Blackjack is the most popular casino game, thoroughly exciting, easy to play and understand the rules, and it offers the best chance of winning.

The casinos like to call Blackjack a game of chance, but it is as much a game of skill as anything. Blackjack can be played successfully by using basic strategy, or card counting - which is hard to become skilled at and time consuming, and most of all frowned upon by casinos.

Playing against the dealer, the objective is to get blackjack ( the value of your cards adding to 21) or as close to 21 without going over 21 and beating the dealers hand.

There are many variations on the game of Blackjack, How many packs of cards they use, how many times you can double up or split etc... so check with the casino rules before you begin, but these are the general rules of blackjack.

Once you are seated at the table, every player places their bets The dealer will deals cards from the left to right, with each player having 2 cards each dealt face up, and the dealer with only one of his cards face up. Picture cards are worth 10, and an ace is worth 11 or 1, so you have a better chance of hitting 21.

Each player decides if they want to HIT and receive more cards to try and reach blackjack, or STAND and keep your 2 cards. Each player can continue to receive more cards until there card count exceeds 21, and they BUST.

Your aim is to hit 21, if your 2 dealt cards add up to 21, and ace and a 10 or a picture card, you have a natural blackjack. Once each player has completed their turn, the dealer takes a turn.

The dealer must STAND if his cards are 17 or over, if the dealer has 16 or under he must HIT and take another card. The winner is the one who has 21 or closest without busting.

If you BUST the dealer automatically wins, if the dealer BUSTS and you don't, you automatically win and receive your stake back. All bets are paid off at even money, and when you get a blackjack you receive a two-to-three payoff.

If you have a blackjack, and so does the dealer, it's a TIE, and you don't win anything, to protect yourself from this you can get INSURANCE. If the dealers face up card is an ace, the dealer will offer the players INSURANCE so you do not lose money if you both hit a blackjack. You can bet half your original stake, but will only win if the dealer hits a blackjack.

If you feel you have no chance of winning with your dealt cards, in some casinos you have a chance to SURRENDER. You give up your cards and keep half your original bet if the dealer busts.

When your 2 cards have been dealt and you do not have blackjack, you have the opportunity to DOUBLE DOWN and double your initial bet, but you can only receive one more card.

If your 2 dealt cards are of equal value, you have the choice of SPLITTING them into two separate hands and bet the same amount on your second hand, if you split 2 aces you can only receive on more card per hand, and if you hit a natural blackjack when you split your hand it will be counted as 21 and not blackjack.