Blackjack Game in C

Welcome to the Blackjack Game in C! This project is a command-line implementation of the classic Blackjack card game. Play against the dealer, make strategic decisions, and receive feedback on your moves based on basic Blackjack strategy.

Table of Contents

• Features
• Getting Started
  • Prerequisites
  • Compilation
  • Running the Game
• How to Play
• Game Options
• Basic Strategy Feedback
• Code Structure
• Contributing
• License
• Acknowledgments

Features

• Standard Blackjack Rules: Play with the standard rules of Blackjack, including hitting, standing, doubling down, and splitting.
• Betting System: Start with an initial balance and place bets on each hand.
• Basic Strategy Guidance: Receive real-time feedback on your moves according to basic Blackjack strategy.
• Splitting and Doubling Down: Options to split pairs and double down when the situation allows.
• Randomized Deck: The deck is shuffled before each game to ensure randomness.

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• A C compiler (e.g., GCC)
• Standard C libraries (stdio.h, stdlib.h, string.h, etc.)

Compilation

Open your terminal and compile the program using:

gcc -o blackjack blackjack.c

Running the Game

After compiling, start the game by running:

./blackjack

How to Play

1. Starting Balance: You begin the game with a balance of 500 units.
2. Placing Bets: Enter your desired bet amount at the beginning of each hand.
3. Dealing Cards: Both you and the dealer receive two cards. One of the dealer's cards is revealed.
4. Making Decisions: Choose to hit, stand, double down, or split based on your hand and the dealer's upcard.
5. Basic Strategy Feedback: After each decision, you'll receive feedback indicating whether your move aligns with basic Blackjack strategy.
6. Outcome: The game determines the winner based on Blackjack rules and updates your balance.
7. Continuing Play: Choose to play another hand or exit the game.

Game Options

• Hit (h): Take another card.
• Stand (s): Keep your current hand.
• Double Down (d): Double your bet and receive one final card.
• Split (sp): If you have a pair, split them into two hands (requires additional bet equal to your original bet).

Basic Strategy Feedback

The game provides feedback on your decisions based on basic Blackjack strategy matrices for:

• Hard Hands: Hands without an Ace counted as 11.
• Soft Hands: Hands where an Ace counts as 11.
• Pairs: Two cards of the same rank.

After each move, you'll see a message indicating whether your choice was optimal according to the strategy.

Code Structure

• Data Structures:
  • Card: Represents a playing card with rank, suit, and value.
  • BasicStrategyRow: Stores strategy actions based on hand values and dealer's upcard.
• Functions:
  • main(): Entry point that initializes the game loop.
  • play_blackjack(): Manages the main game flow, including betting and handling splits.
  • play_hand(): Handles player decisions within a hand.
  • basic_strategy_calculation(): Provides feedback on the player's decisions based on strategy matrices.
  • Helper Functions:
    • shuffle_deck(): Shuffles the deck of cards.
    • calculate_hand_value(): Calculates the total value of a hand.
    • print_hand(): Displays the player's or dealer's hand.
• Strategy Matrices:
  • hard_strategy[]: Actions for hard hands.
  • soft_strategy[]: Actions for soft hands.
  • pair_strategy[]: Actions for pairs.

License

This project is open-source and available under the MIT License.

Enjoy the game, and may the odds be in your favor!