Blackjack

Blackjack is very similar to the very popular card games 'Pontoon' or '21'. The object of the game is to draw cards to a target of 21 or as near as possible, without going over (or 'bust'). Players are not competing against each other in Blackjack - they are playing against the dealer only.

Card values are as follows: Jack, Queen, King each count as 10. Ace counts as 1 or 11 (whichever best suits your hand at any given time). All other cards are worth their face value.

Each player will place their bet in the box infront of them. The dealer will then deal each player a card face-up, dealing clockwise, starting with the first player and ending with the bank. A second card is then dealt face-up to the players, excluding the bank. The dealer then offers each player, in turn, the opportunity to draw and receive more cards. If they want another card, the players say 'Hit' (these are dealt face-up), otherwise they say "Stand".
The player can draw as many cards as they wish up until they think they have a score closer to 21 than the dealer will make. If a player draws his first two cards of the same number, he may 'split' the two. (A player may only split once), and bet the original stake on both hands. If two aces are split, the player receives only one card on each. If on is a 10, in this instance, it will be reckoned as 21 and not as blackjack.

The dealer then draws his second card face-up. The dealer must draw on 16 or less and stand on 17 or over. If a players total is closer to 21, than the dealers, he wins even money. If the player and the dealer have the same total, then the bank wins. If a player has Blackjack (Ace and any card valued at 10 or over), and the dealer has not, the player receives odds of 3-2. If the dealer has Blackjack and the player has not, but holds cards totalling 21, the player loses his stake.

If both have Blackjack, no money passes. A player may double their stake 'double down' only if their first two cards total 9, 10 or 11, but they can only draw one more card.

The dealer will find more than one deck of cards in the kit. Be sure to use only one pack of cards at a time. Load the deck of cards with the backs facing the players, so when you draw a card from the show it will lay unrevealed, face down on the baize. Change the deck at intervals throughout the evening as required. Before using the new deck, remember to check that you have received all the cards back from the deck previously in use. (This will avoid any player retaining a card by mistake).