Blackjack is a card game where the player competes with the dealer to make a hand total that is closest to 21 without going over. All cards have a numerical value, with face cards counting as 10 and aces count as either one or 11 at the player’s discretion. Dealers are also given two cards and may draw or stand according to predefined rules. In the end, whoever has a higher hand total wins. If a player busts they lose their original bet.
Dealing cards in a casino requires attention to detail, memory skills and the ability to interact with players. Dealers must be able to manage multiple hands of blackjack simultaneously and know the rules, hand totals, and payouts. A dealer who doesn’t understand these aspects can be detrimental to the gaming experience and the casino’s profits. Dealer training is important to ensure that all aspects of the game are understood.
To start a blackjack game, players place their bets in the betting areas marked on the table. Each player is then dealt two cards while the dealer receives one card faced up and the other faced down. The players then decide whether to ’hit,’ meaning take another card, or ’stand,’ or to keep their current hand. If a player’s first two cards add up to 21, they win the game and get paid 1.5 times their initial bet.
Those who choose to hit will need to pay close attention to the content of the dealer’s up card, which determines how they play their hand. Expert players will not hesitate to hit a pair of 6s against a dealer’s 8, for example, or will double down when the opportunity arises. Novices, on the other hand, tend to be more conservative and will often miss opportunities to maximize their winnings.
When all the players have acted, the dealer will check their hole card (using a special viewing window in the table) to see if they have a ten underneath, which means that they have a blackjack and they will win everyone’s insurance wagers. Then the dealer will pay out those who have won, and the game will proceed as normal.
If you’re interested in becoming a blackjack dealer, it’s important to know that there are many different casino dealer schools across the country that offer courses to train students for this role. However, you should only attend a dealer school that has been approved by the casino where you intend to work. This way you can be sure that you will have the best possible chance of being hired for this position once you finish your training. Often, casinos will also provide additional guidance to their new dealers after they’ve been hired, which is usually helpful for the first few months on the job. This helps them to acclimate to the company’s specific procedures and protocols for dealing blackjack. This guidance can help the dealer to perform their role more effectively and provide a better customer experience.