Blackjack

Blackjack is a comparing-type card game which is the most widely played casino banking game in the world. It can be played in various casinos in New Vegas. Playing 10 hands of Blackjack grants you the Double Down achievement/trophy.

Rules
Put simply, the object of the game is to have a hand of cards with a total close to or exactly 21 without going over, or 'busting'.

The Dealer is the Player's opponent, trying to beat the Player's hand without busting. Unlike the player, however, the Dealer must play by certain 'house rules'; limitations the player does not have. Blackjack is played in many variations at casinos with different table rules. In New Vegas, the maximum bets allowed are 200 chips, equivalent to 200 caps.

The game starts immediately after the player places his/her initial bet: the Dealer deals two cards to the player, and two cards for him/herself. The player can see both of his/her own cards, and one of the Dealer's. The face-down card (the 'hole') is used to determine whether the Dealer has Blackjack.

Blackjack, also known as 'a natural', is an opening hand of an ace and a ten-value card. (10, or a face-card) Blackjack beats any hand, except another blackjack, even if the hand adds up to exactly 21. The Dealer automatically wins in the event that he/she is dealt Blackjack, and the player forfeits their bet.

Once the opening hand is dealt, the player has several options:


 * Hit: Draw a card, with no further betting or rules added. A player may 'hit' multiple times, so long as they don't bust.
 * Double-Down: The player can choose to double their bet, but is required to draw a single card and then 'Stand'.
 * Split: If a player is dealt two cards of identical value (2 Tens, for example) they may choose to 'split', and play each card as if it were it's own blackjack hand, including a seperate bet for each. An additional card is played on each, and the player can choose to hit, stand, or Double-Down. A player wins so long as one of the two hands beats the Dealer's; a bigger payout is awarded if both hands beat the Dealer. A player cannot get Blackjack on a Split.
 * Stand: A player takes no more cards, and the game turns to the Dealer.
 * Surrender: A player may choose to forfeit after the opening hand is dealt, upon which the cards are discarded and the Dealer will return half the player's bet, rounded down.

Once the player Stands, the Dealer turns over the hole, and then draws up to the limit that their House rules state. The hands are compared and, if the Player beats the Dealer or the Dealer busts, the player wins a payout, the amount of which depends on the winning hand: If the Player and Dealer are tied, (their hands equal the same amount) the player wins back his bet, but no additional chips.
 * Blackjack: 3:2
 * Split: 1:1, for one winning hand. 3:2 if both win.
 * Double-Down: 1:1 (Doubled bet)

House Rules
Each casino has its own rules regarding how the Dealer must play in Blackjack:


 * Ultra-Luxe: Dealer must draw to 16, and stand on 17 or better.
 * Gomorrah: Dealer must hit on soft 17 (A 'soft' hand is any hand where an Ace can be played as either a 1 or an 11 without busting)
 * The Tops: Dealer must draw to 16, and stand on 17 or better.

At this time, no casino is known to pay out for a Five Card Charlie.

Playing
It seems the higher your luck, the easier it is to win. With a sufficiently high luck level, the following system seems to work very well:


 * 4-9 : Hit
 * 10-15 : Double down
 * 16-18 : Hit
 * 19-20 : Hold or surrender

An ace is either 11 or 1, so if you go over 21 with two cards and an ace, Hit again and count the ace as 1.

This system seems sucessful without being foolproof.

Casino Bans
As the player gets more money from the casino, a floor manager will approach them, offering increasingly valuable gifts to their "lucky player." If the player progresses passed all of the gifts, and accumulates too much money (the amount is different for each) then the casino will ban them from playing anymore games. The player can still use all of the casino's other functions (restaurant, theater, etc.) including cashing out their chips, but they are never allowed to play any money winning game in the casino. These bans are permanent. It may be possible to avoid the bans by cashing out before winning 2000 chips in a session and moving on.

Appearances
Blackjack can be played in Fallout: New Vegas.