If the first two cards a player (or the dealer) is dealt are an ace and a 10 (or face card), that's a blackjack (sometimes called a 'natural'), and it pays players (but not the dealer) 3-to-2 instead of the usual even money. Numbered cards are worth their number, and face cards are worth 10.

The suit of the cards means nothing in blackjack, though it's fun to say 'Hey, look, a flush!' and watch the dealer roll his eyes. Take into account the free drinks and you could say we've found a pastime that's profitable as well as entertaining. The casinos don't care if players coach each other, and a friendly dealer will even offer some help (most of 'em are friendly).īlackjack is well known as the only casino game in which a skilled player, under the right circumstances, can actually gain an edge over the 'house.' 'Skilled,' of course, is a euphemism for 'card counting,' but even without keeping track of the cards played, a player using the correct basic strategy can whittle the casino's advantage to almost nothing, and Jacqueline and I have found that we generally break even over the long haul.

(When you take pains to leave no question unanswered, anything can soundĬomplicated.) Best advice: Read my guide through once and try to memorize the basic strategy, but play alongside a friend or loved one who knows the game until you have it mastered. For example, providing tips in the form of chips is better done at the end of a gaming session, so as not to interrupt the flow of the game, whereas placing a bet on behalf of the dealer will obviously happen during gameplay.Blackjack is a simple game, it really is - despite the length of this treatise. When to tip the dealer largely depends on what type of tipping style the player ends up choosing. Other options include either tipping 10% on every win or a set regular amount. Similarly with chip tips, the amount chosen is generally the minimum table stake. Others will simply do something called a “tip bet.”Īs its name connotes, a tip bet is one where the player makes a bet for the dealer so that if their hand wins, the dealer receives what the player would have won. Some players will leave a chip on the edge of the table following a round and alert the dealer that the chip is for them. Learning when and how to tip the dealer is more straightforward than most think, and can be done in a variety of ways. Often times, players may desire to tip their Blackjack dealer following a game but questions concerning the process’ ins and outs loom in their minds and they eventually leave without leaving a gratuity. All casino goers know that Live Blackjack takes place when facilitated by a trained dealer.

How much to tip dealers in blackjack