Blackjack: Rules and How to Play
Blackjack is a card game for 1 to 6 players, about 15 minutes, each playing against the dealer. Chips are just points — no real money is used. Free, in-browser, no account.
Setup
- Chips are points. They cannot be bought, cashed out or carried over.
- One to six players, each playing head-to-head against the dealer (players do not compete with each other). The dealer is not a seat; it draws automatically by the rules.
- A 52-card deck (6 decks by default; 1 to 8 by setting). No jokers.
- At the start of a round, each player in seat order chooses how many chips to place (at least 10, in steps of 10).
- Once everyone has placed chips, you get two cards and the dealer gets one face up and one face down. Players' cards are dealt face up for everyone to see.
How to play
- Two cards totalling 21 is a blackjack and settles automatically (your chips come back at 3:2).
- On your turn, choose hit (take another card), stand (stop), double (double the chips you placed and take exactly one more card) or split (split two cards of the same rank into two hands). Depending on the settings, surrender (give up the hand and get half your chips back) may also be offered.
- Going over 21 is a bust and loses right away. A total that counts an ace as 11 is shown as Soft.
- When the dealer's face-up card is an ace, you may take insurance (place another half of your chips on the side). If the dealer has blackjack, it comes back at 2:1.
- The dealer draws automatically until reaching 17 or more (by default the dealer stops on a soft 17). If no hands are left to compare (everyone busted, for example), the dealer just reveals the hole card and draws nothing.
Winning and scoring
- Remaining hands are compared to the dealer's total; the one closer to 21 wins.
- Blackjack pays 3:2, a plain win pays 1:1, and a tie (push) returns your chips.
- The game ends after the agreed number of rounds, or once everyone is out of chips. The biggest pile of chips wins.
- Playing solo: ending with more chips than you started is a win, fewer is a loss, and the same is a draw.
Defaults on this site
| Item | Default on this site |
|---|---|
| Players | 1–6 players (set automatically by the party size) |
| Turn time limit | None by default (the host can set 30 or 60 seconds) |
| If someone drops mid-game | Reopening on the same device returns you to your seat. If you do not return, the CPU plays in your place. |
| Draws | In ranked play, a draw counts as halfway between a win and a loss for your rating. |
| Source of the rules | Based on the standard reference rules |
Rules supervised by Qdan, Inc. (based on the standard reference rules)
House rules
Defaults follow the standard reference rules. The party can change these.
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck countDeck countThe shoe is the stack of several decks shuffled together. Fewer decks make it easier to read what is left from what has been dealt, which slightly favours the player. Some tables use 6 to 8 decks. | How many decks are in the shoe. | 6 decks | Yes |
| Dealer drawsDealer drawsA soft 17 is a 17 that counts an ace as 11 (such as A and 6). With Stands (S17) the dealer stops there; with Hits (H17) the dealer draws another card. H17 makes the dealer stronger and is slightly worse for players. | Whether the dealer stands or hits on soft 17. | Stands (S17) | Yes |
| Blackjack paysBlackjack paysA blackjack is an ace plus a ten-value card as your first two cards. At 3:2 you win 1.5 times the chips you placed; at 6:5 you win 1.2 times (your chips come back as well). 6:5 is worse for players; 3:2 is the standard payout. | The payout for a two-card 21. | 3:2 | Yes |
| Double after splitDouble after splitDoubling means doubling the chips you placed and taking exactly one more card; splitting means dividing a matching pair into two hands. When allowed, you can double on a hand made by splitting, which helps the player. Hands from split aces cannot double. | Whether you can double on a hand made by splitting. | Allowed | Yes |
| SurrenderSurrenderSurrender lets you give up after seeing your first two cards and get half your chips back when the hand looks hopeless. Late surrender means you can do it only after the dealer has checked for blackjack. It is not available with European rules (no hole card). | Whether you can give up half your chips on your first two cards. | Off | Yes |
| InsuranceInsuranceInsurance means placing half your chips again, offered when the dealer shows an ace, in case the dealer has blackjack. It pays 2:1 if the dealer has blackjack and is lost otherwise. Over time it tends to lose chips. | Whether insurance is offered when the dealer shows an ace. | On | Yes |
| Hole cardHole cardIn American rules the dealer takes a face-down hole card and, showing an ace or a ten-value card, peeks for blackjack first. If it is blackjack the round ends at once, so you never lose extra chips from doubles or splits. European rules have no hole card, so a dealer blackjack at the end takes those extra chips too. | American rules (peek) or European rules (no hole card). | American (peek) | Yes |
| Split rangeSplit rangeSplitting divides your first two cards into two hands when they match, adding more chips for the second hand. Same rank only allows pairs like K and K; Any ten-value cards also allows ten-point cards that differ, like K and Q. | Same rank only, or any two ten-value cards (e.g. K and Q). | Same rank only | Yes |
| Max split hands | The most hands you can split into. | 4 hands | Yes |
| Resplit acesResplit acesAfter splitting aces, each hand gets just one more card and stops. When allowed, if that card is another ace you may split again, up to the hand limit. It slightly favours the player. | Whether a split ace can be split again. | Not allowed | Yes |
| Starting chips | What everyone starts with. Chips cannot be bought or cashed out. | 1,000 | Yes |
| Max chips per round | The most you can place in one round (min 10, steps of 10). | 200 | Yes |
| Rounds | The game ends after this many rounds. | 10 rounds | Yes |
| Top up | What happens to a player who runs out of chips. | Off | Yes |
Terms
- Hit
- Take another card.
- Stand
- Stop taking cards.
- Double
- Double the chips you placed and take exactly one more card.
- Split
- Split two cards of the same rank into two hands.
- Bust
- Going over 21 — an automatic loss.
- Soft
- A hand counting an ace as 11.
FAQ
What is a blackjack?
A two-card hand totalling 21. It pays 3:2 by default (6:5 by setting). A 21 made after a split does not count as a blackjack.
What is a bust?
Going over 21 — an automatic loss. An ace is counted as 1 automatically to keep you at 21 or under, but if you still go over, it's a bust.
What are double and split?
Double doubles the chips you placed and deals you exactly one more card; split turns two cards of the same rank into two hands, each getting one more card. You can split up to four hands.
What is insurance?
When the dealer shows an ace, you can place another half of your chips on the side. If the dealer has blackjack, it comes back at 2:1; otherwise those chips are lost.
What is surrender?
When turned on in the settings, you can choose it only on your first two cards: you give up the hand and get half your chips back. It is not available without a hole card (European rules).
Play now with these rules
Last updated 2026-09-23 · Run by Qdan, Inc.