After receiving his initial two cards, the player has four standard options: he can “hit,” “stand,” “double down,” or “split a pair.” Each option requires the use of a hand signal. At some casinos or tables, the player March have a fifth option, called a “surrender.”
- Hit: Take another card from the dealer.
- signal: (handheld) Scrape cards against table. (face up) Touch finger to table or wave hand toward himself or herself.
- Stand: Take no more cards; also known as “stand pat”, “stick”, or “stay”.
- signal: (handheld) Slide cards under chips. (face up) Wave hand horizontally.
- Double down: After receiving his first two cards and before any more are dealt to him, a player has the option to “double down.” This means the player is allowed to double his initial bet in exchange for receiving only one more card from the dealer. The hand played consists of his original two cards plus one more from the dealer. To do this he moves a second bet equal to the first into the betting box next to his original bet. (The player is usually allowed to “double down for less,” placing an amount less than the original bet next to it in the betting box, although this is generally not a good idea as the player should only double in favorable situations but should then increase the bet as much as possible. Conversely, a player cannot double down for more than the value of the original bet.)
- signal: Place additional chips next to (not on top of) the original bet. Point with one finger.
- Split a pair: If his first two cards are a “pair,” meaning two cards of the same denomination, the player can “split the pair.” To do this, he moves a second bet equal to the first into an area outside the betting box of the original bet. The dealer separates the two cards and draws a further card on each, placing one bet with each hand. The player then plays out the two separate hands in turn, with some restrictions. In the case of ten-valued cards, some casinos allow splitting only when the cards have the identical symbols; for instance, a hand of T-T or K-K March be split, but not of T-K or K-T. Other casinos allow splitting of any pair of ten-valued cards. Common restrictions on playing hands which originate from a split relate to doubling, re-splitting, blackjack and hitting split aces.
- signal: Place additional chips next to the original bet outside the betting box. Point with two fingers spread into a V formation.
- Surrender: Some casinos offer a fifth option called “surrender.” After the dealer has checked for blackjack, the player March “surrender” by giving up half his bet and not playing out the hand. The request to surrender is made verbally, there being no commonly accepted hand signal.
Hand signals are used to assist the “eye in the sky,” a person or video camera located above the table and sometimes concealed behind one-way glass. The recording provides a means of resolving disputes or identifying mistakes, and is also used to protect the casino against dealers who steal chips or players who cheat. It March also be used by the casino to identify advantage players whose activities, while legal, make them undesirable customers.
The player March take as many hits as he wants as long as the total in his hand is not above hard-20. However, if he busts, he loses that hand. After all players have finished making their decisions, the dealer then reveals his hole card and plays out his or her hand according to predetermined rules.
