BlackJack:

Blackjack, also known as twenty-one or Pontoon, is one of the most popular casino card games in the world. Much of blackjack's popularity is due to the mix of chance with elements of skill, and the publicity that surrounds card counting (keeping track of which cards have been played since the last shuffle).

In Blackjack your basic base stands on the fact that you have to make a hand value that is closer to 21 than that of the dealer withour going over 21. Your hand is strictly played against the hand of the dealer. In Blackjack the cards are valued as : An Ace can either be valued at 1 or 11 as decided in the beginning hand. An Ace can be counted as 1 only in the case to avoid your hand value going above 21.

If your hand value is not going above 21 on taking the value of Ace as either 11 or 1 than the value of Ace is taken as 11. If you hand value is easily lower than 21 on the value of Ace as 11 than is known as "Soft" (hand Value i.e. 17 or 18); but on the other hand if you are forced to take the value of Ace as 1 to limit the hand value below 21 than the hand is known as "hard" hand.

The player's options for playing his or her hand are:

* Hit: Take another card.
* Stand: Take no more cards.
* Double down: Double the wager, take exactly one more card, and then stand.
* Surrender: Forfeit half the bet and give up the hand. Surrender was common during the early- and
mid-20th century, but is no longer offered at most casinos.

The player's turn is over after deciding to stand, doubling down to take a single card, or busting. If the player busts, he or she loses the bet even if the dealer goes on to bust.

After all the players have finished making their decisions, the dealer then reveals his or her hidden hole card and plays the hand. House rules say that the dealer must hit until he or she has at least 17, regardless of what the players have. In most casinos a dealer must also hit a soft 17 (a combination of cards adding up to either 7 or 17, such as an ace and a 6). The felt of the table will indicate whether or not the house hits or stands on a soft 17.