Free Classic · rules

Blackjacktwenty-one

Twenty-one with no real money and no nasty surprises. Blackjack is the only casino game where a correct decision exists for every situation — and it can be learned.

Goal of the game

Beat the dealer’s hand without going over 21.

You do not play against the other players: each hand only faces the dealer’s. Going over 21 is a bust, and you lose immediately — even if the dealer busts afterwards.

Card values

Cards from 2 to 10 are worth their number.
Jack, Queen and King are worth 10.
The Ace is worth 1 or 11, whichever suits you. It switches value on its own, at any time.
A hand with an Ace counted as 11 is called soft: it cannot bust on the next card, since the Ace will drop back to 1.
A natural blackjack — an Ace and a ten-value card as your first two cards — pays 3 to 2 and beats any 21 made with three cards.

How a hand plays out

You place a bet, then get two cards face up. The dealer gets two, only one of them visible.
Hit: take one more card. As many times as you like, up to 21 or beyond.
Stand: stop there and let the dealer play.
Double down: double your bet and receive exactly one card, then stop. Only allowed on your first two cards.
Split: with a pair, split it into two hands, each with its own bet.
The dealer then draws until reaching at least 17, then stops. The dealer has no freedom of choice.

Basic strategy

It fits in a few lines, and it transforms the game.
You have 17 or more: stand, always.
You have 12 to 16: stand if the dealer shows 2 to 6 (the dealer may bust), hit if the dealer shows 7 or more.
You have 11 or less: hit, always. You cannot bust.
Double on 11 every time, and on 10 unless the dealer shows a 10 or an Ace.
Always split Aces and 8s. Never split 10s or 5s: you would break a hand that is already strong.

Insurance, and why to refuse it

When the dealer shows an Ace, insurance is offered: half your bet, paying 2 to 1 if the dealer has blackjack.
The maths is simple: the dealer would need a ten-value card more than one time in three for the bet to pay off. That is not the case.
Insurance is the worst bet at the table. Refuse it, even with a blackjack in hand.

The mistakes that cost the most

Playing on hope rather than on the dealer’s card. The dealer’s up card drives almost all your decisions.
Standing on 16 against a 10. It loses: you have to hit, unpleasant as it is.
Splitting 10s. Twenty is an excellent hand. Breaking it in two is the best way to end up with two mediocre ones.
Taking insurance. See above.
Believing in streaks. Cards have no memory, and no win is ever “due”.

Virtual chips

No money ever enters this game: chips are virtual and cannot be bought.
The optional Level Farm Pass buys no chips, no refills and no advantage. It syncs your progress and opens the leaderboard.
So there is nothing to win or lose except the pleasure of playing your hand well.

Controls

Keyboard and mouse

Hit, Stand, Double and Split buttons under the table; only legal moves are active.
Tab and Enter activate the selected button.
Place your chips on the betting spot first, then deal.

Touch screen

Tap a chip to add it to the bet, tap the bet to remove it.
The actions appear at the bottom as soon as the cards are dealt.
With two players, each plays their own seat in turn on the same device.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Ace worth in blackjack?

1 or 11, as you prefer, and the value adjusts automatically. A hand with an Ace counted as 11 is called soft: it cannot bust on the next card.

When should you double down?

On 11 in every case, and on 10 when the dealer shows 9 or lower. Doubling on a weak hand in the hope of a good card is a bad bet.

Should you take insurance?

No. Mathematically it is the worst bet at the table, even when you have a blackjack yourself.

Can the dealer choose to stop?

No. The dealer draws to at least 17, then stops, with no room for decision. That is what makes basic strategy calculable.

Can you win money?

No, and that is on purpose. Chips are virtual, cannot be bought and convert into nothing. The game is free, ad-free and playable offline.

Play Blackjack

More classics, free as well

Checkers — the 10×10 board, mandatory captures and the majority rule
Minesweeper — the grid, the flags, the timer
Dominoes — twenty-eight tiles, the line to extend