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The Blackjack Dealer Plays His Hand |
When you play Blackjack you are essentially playing against the dealer so you need to understand how the dealer plays his hand. The process is actually very simple and straight forward, but it’s important to understand how this part of the game is played so you know what is going on at every turn and so you can respond accordingly. Luckily, in Blackjack the dealer is required to play his or her hand in a very specific way, so once you know how it works you’ll always know what to expect.
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The Dealers Hand |
When you visit a casino you will find that the dealer must draw to a specific number. You can usually find this information posted right on or around the Blackjack tabletop. The most common rule is that the dealer will stand on all 17’s. What this means is that the dealer will continue to take cards into his or her hand until they hit 17. In addition, an ace in a dealers hand is usually considered to be 11, when possible, unless it will make the dealers hand go over 21. Even if the dealer has 16 in his hand he will hit again if he or she is dealing at a stand on all 17’s table.
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When the Delaer has to take another card (hit) |
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Dealer has 16 and must take another card |
In the example above the Dealer has a 16 and must take another card. It is reasonable to assume that the dealer will draw a 6 or greater and bust (have greater than 21).
Outcome:
Another common table rule is that the dealer hits on soft 17’s (Not at Dublin Bet or Vegas Red). This rule is the same as the first rule, but the dealer will continue to hit on a soft total of 17. What this means is that the ace has been used as a one in the hand instead of an 11, and so the dealer will continue to hit on these hands until they have a soft 18 a hard 17 or higher. Again, you will be able to determine what sort of table you are playing at when you sit down as it is usually clearly noted.
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When the Delaer has to stand. (Not take another card) |
There are times when the dealer has to stand. Usually in stnadard blackjack rules the player has to stand on 17 or greater.
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Dealer must stand regardless of what the players have. |
What is important to understand about the dealer’s hand is that he or she has to play it exactly as is dictated by the casino, there are no other options. The dealer cannot decide to split pairs or hold on less than 17, instead the dealer is required to hit until he or she reaches seven or busts by going over the all important number 21.
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If you are wondering how this information can help you, it helps because you can create your strategy around it. When will you hit, when will you hold, you’ll base all of this information on the dealers hand and when you know when they are required to keep hitting it will allow you to determine if you should go ahead and hit again or if you should hold. Remember, in Blackjack you are not playing against the other players at the table, instead you are playing against the dealer’s hand, so when they hit and when they hold is important to your overall strategy. Make sure you take note of the rules when you sit down at any given Blackjack table so you have the advantage.
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