Blackjack is a casino game that uses cards and rules of play that allow players to win more often than the dealer. It is played using one or more 52-card decks. The aim is to obtain a total value of 21 or as close to it as possible without going over, while the dealer aims to go over.

A Blackjack dealer’s primary duties are to change money for customers, shuffle cards or place them in an automatic shuffler and deal the games of blackjack to players at the table. In addition, he is responsible for updating guests on the progress of the game.

Active listening: Listening to the needs of guests and delivering clear communication is a key skill for a blackjack dealer. This involves being able to respond to customers’ questions in a timely manner and giving them nonverbal cues, such as nodding, to show that they have given undivided attention.

Dealer school: In dealer schools, dealers learn how to deal blackjack hands and develop interpersonal skills in order to interact effectively with guests and other employees at the table. These programs happen at Point Place Casino in Bridgeport, YBR Casino & Sports Book in Chittenango, and a special dealer development facility in Oneida.

The dealer must know how to handle counterfeit bills, which may be used to place bets at the tables. He must also understand the rules of the game, and how to count and shuffle cards.

Greeting guests: When a player approaches the blackjack table, he must greet them and encourage them to join the game. It is important for the employee to know how to interact with people who are unfamiliar with the game, such as children and seniors, so that they will enjoy their time at the table and want to return.

Splitting: The dealer gives players the option to break up two cards of the same rank into two separate hands. This can be a great advantage in certain circumstances.

Early surrender: The dealer allows a player to forfeit half of his bet when the hand is unlikely to beat the dealer’s, such as when he has a face or an ace and a 6 shows up on the dealer’s face-up card. This is a good tactic for getting a weak hand out before the dealer has to check for blackjack, and it can help keep the players from getting a miserable total of 12 when the dealer shows a 7 or a 10.

Resplitting: The dealer allows a player to divide two Aces into two separate hands. This can be adapted to a variety of situations.

Basic strategy: The dealer will give you advice on whether to stand, hit or double based on what they are showing you and your hand. If you follow this advice, you will be playing according to the best mathematically-correct way to play for every combination of dealer up-card and player hand.

The basic strategy is based on a computer analysis of millions of hands and what worked best for the player in those cases. The strategy also includes how to play when the dealer’s up-card is an ace and the dealer has a ten, which is called insurance. This bet pays 2-to-1, but it has a slightly worse probability of winning than a blackjack.