Inside Technique : DHTML Blackjack
By Scott Isaacs

This past weekend my wife and a group of her girlfriends went to Vegas. Her trip gave me the idea to create a DHTML version of Blackjack. We created a full-featured version of Blackjack with support for doubling-down, splitting, and insurance. If you are new to Blackjack, please read the rules of the game below. Otherwise, try out our latest DHTML game.

Play DHTML Blackjack
DHTML Blackjack requires Internet Explorer 4.0 or later.

Be sure to also try our Video Poker game (Netscape 3+ or IE4+).

Object of the Game

The goal is for the player to beat the house, represented by the dealer hand. To beat the dealer, you want to obtain a hand total that is equal to or less than 21 and have a total that is higher than the dealer's. SiteExperts.com Blackjack is for recreation use only.

Card Values

Each card has the same value as its index except for the ace and the picture cards. All 10's and picture cards are counted as 10. The ace can be valued as either 1 or 11, at the option of the player. The suits have no value in blackjack. When playing SiteExperts.com Blackjack and you have an Ace the highest total closest to 21 is always displayed. This is the total that is competing against the dealer.

Number of Players

SiteExperts.com Blackjack only supports one player against the dealer.

Number of Decks

SiteExperts.com Blackjack plays with 4 decks shuffled together. Shuffling only occurs in between hands.

Blackjack

When a player is dealt an ace and a 10-valued card as his first two cards it is called a "blackjack" or "natural" and generally is paid one and one-half times his original bet. If the player and the dealer both have blackjacks, the player pushes with the dealer and no money is won or lost.

The Deal

You and the dealer are dealt two cards in sequence, one at a time. All your cards are displayed face-up. The dealer's are displayed one face-up and one face-down.

Player's Action

If you want another card you takes a hit. You can take as many hits as you want as long as you do not "bust". If you do not want anymore cards you stand.

You may double the amount of your initial bet after looking at your first two cards. This is referred to as doubling down and once this is done your receive only one additional card. You may double-down on any hands.

If both initial cards are identical in value, you may split them. This creates an extra hand and costs you an additional bet equal to your original bet. You can then play additional cards on both of the split pairs, playing each hand (from his right to his left) in turn. With each hand, you have additional opportunities for doubling-down, splitting, or taking insurance. You can split up to 6 times except for a pair of aces. When aces are split you can only one additional card on each ace.

Busting

If your hand ever exceeds a total of 21, you bust and lose the hand regardless of the dealer's total. If the dealer's hand ever exceeds 21, and you have not busted, you win the hand.

Push

If you and the dealer have the same total, and this same total is 21 or under, the hand is a tie, or a push and no money is won or lost. The only exception to this rule is that a blackjack always beats a hand value of 21.

Dealer's Play

Once you have played all your hands the dealer flips the face-down card over and draws cards until reaching a total of 17 or above. The dealer does not draw additional cards on a soft 17 (Ace and a 6).

Insurance

When the dealer's face-up is an ace, you are allowed to make an insurance bet equal to half of the amount of your initial bet. If the dealer has a blackjack, you are paid 2-to-1 on their insurance bet (causing you to break-even on the hand). If the dealer does not have a blackjack, the insurance bet is lost and the hand proceeds normally.

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