The object of Blackjack is to total your cards and come closer to twenty-one than the dealer does, without going bust which is totally different from other games like Poker, Roulette, Bingo, Slot Machines and ,many such casino games.  In spite of the fact that the game is based on totaling cards, there are different house rules in different places and it is important that the player knows what they are.  In Atlantic City and on the Las Vegas Strip, the dealer stands on a soft seventeen.  Not so on Fremont Street in Las Vegas where the dealers can hit on a soft seventeen. The player that doesn’t know this may find a dealer hitting twenty-one when the player thought he had to stand. This gives the dealer an extra chance at scoring twenty-one and gives the house a better advantage. In Atlantic City Blackjack is played with the option of Surrender.  This may or may not benefit the player depending on the player’s ability. 

There are also different table rules within an establishment.  The players must read the signs on the table so they know what the applicable table rules are.  The rules can differ regarding double splits, double down, insurance and surrender, not to mention the table minimum and maximum bets.  These are things the player should check out before he sits down at a table.

Casinos also have rules about card counting. Card counting is a very effective strategy in Blackjack but if the casino staff catches card counters, they usually ask them to leave.  If you are a card counter, be as inconspicuous as possible.