What is a Blackjack Dealer?
Blackjack is a casino game in which players compete against the dealer. To win, a player must have a hand that totals closer to 21 than the dealer’s. If a hand has 21, it is called a “blackjack” and the player receives a payout of 3:2 if the dealer does not also have a blackjack. A player can also win by having a hand that is equal to the dealer’s, which is known as a push and returns the player’s original bet amount. If a player’s hand goes over 21, it is considered to be busted and the player loses their bet amount.
Before the dealers starts playing their cards, players can choose to buy insurance or surrender. Insurance is an additional wager equal to the original bet that will pay out two to one if the dealer has a blackjack. Buying insurance should only be done if the dealer’s face up card is an Ace or ten value card. Surrender is the option to give up a hand without making any further decisions, and can be beneficial if your hand looks weak.
The table area where blackjack is played is called the pit, and is overseen by a stern-looking casino employee known as a pit boss. Most pits will have multiple decks of cards, with six to eight being the norm. A shuffle may be required at the start of a game to mix up the cards, and the pit boss will usually explain this to the players.
A blackjack dealer is trained to listen intently and understand the thoughts of the customers at their table. They use active listening skills, which involve paraphrasing what they have heard to confirm that they fully understand the question or statement. In addition, they can use nonverbal cues to communicate that they are giving their full attention to a customer.
When dealing a game of blackjack, a dealer is required to explain the rules of the game and take the wagers of the players. The dealer may also have to change the denomination of some chips, converting smaller-value ones into higher-value chips. A good blackjack dealer can be extremely valuable to the table, and it is important for them to be able to communicate clearly with other players, the pit boss, and the casino management team.
A casino’s blackjack games are governed by a set of rules known as Basic Strategy. These rules, when followed consistently by players, reduce the house edge to 0% or less. However, there are many rule variations that can be added to the base standard game, and these can make the game more advantageous for the player or more disadvantageous. The most common advantageous rule changes include allowing the player to double after splitting and presplitting aces. Disadvantageous rule changes, on the other hand, usually limit the player’s options and include no surrender, doubling down on 10-11 only, or no resplitting. All of these rule changes are taken into account when calculating the blackjack house edge.