Blackjack is a card game that involves the dealer and the player. The player’s goal is to acquire cards that total as close to 21 as possible without going over. The game is played with one or more 52-card decks. Each card has a value, which is either the number on the card or 10 for face cards and 1 or 11 for aces. The game is played in a casino and can be played for real money.

To play blackjack, a player must first find an empty seat at a table. Typically, a blackjack table can accommodate seven players but many casinos have tables that only allow 5 or 6 players to join the game. When a seat becomes available, the player must wait until the dealer shuffles and deals cards before taking it.

Then, the player must decide whether to hit or stand. If the player has an ace and a ten-value card in their first two hands, they have a blackjack or “natural.” This is the highest scoring hand in the game and wins. If the player has a blackjack, they will receive a payout of one and a half times their original bet. If the dealer has a natural, they will collect all bets from players who did not have naturals.

If the dealer has an ace up, the player can make an insurance bet for half of their original bet amount. The insurance pays 2-1 if the dealer has blackjack and is a good way to increase your chances of winning if you don’t have a great hand.

As a blackjack dealer, you’ll work in shifts that can be up to 8 hours long. You’ll also be regularly exposed to second hand smoke and moderate noise levels in your workplace. As a result, blackjack dealers need to have excellent customer service skills and be able to handle multiple tasks at once.

Blackjack dealers are trained to avoid showing tells, which can give the player an advantage. However, not all dealers are skilled at hiding their tells, so it’s important to know what to look for. For example, how long the dealer looks at their up card and at what angle they bend it can reveal a lot about the dealer’s hand. Blackjack is a game of strategy, not luck, so every little detail matters. The more you know about the game, the better your chances are of beating it. So, take your time learning the rules and strategies of this classic card game and you’ll soon be on your way to becoming a blackjack pro. Good luck!