Introduction
Casino is the only fishing game to have become popular in English speaking countries. Although it is traditionally supposed to have originated in Italy, there is no direct evidence of it having been played there, at least under that name, though many other Italian fishing games are known. Casino first appears in the card game literature at the end of the eighteenth century in London, and shortly afterwards in Germany. In the late nineteenth century it became fashionable in America and a number of new variations were developed

The Players, the Cards and the Objective
This e game works best with from 2 to 4 players, though in theory more could take part. It has the distinction of being one of the few games which will deal out evenly to two, three, or four players. Four players can play in partnerships, two against two, with partners sitting opposite each other.
A regular 52 card deck is used. Each numeral card (ace-ten) is counted as its numerical value (ace = 1, two = 2, etc). The aim is to capture cards from a layout on the table, by playing a card from hand which matches in number a table card or the sum of several table cards. Picked up cards are accumulated in a pile to be counted at the end of the round.

The Deals
The dealer deals four cards to each player and four cards face up in the centre (these centre cards are laid out separately so that all are visible). Traditionally, the deal is in twos: two cards to each other player, two to the table, then two to the dealer, then repeat. However, some players prefer to deal the cards singly.

The remainder of the deck is temporarily put aside. After everyone has played their four cards, another hand of four cards is dealt to each player from the remaining cards, but no more cards are dealt to the table after the first deal. After these cards have been played there is another deal, and this continues until all 52 cards have been dealt (this takes 6 deals for 2 players, 4 deals for three players, 3 deals for 4 players). The dealer must announce "last" when dealing the last cards. After the last cards have been played and the hand scored, the deal passes to the left for the next round.

Casino Blackjack: Rules of the Game
This game of casino blackjack or 21 is by far the most popular table game offered in gambling establishments. If you are unfamiliar with the rules of casino blackjack or simply need some clarification on the finer points, you've come to the right place! This page will tell you everything you need to know to play the game, and describe the various rules that can differ from one casino to another.

If you are just learning the game, you can read this document straight through. If you are looking for a specific answer to a question, just use the article index on the left to jump directly to the section of interest.

Note to international visitors: The currency amounts and chip colors mentioned on this page are written from the viewpoint of a visitor to a casino in the United States, but all other information here should be applicable around the world.