The blackjack shoe is a dealing device designed to hold multiple decks and control the pace of play. Its name comes from its early resemblance to a type of footwear, and its introduction changed how the game is dealt and how players approach it.
Blackjack and pontoon share a common ancestor in the old game of twenty-one, but they are not the same game. The name difference reflects how the game evolved separately in Britain and America.
Going over 21 in blackjack is called a bust, and it means the hand loses immediately regardless of what the dealer does next. Learn why the rule exists and how it shapes every decision at the table.
Going over 21 in blackjack is called a bust, and it means the hand loses immediately. Here is how the rule works, what causes it, and how it shapes every decision at the table.
The name blackjack comes from an old promotional payout for a specific two-card hand. Today the game and the number 21 are used interchangeably, but the rules have drifted from that original bonus.
What the term 'call' means at a blackjack table, how a hand is played, and where verbal announcements fit into the sequence of a round.
The person who deals the cards at a blackjack table is called a dealer, but the role involves far more than passing out hands. Learn what dealers do, how a round flows around them, and the terms players use for the people behind the table.
The game of blackjack is widely known as 21, a name that comes from the hand total players are trying to reach. This article explains where both names come from and how the game is played.
