01 / THE BASICS
How a round works
01
Card values
Number cards count at face value. Jacks, queens and kings count as 10. An ace can count as 1 or 11, according to what fits the hand.
02
The opening deal
Players usually receive two cards and the dealer receives cards under the table's rules.
03
Player actions
Hit means take another card; stand means keep the current total. Some tables also allow double or split actions, with conditions set by that table.
04
Dealer rules
The dealer follows fixed instructions, which can differ between tables. Check the rules shown before explaining a specific round.
02 / THE LANGUAGE
Three terms to know
- Bust
- a hand total above 21.
- Soft hand
- a hand with an ace currently counted as 11.
- Split
- separating a pair into two hands when the table allows it.
03 / ON STREAM
What to say while you play
- 1Show the card values before a hand begins.
- 2Say whose turn it is and translate the action labels in plain language.
- 3After a hand, recap which table rule shaped what happened.
SAY IT LIKE THIS“The ace can count as one or eleven here. The table rules decide the dealer's turn, so let's read those before this hand continues.”