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Cards: 100% plastic if you can
At a blackjack table cards change hands constantly and bend fast. 100% plastic cards last for years and can be washed; paper "linen finish" cards are cheaper but wear out in a few nights.
- How many decks? 2 to 6 identical decks. With a single deck you reshuffle every two or three rounds.
- Jumbo index: big numbers are easier to read around a table.
- Two back colours: shuffle one shoe while the other is in play.
Chips: 300 is enough for 5 players
- 300-chip case: ideal for 5 or 6 players. 500 for a big table or several tables.
- Weight: 11 to 14 g clay composite chips feel like a casino; light plastic chips are fine for kids.
- Colours: 4 or 5 colours are plenty (for example 1, 5, 25, 100, 500).
Dealing shoe and layout
- Shoe: a 4- to 8-deck shoe makes dealing faster and more authentic. Not needed with 2 decks.
- Blackjack layout: felt or neoprene, with betting circles and the dealer rule ("stands on 17"). It settles a lot of arguments.
- Automatic shuffler: handy beyond 4 decks, otherwise optional.
House rules that work
- Rotate the dealer every 10 rounds so nobody keeps the edge.
- Simple rules: dealer stands on 17, blackjack pays 3:2, double on two cards, split once.
- No real money: chips with no value, and a small token prize for the biggest stack.
Before the night, print the strategy chart and run the quiz with your friends.
No gear at hand? The 3D table is free, on desktop and mobile.
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