Beat the Dealer

First of all let’s dispose of one of the biggest fallacies surrounding the game. The objective is NOT to get cards totalling 21! It is NOT even to try to get as close to 21 as you can without going over! The objective of the game is to beat the dealer!!

How do you beat the dealer?

If you have a total higher than the dealer's without going over 21 you win.

If you or the dealer goes over 21 the hand is "Bust." And if you bust you automatically lose.

As long as you are not bust and the dealer busts you win but the player must always take action first. This means that it is possible for the player to bust before the dealer has taken any action and if he busts then he loses even if the dealer then goes on to bust.