There is no such thing as a professional roulette player. And no such thing as a professional craps player, either. Nor are there any professional baccarat players. And if you go down to your local casino you're certainly never going to see a professional slot machine player.

There are, however, professional blackjack players.

That's because, unlike the aforementioned types of casino games, blackjack--if learned properly--can be beaten. And even if you don't want to learn all the nuances of the game, you can still do pretty well just by learning some easy, basic strategy.

That's why it's the most popular game in the casino--you can win!

So how do you play?

The concept of blackjack--also known as 21--is to get cards whose total value is closer to 21 than that of a dealer, and without going over 21.

Your hand, as well as the hands of other players, are played against the hand of the dealer only--players don't play against each other as in poker.

The blackjack dealer doesn't make any decisions about play. All his decisions are automatic, dictated by the rules of the game. You, however, get to make decisions about play. And if you make the right ones--or at least make more right ones than wrong ones---you may come out ahead!

In general, in blackjack the value of the card is what the card is:

A 2 is worth 2, a 3 is worth 3, and so on, up to and including a 10, which is worth 10.

All of the face cards---jack, queen and king---are also worth 10.

An ace is the only card that can have two values---either 1 or 11---depending on which value is more beneficial at the time. Card suits don't mean anything.

The value of a blackjack hand is the sum of the values of each card in the hand, so a hand containing a 4, 8 and 9 has a value of 21.

You don't have to say what value the ace is, as it's always the value that makes the best hand.

Suppose you have a beginning hand of an ace and a 6---this hand can be worth either 7 or 17.

If you stop, it will be worth 17.

If you draw another card to the hand and now have an ace, 6 and 3, your total hand is now worth 20, with the ace counting as 11.

But if you had instead drawn a third card which was an 8, and the hand is now ace, 6 and 8, which totals 15---notice that now the ace is counted as only 1 to avoid going over 21.

Now that you know what the cards are worth, here's how to play:

The game starts with everyone (but the dealer)making a bet, and then the dealer deals the cards.

The dealer will make two passes around the table, so that the players and the dealer have two cards each, and the dealer will turn one of his cards over, exposing its value.

Once the cards are dealt, play proceeds around the table.

Each player indicates to the dealer how he wishes to play the hand, and after each player has finished the hand, the dealer will complete his hand, and then pay or collect the players' bets.

As previously noted, the dealer must play his hand in a specific way, with no latitude allowed.

Generally, the dealer must hit his hand if its value is 16 or less, and stand if the hand's value is 17 or more.

The player, on the other hand, can hit (take another card) or stand (stay pat) whenever he wishes.

If at the end of the game, the total value of all a player's cards exceeds---without going over 21---the dealer's total, the player wins.

If the player had bet $10, for example, on the hand, the player then wins $10.

An exception is if the player is dealt a "natural blackjack," which means the player's first two cards are an ace and a 10 or face card and total 21 in value---in this case the player is paid off at 3-2 odds, or $15 on a $10 bet.

If the dealer's total (without going over 21) exceeds the player's total, the dealer wins.

If the player had bet $10 on the hand, the player loses $10.

If both the player's total and the dealer's total are the same, it's a draw, called a '"push," and the player's bet is returned.

However, if both the player and dealer go over 21, or '"bust," it's not a "push" but a loss for the player.

In addition to deciding on every hand whether to "hit" or "stand," a blackjack player will occasionally have to make other decisions during a game.

Those decisions include doubling down, splitting pairs, insurance and surrender.

When you double down, you are allowed to double your bet after receiving your first two cards. You then receive one card only on your hand. Some casinos will allow you to double down on any two cards and some casinos limit your doubling to hands that total ten or eleven.

If you are dealt a pair---two cards of the same value---you can split these into two separate hands. You must make an additional bet equal to your starting bet, and then you play each hand one at a time. The dealer will give you a second card to go with the first split card, and you decide to hit or stand. After you play out this hand and stand you will move on to the next split card and the process will be repeated.

If the dealer's up card is an ace, the dealer will offer insurance, which is a side bet you make wagering half your original bet that the dealer has a ten-count card in the hole (turned face-down).

If you make the bet and he has the 10, you are paid 2 to 1, but you would then lose your original bet but win the insurance bet, which works out to being a push of your original bet.

If you have a blackjack and the dealer has an ace you will be asked if you would like even money for your blackjack instead of 3 to 2. If do not take the even money, you will have a push if the dealer has a blackjack.

Both the insurance and the even money bet are sucker bets, as the dealers won't have a ten-count in the hole more times than they will have a one-count.

Some casinos will allow you to surrender your hand and give up half your bet on your first two cards after the dealer checks for a blackjack, and it is to the player's advantage when played correctly. However, many players surrender more hands than they should, thus giving up the advantage gained by this option.

As far as overall blackjack strategy goes, much has been written on the subject.

Depending on how serious a student of the game you want to become, you can read books and teach yourself everything from basic simple strategy to more advanced techniques, including a technique professional blackjack players use called "card counting."

This is where you remember the cards that have been played so you can predict what cards are likely to come up next.

For beginners, try a simpler strategy.

Follow these basic rules, and you'll be able to hold your own at any casino blackjack table.

Basic Blackjack Strategy

If your first two cards total 9 or lower, hit.

If your first two cards total 10 or 11, double down.

If your first two cards total 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16, stand if the dealer's "upcard" (exposed card) is 6 or lower and hit if the dealer's "upcard" is 7 or higher.

If your first two cards total 17 or higher, stand.

When one of your first two cards is an ace---which we told you can be worth 1 or 11---make the following adjustments:

If your first two cards total 17 or lower, hit.

If your first two cards total 18, stand when the dealer's "upcard" is 7 or higher and hit when the dealer's "upcard" is 6 or lower.

If your first two cards total 19 or higher, stand.

In addition, if your first two cards total 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 or 18, double down when the dealer's "upcard" is 5 or 6.

If all those numbers are too much to remember, and you just want to get out there and start playing without having to recall what move goes with what card total, then just remember this one rule:

Follow the dealer.

In other words, no matter what cards you're dealt, hit on 16 or lower, and stand on 17 or higher.

Now get out there and win!