The aces are worth either 1 or 11 points. At the beginning of the game, the player will make a bet, then both him and the dealer receive two cards. Both of the player's cards are face-up, while one of the dealer's is face-up, and the other face-down. After the deal, the player has several options: he can stand if he is satisfied with his cards, hit or receive extra cards until he is satisfied or busts (exceeds 21 points), he can also double the initial bet and get one more card, or split in case he has a pair. Some casinos also offer the option of surrendering: if the player thinks he is about to loose, he can give up half his bet after the first two cards. The dealer has no choices, he must follow the casino rules, that usually say he has to hit until he gets 17 points or more. A winning blackjack (a hand that totals 21) pays 3:2, while any other winning hands pays even money. Blackjack has different variations, and the rules for the game are not the same at each online casino, so it is wise to read them before you start to play, and make sure you understand them, since certain rules can be a disadvantage for the player.

The most important thing to learn if you are planning to play blackjack is basic strategy. This is a chart that will offer you the optimal way of playing each hand, and it will tell you what to do at every step in the game. If you play online, all you have to do is to have the chart in front of you and apply the instructions. This strategy was created and perfected through the simulation of millions of hands, and it contains the most advantageous decisions you could make, so you should follow it exactly. It does not guarantee that you win every hand, but on the long run the solutions it offers are the best. Using the optimal strategy, you can reduce the house edge to less than 1%. When you learn basic strategy, make sure that it applies to the same set of rules under which you will be playing the game, because there are different versions of the strategy chart according to the rules.

Card counting is one of the most exciting and renowned blackjack strategies. If it is done well, it can actually give the player a small edge over the house. Contrary to what many people believe, you do not have to keep track of each and every dealt card. Most counting techniques assign a value of +1, -1 or 0 to the cards, and the player will keep a running count as the cards are dealt. Based on this, he is able to evaluate what kind of cards are left in the deck, and adjust his strategy accordingly. A deck rich in tens and aces is good for the player, because he has more chances of getting a blackjack. If the count is favorable to him, he can place larger bets and win larger amounts. Of course this still doesn't mean that he will win all the time, because the distribution of the cards in the deck will be random.

Card counting is not an easy technique, and on top of that, land-based casinos do their best to prevent gamblers from using it, so asides from being very attentive and keeping track of what is happening at the table you would also need to appear a casual player in order to succeed. While counting without any helping devices is by no means illegal, casinos hate to loose their profit, so if they suspect someone of counting, they will shuffle the cards more often, ask the player to leave, or even ban him. As far as online gambling goes, card counting is unlikely to be beneficial to your game. Of course, there is no casino personnel to observe how you play, but the software will automatically reshuffle the decks after each game, so there is not much point in counting cards.

Instead, you should focus on choosing a game that offers the best situation for you. Try to find one that is played with a low number of decks, and where the dealer stands on soft 17. Having the option to surrender is also a beneficial rule to the player, even when he just uses basic strategy. You should not place any side bets or pay insurance, because these have worse odds. You should also check the payouts for blackjack; if they are lower than 3:2, it is definitely not worth playing that game. Some online casinos offer bonuses for blackjack, or allow you to clear your welcome bonus by playing this game. If you use basic strategy and you look for a bonus with decent conditions, you have a chance of getting at least a proportion of the casino's money.

Online blackjack is a fun game to play, one where you actually have strategies and techniques that will help you improve your chances of winning. It offers better odds than many other casino games from the start and if you choose the right place to play at, you actually have a chance of beating the dealer. Of course winning isn't easy and you will need to study how it's played and learn about it in order to be successful, but you will surely have a great time doing this and it will probably become one of your favorite games.