Multi-player, multi-hand blackjack

• Eight decks are used in the Multiplayer version of Blackjack and each deck has 52 cards.
• The deck is shuffled after 20% of the cards in the decks are used.
• The dealer draws a card on soft 17 and stands on 17 or more.
• Maximum splits allowed = 1
• There is no limit on the number of cards that can be dealt to the dealer or the player. It is limited only by choice (by clicking "STAND") or the hand total being greater than or equal to 21 except in the cases of DOUBLING DOWN and SPLIT ACES where no more than one card will be dealt.
• If the dealer has a 10, Jack, Queen, King, or Ace as his first card, he will check to see if he has a blackjack before you draw your third card.

• When players enter the multi player multi hand blackjack lobby they are presented with a list of tables.
• Categories of tables are available in the tree structure on the left hand side.
• Players can navigate between the categories in the left hand side tree to see all the available tables in that category.
• To select a table, the player must double click on a table shown on right hand side.
• The game lists can be sorted by any of the available columns. This is done by clicking on the column heading. To reverse the sort (i.e. ascending / descending) click on the column heading again.
• Players may either view a table or take a seat(s) if they are available.
• Each table can accommodate up to five players and the dealer.
• A player can occupy multiple seats.
• Click on 'Take Seat' to occupy the seat.
• Seats that are occupied will show an account name against them.
• If you join a table in the middle of a hand, you must wait until the round is over and after that you will be able take your seat and place a bet.
• Clicking on 'Take Seat' will open up the buy in window, prompting you to buy into the table. The seat is reserved for you for 20 seconds.
• Once you have bought into the table left click on the bet area of the respective seat to place the required bet. Then click on 'DEAL' to initiate the hand. The cards will only be dealt once all players have clicked on 'DEAL' or till the global timer shown at the top left corner is completed.
• Right click on the bets placed to remove the bets.
• Once you have placed a bet on the table, you may choose to skip the current hand (before you click on ' DEAL' button) by clicking on the 'Skip' button or to proceed with the bet by clicking on ' DEAL' button. Choosing to skip a game three times consecutively from a particular seat will result in automatically leaving that occupied seat.
• 'SKIP' button will not be shown if only one seat is occupied in the table
• You can choose to vacate any seat occupied by you by clicking on 'Leave seat' button.
• You may also change your position on the table between hands by clicking on the desired seat, provided it is open.
• Required player responses are encouraged by use of a timer. If you don't place your bet in time or fail to click on 'DEAL' you skip the hand automatically.
• Your chips are stacked in denominations of $1, $5, $25 and $100 at the bottom right of the game window.
• Once the bet is placed, click on the 'DEAL' button to have the cards dealt.
• The cards will be dealt for all the players who had clicked on 'DEAL' button before the global timer for that particular round got completed.
• The dealer deals two cards Face-up to all the active players and deals two cards to himself; the first one being Face-up and the other Face-Down.
• Dealer checks for blackjack (if Face-up card is a 'Face' card or a 10) before players can draw their third card.
• The active hand is indicated by an arrow mark pointing towards it.
• When it is your turn, depending on the strength of your (player's) cards, you can choose amongst the options offered to you at the bottom right of the game screen. The options offered could be 'HIT', 'STAND', 'SURRENDER', 'DOUBLE' or 'SPLIT' and are decided as per game rules.
• If you place a bet but don't play your hand on time (within the time limit, marked by the timer shown just above your account name), you are assumed to have chosen to stand. The system then puts you in the 'Auto stand' mode.
• The Player is shown the 'INSURANCE' option if the Dealers Face-up card is an 'ACE'.
• After all players play their hands, the dealer's hole card is exposed and his hand is played out. Depending upon the outcome, the hand status (Win/Lose/Bust/Push/Blackjack) is displayed.
• If all the five betting positions bust, the dealer will stand (dealer will not be dealt any cards)
• If the player busts, the player loses the entire bet amount.
• Once the game has finished the same bets are placed again. You can choose to bet a different amount by clicking on the chip of a different denomination and then clicking on your stack.
• Your current game balance is displayed in the bottom left of the game screen.
• Click on 'REBUY' to buy more credits into the game from your Party Account.
• Click on 'RULES' to view the game rules.
• Click on 'GAMELOGS' to view the logs of the games you have already played.
• Click on 'VERSION' to view the current version number of the game.
• To exit from the game, click on 'EXIT'.

Stand: Clicking the 'STAND' button will keep your hand at its current value. You may stand at any time, if you are satisfied with your hand as it is. Click 'STAND' and when the dealer completes his or her hand, the hands will be compared.

Hit: If you wish to take another card, you may continue to do so until you either stand or go bust or the value of a hand is 21. Click 'HIT' and you will be dealt the next card.

Double: After you are dealt your first two cards, an option to "DOUBLE" will be displayed to you. Once this option is selected, the bet amount is automatically doubled and you will be dealt one more card. The hand will auto-stand after the card is dealt.

Doubling down is also offered after splitting. If your account balance is not sufficient for the additional bet, the double down option will not be offered.

In case you lose the hand, you lose both the initial bet and the additional amount placed for the double down option.

Split: If you have two cards of the same value (for example two sevens, two tens, two 'Face' cards, etc.), you can click 'SPLIT' to split the cards into two separate hands. Once this option is selected, an additional bet equal to your original bet is automatically placed.

You are allowed to split only once, even if more splitting opportunities arise. If the hand qualifies for Split but your account balance is not sufficient for the additional bet, the split option will not be offered.

You may draw as many cards as you wish on each split hand, with the exception of splitting on Aces and doubling down after splits. If you split 'Aces ', only one card will be dealt to each Ace. If a Ten-value card is dealt to either Ace, the hand is counted as 21, not Blackjack.

• Once the 'Split' option is clicked, the cards are split into two separate hands and one more card is dealt to each of the hands. The hand with an arrow pointing towards it, indicates that it is active (i.e., the one you are currently playing on).
• Click on Hit/Stand or the other offered options depending upon your hand.
• Once the first hand is decided, the arrow moves to the second hand.
• The arrow will not be shown if any of the hand value is 21 and it is moved to the other hand directly.
• Click on Hit/Stand or the other offered options depending upon your hand.

Insurance: Insurance gives you a chance to protect yourself when you believe the dealer has blackjack. If the Dealer's first card (face-up card) is an 'Ace' card, you can opt to insure your hands against the Dealer's blackjack by clicking 'Yes' or 'No' button displayed near the cards dealt. Insurance costs 50% of the bet amount in addition to the initial bet you placed. Once you opt for insurance, the insurance bet is automatically placed and is displayed to the right side of the seat occupied. If you do not take any action when insurance is offered with in 20 seconds, the system considers you have rejected the insurance option and the game continues.

If the dealer has a blackjack, the insurance bet pays 2 to 1, and you will lose the initial bet. If the Dealer does not get the blackjack, you will lose the insured bet and the game will continue for the initial bet amount. You will not be offered insurance if you have a blackjack.

If the hand qualifies for insurance but your account balance is not sufficient for the additional bet, the 'Insurance' option will not be offered.

Surrender: As your point total is announced, you may elect to discontinue play of your hand for that round and surrender one-half of your bet amount. You have the option to surrender on the first two cards. This decision must be made prior to indicating whether you wish to double down, split pairs, stand and/or hit.

The 'Surrender' option is offered only after the Dealer has checked to see if he has a blackjack. If the Dealer's second card results in a blackjack, your entire wager will be collected by the Dealer and the game will come to an end. However, if the Dealer's second card does not result in a blackjack, and you opt for the 'Surrender' option, one half of your bet will be returned to you.