Blackjack Online Ireland

Every casino offers a Blackjack game for fun. Ireland offers premium casinos to play Blackjack games online. In the course of this game, every player plays against the dealer and is dealt two faceup cards each, while the dealer is dealt a faceup card and a facedown card. While the game has gained much popularity for quite some time now, this is an opportunity for you to learn the tricks of playing the game, with an option to play online blackjack and for free.

Blackjack is a 21 card game with many terminologies and is mainly based on the use of hand signals, sliding of cards or scratching of cards on the table to communicate. Will you like to learn how to play like a pro? Then try out our free 21 card game online in any of the best casino sites Ireland players can enjoy. We provide the best online blackjack, guiding you through every step of the way. Why hesitate when you can play for free and play for real money casinos later. Try out all the Blackjack variants with no download requirement. But hey! Here are the basics you have to go through, the rules, terminologies, and the best strategy to enhance your winnings against any dealer. You cannot afford to miss this read!

• Blackjack Casino Sites
• Free Blackjack Games for Fun
• How to Play Blackjack Online

ORIGIN OF BLACKJACK

The exact origin of blackjack in history is nebulous and has remained so from time immemorial. However, it has evolved for years unending and has come to stay, bearing in its stead amazing popularity that defeats all sense of doubt. Hence, there seems to be some consensus about its probable origin from France, especially from a French game known as ‘Vingt-et-un’, translated to mean ‘twenty one’ in the English language. Tracing this game back, it could have passed to have existed as far back as the 18th century, an era when King Louis XV reigned, with his domain in the Royal Court.

Precedent to this, the Spanish ‘Trente-un’ (31), the Italian ‘Sette e Mezzo’ (7½ ) and the French ‘Quinze’ (15) could be said to have had a profound influence on the game ‘Blackjack’. With the coming of the 19th century, blackjack had gained popularity, reaching New Orleans, America. In contrast, it has come to permanently retain its name, blackjack, in casinos with the turning of the 20th century. With the advent of technology, everyone can have access to blackjack online to their heart’s content.

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HOW TO PLAY BLACKJACK ONLINE

Playing blackjack online requires some patience on the part of every player. Usually, it is played by as many as 7 players at an arc-shaped table on the outside, while the dealer plays from the inside. Each player takes a turn, playing against the dealer only with at least a deck of 52 cards. To win, the player may either score higher than the dealer and not exceeding 21, allow the dealer to draw extra cards until their hands exceed 21 or where the player gets 21 points on his first two cards without a dealer blackjack.

MAIN TERMINOLOGY

Since the aim of the online blackjack is for the players to score higher than the dealer but not exceeding 21 (known as breaking or busting), or in the hope that the dealer will bust by not taking a card, then the players in their turn must either ‘hit’, ‘stand’, ‘double down’, ‘split’ or ‘surrender’. Hence, these are the basic terminologies you would require to learn if you are looking forward to playing a blackjack game online.

• Hit: This means the player has to take another card from the dealer, with the hope of scoring 21. If the score exceeds 21, then as a player, you ‘bust’ and lose. However, every player has a signal to look out for; and that is to either wave his hand in a horizontal direction, scratch or point to his cards. The person is doing either of these signals that he has made a hit in a shoe game. In the case of facedown games, a player makes a hit when he makes a scratch on the table with his card in a handheld game.
• Stand: Also known as ‘stay’, ‘stick’ or ‘stand pat’, a player has opted not to take any more cards. Hence, he may either flatten his hand over his card in a faceup game or slide his cards under his bet in a handheld game. This way, he hopes his total will match 21.
• Double Down: In a double down, a player may only get an additional card irrespective of his denomination while opting to double his initial bet. This way, the extra bet is placed next to the initial bet in the betting box. However, in some games such as those played in casinos, doubling is only allowed where the total of a player’s first two cards amount to either 10 or 11, while other games are not as restrictive. That player signals a double down by placing extra chips beside the original bet, outside the betting box, while in a facedown game, he needs to turn his first two cards up.
• Split: If a player’s first two cards have the same value, he may ‘split’ or separate them to create two hands. He does this by placing one bet on each of the two hands after drawing extra cards on each of the hands. These hands have become individual hands that may be played differently, one after the other, for which they may either lose or win wagers for each.
• Stand-off: There is a stand-off where a player’s card holds the same value as the dealer. This allows the player to retrieve his bet.
• Insurance: This is a side bet that a player may play only if the dealer’s faceup card is an ace. The player may, therefore, opt for insurance. This is because the dealer has a better advantage of getting a blackjack with his second and probably the third card equaling a value of 10.
• Surrender: This may either be early or late surrender. A player may opt to surrender early before the dealer checks his down card for a 10 or a blackjack. If this is the case, then the house edge is cut, and the house takes half of the player’s bet. For a surrender, the player need not make a signal by hand; he may speak and opt to be out.

STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO THE 21 CARD GAME

Blackjack, by no means, requires skill and patience. For a first-hand knowledge of online blackjack and the table blackjack, here is a step by step guide to its secrets.

• Announce your interest: If you are looking to playing at a blackjack table, then you have to announce your interest in the game. Hereafter, you will hand your money over to the dealer, who will include you in the rounds. The dealer then deals the players two faceup cards while he deals with two cards, one faceup and the other facedown. At the start of the play, the dealer asks the players to place their bets. How do you do this? Simply by placing the chips before you.
• The Dealer deals out initial cards to the players: This is when the game begins, and it goes from left to right. Each of the players tries to beat the dealer’s hand, which goes on until someone does. As a player, you can either request another card or not (stand or not), while every communication is made by hand signals, sliding of chips or scratching the table with cards. You may also decide to use one of the table options like hit, stand, double down or surrender.
• The Dealer plays after everyone: The dealer turns up his facedown card in his turn to play. If his cards total 16 or less, he must hit. However, if it exceeds 16, he must stand.
• Hands Played are compared: Here, bets of players who have played a lower hand are collected, while those whose bets are higher are paid out usually in the ratio 1:1.

THE BEST BLACKJACK STRATEGIES

Every player sits at the blackjack table with a sole aim- to beat the dealer hands down. Of course, even the dealer wants to save his money. Even online blackjack games are somewhat challenging but fun. So how best do you play the blackjack game and still have so much fun? Here’s how to:

• Design a Plan: No one goes to the gaming table without a plan. Know that you are playing against an excellent dealer and knows how to play his cards. The other players are also there to try their hands against the dealer, who is no novice at the game. Even in an online Blackjack game, you need to be skilful. Hence, you have to devise a plan, knowing your odds of winning the game and protect your money.
• Find a table with many players: if you find a table where many players are seated, it will make you more comfortable, as you would have learnt the ropes before it gets to your turn.
• Knowing the rules: How well do you know the rules and memorize the terms of blackjack. Online blackjack helps you practice better. If you are a beginner, you need better preparation for you to last in the game. Observe the table to know if the game is well in course. If there are no cards on the table, then you can tell that the game is ended. Get to know the value of each card. For instance, aces are valued as 1 or 11, while Kings, Queens and Jacks (face cards) have a 10 value. Also, a ‘push’ means both the dealer and the player hold the card’s same value. You may use a Traditional 21(aces and 10s to win) or a hard 20 (any two 10s) for an instant win.
• As much as possible, avoid a side bet: As stated before, a side bet means an insurance. Most times, the dealer may advise you to insure yourself, just if he has a blackjack under his ace. While on the short hand, it may benefit the player, but in the long run, the dealer profit. With the online blackjack, you may well try your hands.
• There is a likelihood of obtaining a blackjack if there is a high stack of cards in the deck: This way, your odds of winning are higher.
• Know that if you ‘bust’, you have lost anyway, regardless of whether the dealer also ‘busts’.

FREE BLACKJACK TIPS

Check out some of these tips to put you on the right track before getting to the table. We hope you find it useful.

• Have it in mind that you are playing as an individual against the dealer. Every player is on a single mission to take as much money home as you do.
• Avoid blackjack tables that make use of continuous shufflers. This is because the blackjack game is purely based on predictions or probabilities, and shufflers make it difficult to keep an eye on cards you may draw.
• Avoid games that are difficult to win if played in the long term.
• Once you place a bet, never touch the table.
• Use the split option when you either have an ace or an 8.
• Avoid using the insurance option.
• Never advice the other players on a suggested way to play.
• Get to know your playing abilities by practising blackjack online.

THE MOST POPULAR BLACKJACK VARIANTS EXPLAINED

The game has many variants to it; hence, there is a need to understand each of them and understand the twists and turns. For instance, many variants allow a player to split hands separately, buy insurance or double down. A lot of them are available for you to play for fun online. Now, check them out:

• Blackjack switch: this variant differs from the others in the sense that the player is dealt with two hands, and he can switch his two top cards with his two hands at the same time. This game allows players a side bet which rewards pairs of hands. This side bet is called a Super Match. It is usually a payout of 1:1. For your switch decision, a player may choose to save his best single hand or make a better decision depending on his dealer card. In a Blackjack Switch, there is a lower probability for a splitting or doubling option to pay a player.
• Pontoon: This game is similar to the rules governing a Traditional 21. It requires a single deck of 52 cards. It allows players to hit, stand, double down or get insurance. The player may buy on any hand of 2 to 4 cards, after which he may hit. Here, the player can make a hand of four cards without busting while obtaining the highest payout. The player may also optimize his play and reduce his house advantage below 0.5%. Usually, players are paid out immediately, regardless of whether the dealer gets a blackjack or not.
• Super 7: the Super 7 blackjack allows the player to make a side bet or insurance, predicting that his first card will be a 7 or that all his three cards will be 7s. It is a multi-hand blackjack that allows a player to play as many as 3 hands simultaneously, using 6 decks of cards. The player may use his super 7 bonus side bet to get rewards, as much as 5,000.
• 21 Burn Blackjack: This game is similar to the traditional blackjack and allows the player to burn his second card for any random card. The player can get an additional facedown card to replace a second card dealt with him, thereby making a Burn Side Bet. It is a 6 deck game where players can only split once, and every money is paid for winning blackjack. Play online blackjack for more experience.
• Single Deck: is known for its low house edge. A player can split a hand as many as three times, while aces can be split only once. Here, the dealer only uses a deck of cards and usually pays 3:2
• Double Exposure: the dealer gets his two cards faceup.
• Multihand Blackjack: this allows the player to play with two or more hands at once.
• European Blackjack: the dealer waits for the player to make a move before he deals with his second card. This blackjack pays 3:2.
• Blackjack Surrender: this allows the player to surrender and still recover half of his bet.

Play any of these blackjack variants for free on our website to gain hands-on experience. We also offer you the best gaming sites to play live blackjack online for real money.

Brian Kiley

Editor-in-Chief

Hello, I’m Brian, and I have been on the IrishCasinoHEX team since the very start in 2018.

As an Irish (born and raised), I not only have a passion for all things related to gambling, but also a deeper understanding of how the Irish casino market works, what are the latest trends in the country, and how the entire industry is regulated not only on a global but local level as well.

Thanks to this position, I managed to combine my two passions – the one for writing, and the one for gambling, so you can bet all my reviews are very user-friendly.

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