A guide to learning the different hand signals in blackjack
Land-based casinos are lively and always full of people talking to one another. While this is a great place to bond, it can be difficult to communicate with the players and dealers due to all the noise in the background. As a result, it distracts dealers and participants, which makes it hard to keep up with the game.
As a solution to this problem, hand signals are included in the game rules to make it easier to communicate with the dealer and other players. There’s a wide range of hand signals to learn, but the game that has a lot is blackjack. To have a smooth gaming experience playing blackjack, get to know the different hand signals by continuing to read this article.
Learning the hand signals used in blackjack
- Hit
In blackjack, hitting means you are requesting an extra card so you can increase the value of your hand. Since there are two types of blackjack, face up and face down uses different gestures for hitting. When playing face-up blackjack, you need to tap on the table with your fingers. Meanwhile, playing face down blackjack requires sliding your cards on top of your chips
- Stand
Choosing to stand in blackjack means that you are sticking with the cards you already have. If you are playing face-up blackjack, all you have to do is wave your hands over your cards to let the dealer know your action. Meanwhile, sliding your cards on top of your chips is the gesture you need to do when playing face down blackjack.
- Double down
Doubling down is the act of increasing your stakes because you’re satisfied with the value of your hand, and at the same time, you’re expecting the dealer’s hand to be weak. When you choose to do this, you need to double your wager and receive another card in return.
The hand signal for this action is the same in both face-up and face down blackjack. First, you must place the correct amount of chips beside your initial bet. Then, point your finger towards it so that the dealer knows that you are doubling down. Keep in mind that you also need to turn your cards over before doing these steps when you play face down blackjack.
- Splitting
Receiving a pair of cards calls for the opportunity to split which allows you to create an additional hand, giving you a total of two hands in the round. To signify this action, you must first place an equal amount of chips beside your initial bet. Afterwards, create a V-shape with your finger so that the dealer will know that you are splitting. Once the dealer gets the message, they will add cards to each of your hands.
The hand signal for splitting is the same for both face-up and face down blackjack. The difference, however, is that you need to turn your cards over when playing the latter.
Why you should learn the casino blackjack hand signals
Hand signals are important to a game of blackjack because of multiple reasons. If you want to know what they are, proceed to the list of reasons why it is invented in the first place:
- Helps speed up the game
Hand signals make all rounds of blackjack faster since verbally announcing your actions can intermix with other noises in the casino. With just a few movements of your fingers and hands, you can easily tell the dealer what you want to happen!
- Helping the dealer understand your actions
In land-based casinos, there would be a lot of noise in the background which makes it hard for dealers and players to understand each other. That is why using hand signals is the best way to communicate. Just make sure that your signals can be seen within their vision.
- Maintaining a fair and clear game
Brick and mortar casinos have 24/7 surveillance cameras hanging on every corner of the establishment. Aside from that, casino managers see to it that there would be nearby cameras at the playing tables. This is a good measure to record any cheating or trickery since it captures everything happening inside the building.
While surveillance cameras cannot record sound, they can see the hand signals of every dealer and player. As such, the footage serves enough proof to see if there is any conspiracy happening on the table.
Tips on memorizing blackjack hand signals
If this is your first time knowing about blackjack hand signals, it is normal for you to forget or make mistakes while doing them. To prevent that from happening, here are some tips that will help you memorize the casino blackjack hand signals:
Practising for lots of times
One way to memorize something is to keep practising. By constantly doing the different hand signals in blackjack, your brain and body will easily register this information. Aside from that, you can also add a brief explanation whenever you do each gesture. Doing this will let your mind associate the action to the gesture fast.
Using it in a real casino setting to get the experience
The best way to use the casino blackjack hand signals is to play in a real setting. Head over to the nearest land-based casino and play a couple of rounds of blackjack. While playing, see to it that you are using the gestures you have learned from this article. During these kinds of situations, you will notice how fast a round goes, which trains you to think quickly.
Watching how other players use it
Another way to memorize the hand signals is to watch how other people use them. This will show you how players smoothly and gracefully execute the gestures. Additionally, it will help you think of ways on how you can signal your actions stylishly!