Blackjack is one of the few casino card games that a player can beat through smart, disciplined play. This is not to say that a person can win every hand, but the odds are so in favor of beating the dealer that a player can expect to lose less often than they would playing other casino games. This fact is why blackjack remains a popular game for players and casino managers alike.

The objective of blackjack is to beat the dealer by getting a higher point total than them without going over 21. The game starts as the dealer gives each player 2 cards face up and a single card face down. A count is then taken, and the players decide whether to hit, stand, double down, or split pairs. There are many variations of the game, but essentially all of them are played under the same rules.

A player’s point total can be calculated by adding the value of each card: Aces are worth 1; Jacks, Queens, and Kings are all valued at 10; and all other cards have their face values. If a player’s first two cards total 21, it is a “blackjack” and the player wins immediately (unless the dealer has a blackjack, in which case the bets push).

In most casino blackjack games, players can make an insurance bet of up to half of their original wager against the dealer’s exposed face-up card. The dealer then checks the card for a ten underneath, and pays off any insurance bets if they have a blackjack.

Side bets are also common in Blackjack, and there are a huge number of different types to choose from. The most well-known is Insurance, which is offered when the dealer has an ace showing, and pays out 2 to 1. Other side bets include Player Match and Dealer Match, which pay when your cards match the dealer’s up card.

Blackjack side bets have become increasingly popular in recent years, and some are incredibly profitable for experienced card counters. These bets are usually made at the same time as the main wager, and can be on a wide variety of things, from a specific pair to a specific suit. The key to successful blackjack side bets is knowing which ones are worth your money and which are not.

Mathematicians have determined that there is an optimal strategy for blackjack, allowing a player to reduce the house edge to nearly zero. This is no easy feat, however, as the probability for each possible combination of the dealer’s card and the player’s hand must be computed based on each individual card. This requires a very powerful computer and is extremely complex.

Some casinos have responded to this mathematical edge by making rule changes to the game. These changes allow players to double and split their hands more frequently, and can even switch cards between two wagered hands at no additional cost. They have also allowed players to surrender certain undesirable two-card hands, and limited access to the dealer’s hole card. All of these changes significantly alter the math of blackjack and give the player a much bigger edge over the dealer.