Blackjack

Surely everyone who has ever picked up a pack of cards played the game "21"? This perennial favourite has captured the imagination of the gambling public for decades. The game's blend of chance and skill has carved itself a place in the casino gambling hall of fame. 

Blackjack received a boost recently with the release of the Hollywood blockbuster "21". This great movie focused on one aspect of the game - card counting. While there's no doubt that card counters do have an advantage in playing the game, it's probably exaggerated, and most of the game comes down to skill, luck and raw nerves.

The game is played player to dealer, with each receiving two cards. Both of the player's cards are dealt face up, but you only see the dealer's first card, the second dealt face down. The object of the game is to hold a card point total closest to the magic 21 as possible. After receiving his cards, the player then announces "hit" to receive another card from the dealer, or "hold", to receive no more cards. If the player asks to be hit, and his total exceeds 21, then the dealer wins automatically.

After the player holds, the dealer flips his hidden card, and he can also deal himself further cards, as required. After this round of dealing, the player with the total closest to 21 is the winner. If both players score the same total point count, then the house wins. This is called the house advantage, and it's the reason why the casino makes money in the long run, even if it's only a very small percentage of the money trading hands.

There are other rules such as splitting and buying insurance, but these are for advanced play. Learn the basics first, and then you'll be in the best position to advance your game to a higher level. Good luck!