Blackjack, whether played in a casino or played online is nevertheless a game that involves its unique brand of complexities. Even with the significant role played by the chance factor, individual skills and strategy go long way for the players in Blackjack. Thus, every player must be extremely well versed in all the aspects of game, the technicalities involved, especially regarding the possible player decisions. Following the receipt of his or her initial hand of a pair of cards, the player can generally go for any of the four standard options which are Hit, Stand, Double Down, or Split a pair. Each one of the options involves a hand signal. There is, in certain variations in some casinos, a mention of another option called Surrender.
- Hit: – This means taking another card from the dealer and the signal is to scrape the cards against table and to contact the table with the finger.
- Stand: – This also goes by the names “stick” or “stay” and means that the player will not take any more cards. The signal is sliding cards under bet while waving hand horizontally.
- Double Down: – Following the initial dealing, a player is permitted to double his bet in exchange for a single more card from the dealer resulting in a hand comprising of the initial pair and the third card. This involves moving another bet equal to the first one into the pot beside his original bet. Interestingly, while a player is certainly allowed to double down for less, he is certainly not permitted to double down for more exceeding the amount of his original bet. The signal for this move involves a correct placement of chips just adjacent to the initial stack and surely not on the top of that.
- Split a pair: – A player is allowed to split his or her pair only in the case that he or she is dealt a perfect pair in the first two cards, that is both the cards have equal value belonging to different suites. Now in order to do this, the player places another equal bet to the first one into an area other than the betting box of the original bet. Then the dealer creates two different hands by separating the cards, thus placing a single bet with each hand enabling him to play two separate hands. The signal is placing extra chips outside of the betting box.
- Surrender: – A player can “surrender” by withdrawing interests from half of his bet and not playing out the hand only after the dealer has done a check. There are no conventional signal for this move.