1.
You win by getting a better hand than the dealer. Do NOT try to get as close to 21 as possible, as this will result in your getting busted (going over 21) more often than not.

2.
You’re playing against the bank, not against the other players! Only your cards and the dealer’s up card are important to your decision.

3.
The dealer has an edge because all players go first. So if a player busts, he loses even if the dealer busts her hand afterwards. This is partly counterbalanced by the fact that the dealer has to follow a set of rules regardless of her position : a dealer with a winning hand totalling 16 still has to draw another card and may bust.

4.
Surrendering is to the player’s best advantage when used correctly. However, many players surrender more hands than they should, in effect negating this advantage. So don’t surrender unless you really know what you’re doing!

5.
Insurance is statistically not in the player’s best interest, so you’re better off not using it.