What is blackjack?
Blackjack, also called twenty-one, grew out of older card games where players tried to reach 21, and became one of the best-known casino card games in the world. You don't play against the others at the table: everyone plays against the dealer, who follows fixed rules and makes no choices.
That makes it a great game with friends: the rules take a minute to learn, decisions are quick, and you're all on the same side, cheering together when the dealer busts.
How to play blackjack
Cards 2 to 10 count their number, Jacks, Queens and Kings count 10, and an Ace counts 11 unless that would take you over 21, when it counts 1. A hand with an Ace still counted as 11 is called soft.
- Each round, your bet goes down by itself: the host's Bet per round, or all your chips if you have less than that.
- Everyone gets two cards. The dealer gets one card face up and one face down, the hole card.
- All players act at the same time. Hit to take another card, Stand to keep your hand, or Double to double your bet and take exactly one more card.
- Go over 21 and you bust: your bet is lost straight away, even if the dealer busts later.
- Reach 21 and you stand automatically.
- When every player has stood or bust, the dealer turns over the hole card and draws until the hand is 17 or more. The dealer stands on every 17, soft 17 included. If every player has bust, the dealer doesn't draw at all.
- Hands are settled. Beat the dealer, or stay in when the dealer busts, and you win even money. Tie the dealer and it's a push: your bet comes back.
If the turn timer runs out before everyone is done, every unfinished hand stands and the dealer plays.
Blackjack: a natural 21
An Ace with a 10, Jack, Queen or King as your first two cards is a blackjack. You stand automatically and it pays 3:2, rounded down to whole chips: a 100-chip bet wins 150. If the dealer also has a blackjack, it's a push.
The dealer doesn't peek
The hole card stays hidden until every player has finished. If it turns out the dealer has blackjack, you lose only your original bet: the extra chips you put in to double come back to you.
Doubling down
You can double only on your first two cards, and you need enough chips left to match your bet. You get one card, no more, and then you stand. There is no splitting, insurance or surrender: Hit, Stand and Double are the whole game.
Blackjack settings on Ping44
The host sets up the table in the lobby before the game starts:
- Starting chips: 500, 1,000, 2,000 or 5,000. The default is 1,000.
- Bet per round: 50, 100, 200 or 500 chips. The default is 100.
- Turn timer: 15, 20, 30, 45 or 60 seconds to act. The default is 60.
- Game length: unlimited, or 5, 10 or 20 rounds.
- Cards visible: off by default, so other players' cards stay hidden during the round (you still see a blackjack, a bust or a double) and show at the results. Turn it on to play with every card on show.
- No timer for first round: the first round waits for everyone, handy for teaching a newcomer.
- Auto-start next round: the next round deals 30 seconds after the results. The host can pause it, or turn it off and deal with Next round.
Running out of chips
If you run out of chips, you sit out the next round and then come back with the starting chips. If everyone runs out at once (or you're playing alone), everyone is topped back up to the starting chips right away. A refill adds no points.
Scoring on Ping44
The server settles every hand and adds what it won or lost to your room score:
- Win: plus your bet.
- Blackjack: plus one and a half times your bet, rounded down.
- Push: nothing changes.
- Loss or bust: minus your bet. A doubled hand wins or loses twice as much.
Every winning hand, blackjack included, counts as a win in your stats. Room scores add up across every game in the room, so what you win here stays on the scoreboard when the host switches to baccarat or Hi-Lo.
Tips and strategy
- Stand on hard 17 or more. The risk of busting is too high.
- Use the dealer's up card. With 12 to 16, stand when the dealer shows 4, 5 or 6 (and 13 to 16 against a 2 or 3), because the dealer is the one likely to bust. Against a 7 or higher, hit.
- Always hit a soft 17 or less. No single card can bust it.
- Double on 11, and on 10 against a 2 to 9. One card is likely to give you a strong total.
- Remember there's no splitting. A pair of 8s is simply 16, and a pair of Aces is a soft 12: hit it.
- Double 11 even against a 10 or an Ace. The dealer doesn't peek, but a dealer blackjack still takes only your original bet.
- Card counting won't help. The deck is freshly shuffled every round.
How to start a game of blackjack on Ping44
- Go to ping44.com, sign in (free, with email or Google) and create a room.
- Share the invite link, the room code or the QR code. Friends can join as guests by just picking a name.
- In the lobby, choose Card, then Blackjack in Game settings.
- Set the starting chips, bet per round, turn timer and game length.
- Start the game. Blackjack can start with just you. Friends who arrive during a game wait for the host to let them in, then are dealt in from the next round.
Why play blackjack on Ping44
- Nobody waits. Every player acts at the same time, so a table of 20 moves as fast as a table of two.
- Play alone or with a crowd. One player against the dealer, or up to 100 in one room.
- Fair dealing. The server shuffles a fresh deck every round with a cryptographically secure random source, and the dealer's hole card isn't sent to anyone until it's turned over.
- No real money. Chips are virtual, have no cash value and can't be bought.
- Voice and text chat in the room.
- More casino games in the same room. Switch to poker, baccarat, Hi-Lo or any of the other card games without leaving.
- Free, with no ads, in the browser, with nothing to install.
Frequently asked questions
Can I play blackjack online with friends for free?
Yes. Create a room on Ping44, send your friends the invite link and choose Blackjack under Card in Game settings. It's free, with no ads, and plays in the browser on phones, tablets and computers.
Is it real money?
No. Ping44 blackjack is played with virtual chips that have no cash value. You can't buy chips or cash them out, and if you run out you're given the starting chips again.
Can I play blackjack alone?
Yes. Blackjack is the one Ping44 card game you can start by yourself: it's just you against the dealer. Friends who join later are dealt in from the next round.
How many people can play blackjack on Ping44?
From 1 to 100. Everyone plays their own hand against the dealer at the same time, so a big table doesn't slow the game down.
Does the dealer hit on soft 17?
No. The dealer draws until the hand reaches 17 or more and stands on every 17, soft 17 included.
Can I split or take insurance?
No. Ping44 plays a simple table with three moves: Hit, Stand and Double down. A pair plays as its total.
What does blackjack pay?
A blackjack (an Ace and a 10-value card as your first two cards) pays 3:2, rounded down to whole chips. Other winning hands pay even money, and a tie with the dealer is a push.
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