How the Cards are Dealt

Once all the bets are made, the dealer will deal the cards to the players. He’ll make two passes around the table starting at his left (your right) so that the players and the dealer have two cards each.

In the shoe games, the players cards will be dealt face up, and the players are not allowed to touch the cards. If you’re just beginning, you’ll probably want to start at the shoe game where you don’t have to worry about handling the cards.

In the hand held games, the player’s cards are dealt face down, and the players pick up the cards. When handling the cards in a hand-held game, here are a few important things to remember. You are only allowed to touch the cards with one hand. You must keep the cards over the table. Any cards that the dealer subsequently deals to your hand must be left on the table, not added to the cards in your hand. Once the cards are dealt, play proceeds around the table, starting at the first seat to the dealer’s left, also called first base. Each player in turn indicates to the dealer how he wishes to play the hand.