Tips for the Best Blackjack Etiquette
All games have rules and procedures and for players to enjoy a good game of Blackjack it is best for everyone involved to know these important facts. So, the first tip for Blackjack etiquette is “know the rules” before sitting down at a casino table. Don’t sit down at a crowded table and expect everyone to be patient while you learn how to play the game.
Knowing the rules will also include a basic understanding of the steps that are taken before an actual game begins. For example, a player should only cash in or buy chips in between hands, not in the middle of a hand. Know the denomination you are going to want before the dealer asks, and know chip denominations – red chips are worth five dollars, green are worth twenty-five dollars and black chips are worth one hundred dollars each.
Know the table limit or minimum bid before sitting down to play, and don’t continually ask a dealer to break a larger chip in order to continue playing, instead break larger chips at the time of buying in. Even better is to purchase all chips from the cashier rather than the dealer.
Next on a list of good Blackjack etiquette is to know the proper procedures for the “type” of game being played. Generally there are two ways of playing; with the cards face down or face up. Each game asks players to follow some simple guidelines.
In a face up game (which is usually dealt from a “shoe”):
A player should never touch their cards
Do not touch the bet placed after the first cards are dealt.
Use the appropriate hand signals – a spoken command cannot be followed by the dealer unless it is accompanied by the correct hand signal. For face up Blackjack a player who wants to “hit” must tap the table with their finger. A player who is going “stand” waves their hand above the table. To “double down” a player must lay their new wager next to the original bet and signal by making a “one” signal with their finger. In order to “split” the player must lay the new wager next to the original and make a “two” signal with their fingers.
A player who “busts” should behave properly, even if frustrated and disappointed. Usually a player should lay their cards face up next to their bet and wait for the next hand if they wish to continue playing.
In a face down game (which is usually dealt by hand and called a “pitch” game):
A player can touch their cards, but only with a single hand and never drop them below the dealer’s line of sight. This can end a game instantly on suspicion of cheating.
The same rules apply about touching the bet after the game begins.
The hand signals for “face down” play are a bit different – for a player to “hit” they must scrape their cards on the table. To “stand” the player slides their cards under their bet without lifting the chips off the table. To “double down” the player lays their cards face up on the table, places their bet next to the original bet and makes a “one” signal with their finger. To “split” the player does the same process as for the “double down”, but makes a “two” signal with their fingers.
Should the player “bust” they must follow the same process as in a face up game, laying their cards face up near their bet and waiting for the next hand to begin.
Following these simple rules will insure that a player is playing a proper and well-behaved game of Blackjack