Getting Ready: Online Blackjack Game
Explore how to design an online Blackjack game by breaking down its core components such as card values, player and dealer actions, betting, and game state management. Understand how to model the game using key OOD concepts, ensuring scalability, rule enforcement, and maintainability through design patterns and SOLID principles.
Problem definition
Blackjack is a popular casino card game where multiple players compete individually against a dealer. The main objective is to have a hand value closer to 21 than the dealer without exceeding it (“busting”). The game uses one or more standard decks of cards. Each card has a specific value: number cards (2-10) are worth their face value, face cards (Jack, Queen, King) are worth 10 points, and the Ace can count as either 1 or 11, whichever benefits the hand most. The best possible hand, a “Blackjack,” consists of an Ace and a 10-point card (10, Jack, Queen, or King).
At the beginning of each round, players place bets, and players and the dealer deals two cards to each. Players’ cards are face up, while the dealer has one face up and one face down card. Players can choose to “hit” (draw an additional card) or “stand” (end their turn) in an attempt to get closer to 21 without busting. If a player’s total exceeds 21, they lose immediately. After all players have finished, the dealer reveals their hidden card and draws according to ...