Blackjack is a card game in which players try to outwit their dealer, the “dealer.” Though this can be fun and engaging, blackjack requires serious mathematical calculation rather than luck if one wants to become an effective blackjack player. To become successful at it, one must know its rules, strategies and etiquette – plus think quickly under pressure while making sound decisions.

One common misunderstanding of blackjack is that its goal is to achieve a hand value exceeding 21. In reality, its objective lies in defeating the dealer by drawing 21 on your first two cards and beating their hand – this feat is known as drawing “naturals”, or blackjacks; should both you and the dealer draw naturals simultaneously then all bets will be returned without adjustment for tie or standoff situations.

Some blackjack games offer side bets such as Perfect Pairs or 21+3 that may tempt beginners, however these tend to come with high house edges and should generally be avoided when beginning play. Instead it is wiser to go against only the dealer without making any side bets.

Learn to read your dealers. Experienced blackjack players may have developed their own system of tellings to allow them to determine the probable hand value of dealers; however, this can be challenging due to some dealers being adept at concealing these signs; trying to pick up on these tells can disrupt concentration and lead to mistakes when making important decisions.

There are various blackjack rules, with variations depending on both casino and variant. Some casinos and variants decrease payout on blackjacks from three-to-two or six-to-one payout, increasing house edge and possibly offsetting any gains from card counting.

The dealer will deal each player two face up cards. When the dealer reveals an ace-faced card, he or she will check for natural blackjack and collect all bets from players who did not get one themselves if one exists; otherwise they will draw an additional card and continue dealing.

The dealer will compare his hand with those of each player and select the highest total to win. Dealers must continue drawing until their hand reaches 16 or higher; hit an Ace-up and draw until 16 is reached or above. Player hands are paid out according to the specific rules of their particular game and can also refer back to printed/saved basic strategy charts during gameplay in order to make informed decisions at the table and become familiar with its various rules/variations/strategies/variants etc. It’s often beneficial to practice first before engaging real money play so as to be familiar with all possible rules/variations/ variations/strategies etc of various versions/game.