In a single- or double-deck game dealt from the hand, cards are dealt facedown and players may pick them up with one hand. In a shoe game, all player cards are dealt faceup, and the players are not permitted to touch their cards. After all bets have been placed, each player and the dealer are given two cards. Play begins when you place a bet by stacking a chip or chips in the betting square on the table directly in front of you. Single- or double-deck games, most common in Nevada, but also popular in Mississippi and some other markets, may be dealt from the dealer's hand.

After being shuffled, the cards are placed in a receptacle called a shoe, from which the dealer can slide out one card at a time. Most games today use four, six, or eight decks. The player may double the original bet (double down) and receive just one more card on any two-card total. Pairs may be split according to the rules described below, and if more matching cards are dealt, the pairs may be split up to three times for a total of four hands. Double on any two cards.' That means the minimum bet at this table is $5 and the maximum is $2,000. For example, the sign might say, 'BLACKJACK. At one corner of the table is a rectangular placard that tells the minimum and maximum bets at that table, as well as giving variations in common rules. The game is usually played at an arc-shaped table with places for up to seven players on the outside and for the dealer on the inside. But if the dealer goes on to draw 21 in three or more cards, your blackjack is still a winner with its 3-2 payoff. However, if the dealer also has a two-card 21, the hand pushes, or ties, and you just get your original bet back.

Blackjack pays 3-2-that is, a two-card 21 on a $5 bet will win $7.50 instead of the usual $5 even-money payoff on other winning hands. The best total of all is a two-card 21, or a blackjack.

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