to as "push" . The odds for blackjack are 1:1 of your bet unless you hit blackjack. So for example if you bet £10 and you win you willl automatically win £10. Should you get blackjack unless you tie with the dealer you will get odds of 1/5. So for your £10 bet you will win £15.

So how to win? well the object of the game is straight forward you need to beat the dealer at blackjack without busting. So you go bust if you go over 21, for example having a Q, 9 calling another card which is above 3 will bust you as you now have a total card count of 23.

Before receiving any cards players must place a wager. Then the players are dealt two cards face up. The dealer gets one face up, one face down. Each player in turn either stays or takes more cards to try and get closer to 21 without busting. Players who do not bust wait for the dealer's turn. When all the players are done, the dealer turns up the last card. By rule, on counts of 17 or higher the dealer must stand; on counts of 16 or lower the dealer must draw another card.

To hit blackjack you must get a total of twenty one with the first two cards that have been dealt. If a player automatically hits blackjack they will win 1.5 times the size of there original bet. If in this situation the dealer also hits blackjack this will be a "push" and the player will not win any money but get his orginal wager back.

Should the other players at the table have a higher card count than the dealer they will all win, the amount that the players will win be 100% of there original bet. Should the dealer have a higher card count than the other players, the dealer will win. There are 5 additional betting options that the players have. They are as follows Inurance, Split, Double down, Even Money and Surrender.

Insurance: Should you opt for insurance this will be a bet which will be 50% of your original wager against the dealer having 21. The only time that you can use "insurance" is when the dealers first card is an Ace, should the dealer then draw a 10 and make a "blackjack" as the player has taken out insurance he will not lose the game but win and get his winnings paid at odds of 2:1.

Surrender: If you are given the option to surrender is means that you will be allowed to give up your hand and lose 50% of your initial wager.

Early Surrender: this is the same as surrender and it when you are allowed to give up your hand before the dealer checks for 21.

Late Surrender: the dealer first checks to see if he has blackjack. If he does, surrender is not permitted

Double Down: this allows you to double you wager after you have been dealt two cards. You are normally only allowed to receive one more card. A situation where you would "double down" is when your first two cards add up to 10 or 11 as these are the two strongest positions to be in .

Even Money: cashing in your bet immediately at a 1:1 payout ratio when you are dealt a natural blackjack and the dealer's showing card is an Ace. .

Split Hand: after you have been dealt your initial two cards if they are matching e.g. (8,8) or (10,10) you can choose to split the cards and play them as separate hands. Should you choose to split your cards you will need to place a bet which is equal to your existing wager.

Without basic strategy 7% average.

With basic strategy 0.5% or less. .

Card counting can reverse the advantage up to 1% to the player