How can I keep from looking like a big dummy at the blackjack table?

In a few months
I’m heading to Las Vegas for a conference. I am absolutely not a gambler
but figure I’ll spend an hour or two checking out some of the gaudiest casinos and maybe playing some slots. But
for some reason
I also have an urge to try playing blackjack. My question is twofold: 1. What can I expect from the blackjack-playing experience? I’ve only played slots before and have never interacted with anyone at a casino. How can I keep from looking like an idiot? 2. Any recommended resources for basic blackjack strategy?

Math and odds and Blackjack

What are the chances
in blackjack
that I will start with 15
and the dealer will be showing a 10 (or face card worth 10)? Despite the fact that my buddy thinks the odds of this are near 100%
I’ve tried to calculate the actual odds (assuming a single deck). I’ve come up with 2.62% -ish. Not really sure if I’m right. I started with all the possible hands I could have. 2652 (52 * 51) Then I figured out how many hands would give me 15. 64 hands with a 10 (or equivalent) and a 5. 64 hands with a 5 and a 10. 16 hands with a 9 and a 6. 16 hands with a 6 and a 9. 16 hands with an 8 and a 7. 16 hands with a 7 and an 8. 16 hands with an ace and a 4. 16 hands with a 4 and an ace. These fall into two groups
those that have a 10
and therefore deprive the dealer of one
and those that don’t. 128 hands have a 10. 96 hands are 15 some other way. If I have a 10
she has 15 cards left
out of 50
to get a 10. If I don’t she has 16 out of 50. So my odds of making a 15 using a 10 (or face card) are 4.8%. Her odds of then having a 10 showing are 30%. So we have a 1.44% chance of that happening. -Plus- Me making 15 some other way: 3.7%. And her having a 10 showing: 32%. Gives us 1.18% for that second scenario. So 2.62% of my having 15 and the dealer showing a 10 or face card. Two questions. Assuming a single deck
is this correct? Assuming multiple decks
what changes (if anything)? If I’m wrong
where did I go wrong? (It would help my brain to have a combination of english and math to explain where I went wrong
rather than just something like “you should have used a factorial for possible hands 52!-4!”
etc…) Thanks.

Become an Online Blackjack Icon
There are a lot of fun games that you can play at an online casino. But since these sites have become all the rage
none have been more of a crowd pleaser than online blackjack.