The Dealer’s Hand
The dealer’s hand is scored as the highest possible score after the first cards are dealt. Any Ace in the dealer’s hand is presumed to be worth 11 points.
There is one exception to this rule, and where it exists, it is typically indicated on the surface of the blackjack table itself. If your blackjack table has "Dealer Must Hit on Soft 17" written on its surface, the dealer must get an additional card with a starting hand of Ace-6.
This rule puts players at a disadvantage. Your odds of winning at blackjack improve if you only play blackjack games that force the dealer to stand on a soft 17 score.
When the dealer’s score is less than or equal to 16 points, he is required to take an additional card.
Winning & Losing Hands
When the dealer concludes with a lower score than you and neither have exceeded 21, you win. If your scores are equal, you “push” (tie) and neither wins nor loses. If your score is less than the dealer’s score and he does not go over 21, you lose.
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"Blackjack"
A "blackjack" hand is specified as two starting cards that have a total score of 21. This hand is also called a "natural" 21. Any two-card 21 or natural blackjack hand carries a higher rank than a score of 21 achieved with three or more cards. Thus, if the dealer has 9-6-6=21, and you have K-A=21, you win. This rule forms one of the exceptions to a tie or push bet.
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“Natural Blackjack”
If you receive a natural blackjack, your bet pays off at a better rate than an ordinary winning bet. Almost all blackjack games pay out at a rate of 3-to-2 for a natural blackjack. This means that for a $10 bet, you make $15 rather than the usual $10. To phrase it differently, such a win pays out 150%.
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What if The Dealer’s Up Card is an Ace?
Numerous rules come up once the dealer has an Ace for their up card. Almost all blackjack games offer Even Money bets and Insurance bets. In very rare cases, some games may also extend the Early Surrender rule.
