In Blackjack, everyone plays against the dealer. Players receive all cards face up and the dealer's first card is face up and the second is face down. The object of the game is to get closer to 21 than the dealer without going over 21. If a hand goes over 21, it is called a bust  or break  and the wager is lost.

In fact, the value 16 is said to be the worst hand one can have in blackjack. Since sixteen of the other fifty cards have a value of 10 and four have a value of 11, there is a strong chance of getting at least an 18 with either or both split cards. A hand totaling 18 or 19 is much stronger than having a 16.

Compare your cards to the dealer's: If the dealer's hand exceeds 21, all players with 21 or less win. If your hand is higher than the dealer's, without exceeding 21, you win. If you have the same total as the dealer, it's a push even if you got blackjack.

Naturals. If a player's first two cards are an ace and a "ten-card" (a picture card or 10), giving a count of 21 in two cards, this is a natural or "blackjack." If any player has a natural and the dealer does not, the dealer immediately pays that player one and a half times the amount of their bet.