Blackjack (card game), wagering card game rivaling poker in popularity and derived possibly from the gambling casino game of baccarat, which was known as early as the 19th century. It is played with a 52-card deck by two or more persons. The object of blackjack, which is also known as twenty-one, or vingt-et-un, is to draw cards totaling exactly 21 or to come as close to this count as possible without exceeding it. Cards have point values as follows: an ace counts as either 11 or 1 at the option of the player; any picture card counts as 10; other cards count at their face value. Two forms of the game are played, one with a permanent bank, the other with a changing bank; the latter form, which is more popular for home play, is described here.

First the banker is determined by shuffling a deck and dealing out cards faceup to all participants until a black jack is turned. The recipient of the black jack becomes the banker, takes the deck, shuffles it, has it cut, and shows the top card to everyone. The banker then places the card faceup at the bottom of the deck. This process is known as “burning” a card. When the “burnt” card is reached in dealing, the cards must be shuffled again.

The banker deals one card facedown to each player in rotation. The players look at the card dealt them and, with the exception of the banker, each places a wager from the established minimum to the maximum. The banker then may require that all bets be doubled. Any player in turn may then redouble his or her own bet. The wagering completed, the banker gives one more card, faceup, to each player. If the banker's own two cards are a so-called natural, that is, an ace and a picture or ten, each player pays double the amount wagered, except that the holder of another natural pays only the original bet. Should some other player draw a natural when the banker does not, the latter pays double, and when the current deal ends, the bank passes to the holder of the natural. The latter player may sell the bank to anyone else.

If no natural shows up after two cards have been dealt, the banker works to each player, one at a time in rotation, dealing the cards singly until the player calls a halt. Should the player's total count exceed 21 he or she immediately loses. If he or she stops at or under 21, the banker turns to the next player and serves as described. When all the players have been dealt to, the banker turns up the facedown card and draws until he or she goes over 21 or decides to stand. If the banker makes 21, he or she collects from all players. If over, he or she must pay all those who stood. If the banker stands with less, he or she collects from those with lower counts and pays those still in the game with higher counts. Cards used in one deal are placed on the bottom of the deck.

The banker's opponents may play “splits” at their option; that is, if their first two cards are a pair, they may request that each be dealt to as a separate hand and wagered on as such. Bonuses may be played, with the dealer's opponents receiving double their bets for hitting or staying under 21 on five cards, four times their bets for doing so on six cards, and double again for each additional card. Making 21 with three sevens may also collect double.