Blackjack Etiquette

The first thing you should do when you approach a blackjack table is ensure there are available betting spots. Some blackjack players like to spread their action to multiple hands, so even if there are vacant seats at the table, there may be no betting circles for you to place your chips in.

The second thing you should look for is a small plaque that reads “No mid-entry allowed”, a rule that prohibits new players from joining a table in the middle of a shoe. The premise is that it prevents card counters from entering the game only on high positive counts when the house is at a disadvantage. If this rule is in force, you have to wait for the dealer to reach the cut card, reshuffle, and start a fresh shoe before you buy in.

You must wait for a natural pause in the action to purchase chips, i.e., you cannot buy in while someone is in the middle of a hand. The proper way to do it is to lay your money in front of you on the table.

Never position the bills in a betting circle. Some establishments accept cash wagers, so the dealer may misinterpret this and think you are making a bet. It is also inappropriate to hand the money to the dealer, as they are not allowed to take cash from players for security reasons.

Blackjack players are expected to handle themselves in a civilized manner and be respectful to both their dealers and fellow patrons. Certain rules apply after you have taken a seat at a table, and although no one is going to chastise you or throw you out for making mistakes, it is best to avoid misconduct altogether.

After each shuffle, the dealer will place the decks into the shoe and ask one of the players to cut them with a colored plastic card. The dealer reshuffles again after they reach the plastic card, so obviously the cards that have been cut off are not in play.

Players are advised to insert the plastic card at least a deck or so from either end of the shoe. If you cut the cards too close to the shoe’s end, the dealer will ask you to cut again. This may not seem like a major transgression, but it is undesirable because it slows down the action.

When making a bet, you should position your chips in the betting circle that corresponds to your spot at the table. If you handle stacks of chips for larger bets, it is important to have them neatly organized, especially if you are using several different denominations.

The general rule is to place the highest-denomination chips at the bottom of your stack. If you violate this rule, the dealer will have to pause the game and rearrange your chips before the next round starts.

It is all right if you forget to stack your chips properly once or twice, but be warned that many seasoned players find these interruptions annoying and are not afraid to voice their discontent. After the cards are dealt, you are not allowed to touch your chips or adjust your bet size.

Once everyone has acted on their hands, the dealer will remove the chips of the losers from the felt and settle the winners’ payouts. If your hand wins, you have two options: collect the chips the dealer has paid you, or let your winning bet ride by leaving your stack in the betting circle.

As explained in the previous article on rules, most blackjack games utilize multiple decks, and the cards are dealt face up. Because of this, there is no valid reason for players to remove their cards from the felt. In fact, they are not permitted to touch the cards at all in shoe games.

Things are a bit different when you join a hand-held game that uses one or two standard decks. Here, your cards are dealt face down, and you obviously need to handle them to see your hand’s value.

You pick up your cards with one hand only while keeping them over the table at all times. When you hit, the cards you receive remain on the table instead of being added to the starting hand you hold. These etiquette rules help preserve the integrity of the game and prevent cheating through card substitution.

This is one of the most important etiquette rules a blackjack player must follow. You should use the correct hand gesture to indicate how you want to act on your hand for the benefit of the surveillance staff who oversee the game via the cameras above the table.

To prevent mistakes, you can also accompany the gesture with a verbal announcement of your decision. We covered the signals for all possible plays in blackjack, so make sure you go back in the guide and read the rules article if you have not done so already.

If you forget the signal for a given play, there is no shame in asking the dealer. After all, they are not there simply to deal the cards and settle bets. Assisting new players in learning the basic rules of the game is also part of their job.

If you are new to blackjack but want to improve your chances, you may take a basic-strategy chart with you to the table and consult it during play. In most gambling establishments, players are permitted to use strategy charts at the tables and are sometimes even offered one by the dealer. Purchasing one at the casino’s gift shop is another option.

These strategy charts are very handy because they contain all the correct moves against every possible dealer upcard. Just make sure you do not slow down the game when consulting your chart.

The ability to interact with fellow players is one of the main reasons why some fans of 21 prefer to frequent land-based casinos instead of taking their blackjack action to the web. Keeping a friendly chat with fellow players is perfectly all right, but you must not persist when at a quieter blackjack table. If other patrons appear reluctant to engage in conversation, you should let them be.

Sometimes a fellow player who is new to the game may struggle with a decision. Give them a hint if they ask for assistance (and you know the correct move), but never offer unsolicited advice. You should abstain from criticizing the play of others, even if their decisions seem absolutely ludicrous to you. It is their money they are spending, so they have every right to play their hands as they wish.

It goes without saying that lashing out at other patrons for their bad playing decisions is out of the question. Every now and then, you will find yourself in the company of players who lack a basic understanding of the game. It is common for such people to make poor plays, like not doubling on a total of 11 against the dealer’s 6 or splitting a pair of Queens.

Do your best to keep your cool without commenting on their play, even when it seems the person is “taking” the cards you need to improve your hand. In blackjack, the decisions of other players have absolutely no impact on your chances of winning. Poor plays are just as likely to help you as they are to harm you.

Our previous advice also applies to dealer interaction. Some blackjack dealers are more extroverted and welcome friendly conversation, while others prefer to deal the cards and be left alone. Either way, you should respect their decision when they want to keep their distance and decline to join the conversation.

It is absolutely prohibited to be disrespectful, make sexual advances, or verbally abuse the dealer when the cards go against you. Just like all other players, a dealer cannot influence the outcome of the round in any way. They are paid simply to operate the tables and follow the casino’s fixed rules, so refrain from insulting them at all costs.

When it comes to tipping casino personnel, there is no written rule that states you must tip your dealers. However, it is considered good form to give tips every once in a while, especially if you are running well and winning a lot.

It is no secret that dealers are generally paid minimal wages, so a considerable portion of their income comes from tips. Also, tipping may not be obligatory, but it helps create a more amicable atmosphere at the table.

There are a couple of ways to go about this. One option is to slide a chip across the felt toward your dealer and verbally indicate it is for them. The alternative is to make a bet on behalf of the dealer by placing extra chips in front of your own stack. If you win the round, the dealer keeps the money as a tip.

The blackjack tables in larger land-based casinos tend to get crowded on occasion, particularly over the weekends and during festivities like New Year’s Eve. But do not worry, you will not be forced to stand at the side of the table and wait for someone to vacate a seat. Most casinos will allow you to bet behind (also known as “back betting”) when their blackjack tables are overcrowded. In other words, you are allowed to bet on the hand of a seated player.

Let us explain briefly how this works. Each active betting circle can support up to three stacks of chips, as long as the total value of the bets does not exceed the maximum table limit. For example, if the table limit is $500 and the seated player has placed a $300 bet, those who bet behind will not be able to wager more than $200 between themselves.

The stack of the seated player is positioned at the front of the betting circle. It is common courtesy to ask the seated player for permission before you bet behind them. Back-bettors have no power over hitting or standing.

However, if the seated player decides to split a pair or double down, the back-bettors have several options. With double downs, they can either invest more chips to cover the additional bet or take their initial wager down.

You can quit playing whenever you want unless the table is hot, in which case you are advised to wait a while and cash out after the dealer reaches the cut card and reshuffles. While there is no rule expressly prohibiting you from leaving the table whenever you deem fit, some of your fellow players may be annoyed if you do not wait for the reshuffle. Some gamblers are superstitious enough to believe this would jinx them and break their good run.

The procedure for cashing out is not the same as that for buying chips. You cannot cash out directly at the table because blackjack dealers are not permitted to exchange chips for money. You must collect your chips and visit the cashier’s cage instead.

Small bettors are likely to end up with lots of small-denomination chips. In such cases, players should color up, i.e., exchange their small-denomination chips for chips of higher value. You do this by pushing your chips toward the middle of the felt and verbally announcing you want to color up between rounds.

The dealer will then count your chips and exchange them for a smaller stack of equal value. Coloring up makes it easier for you to carry your chips to another table or to the cashier. It also prevents the dealer from running out of small-denomination chips and having to refill their rack.