One play by the last box player can obviously affect the outcome of the dealer’s hand and therefore change everybodies fate. In the U.S, one and two deck games are often hand-held instead of drawing the cards from a shoe. If he has one, then all bets lose (save a players ‘Blackjack’) and no one can make a mistake by doubling or splitting when they shouldn’t.<\/p>\n
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Rules of play differ according to the number of decks in the U.S but they are the same where ever you go in the U.K. What this means is that the dealer checks for the possibility of having a ‘Blackjack’ before any doubling or splitting is done. One point of interest is that in the U.S the dealer gets a face down card (hole card) as well as his upcard. The following examples are common; doubling 10 against a dealer’s 10 (or even Ace!) and splitting 8s against 10s or Aces! The basic idea of getting close to 21, or reaching it, and beating the dealer, is the same worldwide. If your total is lower then you lose your bet and if equal then you get your money back (a stand-off, a push).<\/p>\n