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BJACK.DCA
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1987-08-04
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BLACKJACK
Topics
Making a Backup Diskette ...........1
The Setting ........................1
Object .............................1
Playing the Game ...................2
Tailoring Las Vegas Games ........3
Options ..........................3
The Keys ...........................6
How the Dealer Plays ...............6
Basic Strategy .....................6
Card Counts ........................7
Ending the Game ....................8
End of Topics
1
Making a Backup Diskette~
------------------------
It is important to make a backup copy
of your Blackjack diskette in case
your original diskette is lost or
damaged. You can make only one copy.
Choose the option "Make a Backup Copy"
on the Main Menu and follow the
instructions on the screen.
The Setting~
-----------
In the game of Blackjack (also known
as Twenty-one) you pit your skill--
and luck--against the casino.
The casino blackjack table has a
dealer and up to seven other players.
You play against the dealer--in this
case, the dealer is your computer.
One or more ordinary decks of playing
cards are used.
Object~
------
The object of Blackjack is to
beat the dealer.
You win if:
o You have blackjack and the dealer
does not. Blackjack is a hand
containing an ace and a card with
a value of 10. A ace is counted
as 11 for a hand count of 21
points.
Note: The count of a hand is the
sum of the values of all the cards
in the hand. Cards 2 through 10
are counted at face value. The
jack, queen, and king count as 10.
Aces count as either 1 or 11.
o You are closer to a hand count
of 21 without busting (going
over 21) than the dealer.
o You have 21 or less and the dealer
busts.
2
You lose if:
o The dealer has blackjack and you
do not.
o You bust (even though the dealer
busts later).
o Your hand point total is less
than the dealer's total.
If you and the dealer push (you both
have the same point total), no money
changes hands.
Playing the Game~
----------------
Blackjack offers you most of the
common games of four different
gambling areas:
o Las Vegas Strip
o Las Vegas Downtown
o Lake Tahoe/Reno
o Atlantic City
=====================================
To begin playing Blackjack, choose
either Las Vegas Strip or the optional
game menu from the first screen.
If you choose Las Vegas Strip, you
play the standard game with
preselected rules.
If you choose from the optional game
menu, you can tailor your game by
specifying the number of card decks to
be used, the minimum and maximum bet
allowed, and whether players can make
insurance bets (see below).
3
Tailoring Las Vegas Games~
You can also tailor the Las Vegas
games by specifying whether:
o You want to play with the surrender
option and, if so, whether you want
early surrender (before the dealer
checks for blackjack) or
conventional surrender (after the
dealer checks for blackjack)
o Cards can be split one, two, or
three times
o Six cards that add up to less than
22 automatically win
o You can double your bet only when
your cards add up to 10 or 11
o You can double your bet after a
split
o You can double if you have more than
two cards
o You play your hand early, that is,
before dealer checks for blackjack.
o Any two cards each with a value of
ten is considered a pair
After you choose a game, the rules for
the game are displayed.
Press Enter to go to the casino table
to add players, choose their seat
numbers, and enter their names.
======================================
Options~
Each casino has different rules. The
options that are available appear when
you are playing. The options are:
HIT - To draw another card. If the
additional card causes the hand
count to exceed 21, you bust (and,
therefore, lose).
STAY - To play the hand as it is,
without drawing more cards.
4
INSURE - When the dealer has an ace
as upcard, you can make an insurance
bet to protect yourself in case the
dealer has blackjack. To insure,
you bet an additional one-half of
your original bet. If the dealer
has blackjack, the insurance bet
pays 2 for 1, but you lose the
original bet. If the dealer doesn't
have blackjack, you lose the
insurance bet, but your original bet
is still in effect.
SPLIT - If your first two cards are
the same (for example, two eights)
you may split them. To split, you
bet an additional amount equal to
the original bet and then split
(separate) them. You now have two
hands.
The dealer then gives you a second
card for the first hand and you
finish playing that hand. Next, the
dealer deals to the second hand, and
you play that hand. You do not
receive any 3 for 2 payoffs for
blackjacks on split hands.
If you draw cards that make more
pairs, you can continue to split up
to the casino limit. Some casinos
allow any cards with a 10 value as a
pair; others require real pairs,
such as two kings. When you split
aces, you receive only one
additional card per hand. There is
no hit option on this split.
DOUBLE - Also called "double down."
To double, you place an additional
bet equal in value to the original
bet and turn your cards faceup on
the table. You are dealt one
additional card. Some casinos
require a specific value for
doubling; others allow you to double
on any value. Certain casinos
allow doubling after a split.
5
SURRENDER - Give up. Surrendering
costs one-half of the original bet.
There are two different surrender
options: early surrender (before
the dealer checks for blackjack) and
conventional surrender (after the
dealer checks for blackjack).
Conventional surrender is not
allowed if the dealer has blackjack.
The surrender option is not
available in many casinos.
After you enter the name of each
player, the terms appear (for example,
20 chips at $1.00 each for a total of
$20.00). You can choose to accept the
terms or buy a different number of
chips.
After you accept the terms, you can
continue the game, buy more chips, add
a player, or change the playing
options.
By pressing the keys indicated on the
Options screen, you can change the
following for any game:
F3 = Show card count (yes or no)
See below for an explanation of
card count
F4 = Deal cards faceup or facedown
F5 = Turn sound on or off
F6 = Change the card color
F7 = Choose either black or white for
the background color of the cards
You can also end the game on this
screen by pressing F8.
Before each hand is played, you can
press F2 (Options) to go to the
Options screen. Then press F2
again to go to the Status screen to
review the conditions for the game
(for example, whether an insurance bet
is allowed).
6
The Keys~
--------
The function keys that you can use
within a game are displayed on
the bottom line of your screen. You
can use either the function keys or
number keys for commands.
Many screens display a highlighted
function key. This key is the key
that will be used if you do not select
another. You can select a highlighted
key by just pressing Enter.
Also, for your convenience, you can
enter information you have typed by
pressing either Enter or the F1 key.
Use the Esc key to exit without
entering typed information.
Use the Backspace key to erase.
How the Dealer Plays~
--------------------
The dealer (your computer) plays by
casino rules and is required to hit
(take an additional card) if its hand
total is 16 or less. The dealer stays
(doesn't take any additional cards) if
its total is 18 to 21. Dealer busts
if its total is greater than 21.
The dealer stays on all seventeens in
some casinos and hits "soft-seventeen"
in others. A soft-seventeen hand
contains an ace, counted as 11,
without the total hand count exceeding
21.
Basic Strategy~
--------------
Basic strategy screens that advise you
what to do if you don't count cards
are available while you play
blackjack. To go to these screens,
press F2 for help when the Help option
is displayed.
7
Card Counts~
-----------
Card counts are maintained in simple
(sim) and intermediate (int) format.
These counts are displayed, when you
bet, if you select the "show count"
option on the Options screen.
Card counts are required by all forms
of advanced play. You can use the
card counts to double-check your
own counts, vary the amount of your
bet, decide when to change from the
basic strategy, and so on.
Refer to standard texts on blackjack
for information on how to use card
counts and advanced systems of play.
In brief, the simple count is
developed by adding 1 to a counter for
each 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 which is played.
Each 10-value card or ace played
causes 1 to be subtracted from the
same counter. The following cards are
not counted: 2, 8, and 9. The
correct count of a full deck is zero.
When the count is positive, the deck
favors the player, and when the count
is negative, the deck favors the
casino.
When the count is more positive than
the action number shown, you should
consider increasing your bet. When
the count is more negative than the
action number shown, you should
consider decreasing your bet.
The intermediate count is based on the
simple count. The intermediate count
equals the simple count readjusted by
the number of cards remaining to be
played. This adjusted count more
accurately reflects the makeup of the
cards still to be played.
The card counts are provided to help
you learn to count correctly. You
can also use the counts to help
evaluate the advanced play techniques
presented in blackjack books.
8
Ending the Game~
---------------
To end the game, press F8 when you
are on the Options screen. Then press
F9.
You will be asked whether you
want to play another game or whether
you want to leave the program and
return to DOS. Press F1 to play again
or F2 to leave the program.