Blackjack is a casino card game that pits the player against the dealer. The aim is to get a hand that is closer to 21 than the dealer’s. The game uses one or more 52-card decks, with cards having values of either their number or face (picture) value, or the ace, which counts as either 1 or 11 depending on how the card is played. Players place bets in special betting areas on the table, and then they and the dealer are each dealt two cards. They can then decide whether to’stack’ or’stay’ the cards, meaning they will draw more cards or not, based on basic strategy.

The game has some interesting rules and strategies. For example, it’s often better to stay with a hand of 17 or more than the dealer’s, as this makes it less likely that you will bust and lose your bet. The game also has an advantage for players who can count cards, though this is not possible at every table. This is because the cards are shuffled frequently and a player with an accurate counting system could tell when the shoe was about to run out of good cards.

There are a variety of side bets available in blackjack, including insurance and doubling down. These side bets pay out if the dealer has an ace showing. However, if the dealer has a blackjack, all the player’s hands lose (except for their original bet, which gets a payout of 2 to 1) and the round is a push.

A casino dealer has many responsibilities, including changing money for customers and ensuring that the chips used to bet are properly stacked. He or she may also have to identify counterfeit bills if they are presented at the table. The dealer may also be required to shuffle cards before dealing them out, and some games use an automatic shuffler to do this. The dealers are also responsible for collecting the money from the betting area and then depositing it into a casino’s bank account.

Blackjack dealers work in shifts, and they may have to be on their feet for long periods of time while working the tables. This can be difficult for people with back problems or arthritis. The job is also often noisy and may expose the dealer to second-hand smoke and other fumes.

In recent years, blackjack has lost ground on the Las Vegas Strip to newer casino games, especially baccarat, which is preferred by Asian high rollers. To combat this, casinos have lowered the 3 to 2 payout for blackjacks and added other rules that decrease the game’s overall favorability to the player. The game’s popularity has also been slowed by the advent of online gambling. This has decreased the need for many casinos to have a dedicated blackjack table and led some casinos to move blackjack dealers to other table games.