Getting to Know the Variations of Blackjack
When turning to the internet, you will discover that there are many different types of blackjack for you to play. Knowing this is important because all of these games have different rules and the odds can vary depending on the casino you play at. To help you prepare, we will take a look at some of the variations of blackjack you may run into online.
Classic Blackjack
Classic blackjack is the most common type of blackjack there is. This one has all the basic rules. There is a standard 52-card deck and you are allowed to double-down on any of your first two cards. The dealers can stand on any soft 17. When doubling down, you only get one additional card. You have the freedom to split any pair but when splitting aces, you only receive one additional card. If you receive a 10-value card on one of those aces, you do not get blackjack.
Double Exposure Blackjack
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could see both of dealer’s card instead of one? Well, that can be done when playing double exposure blackjack. However, there are a few drawbacks to this luxury. The rules of this game make up for the advantage of having this extra foresight. Double exposure blackjack utilizes eight standard decks, allowing you to double down on 9, 10, and 11. Similar to classic blackjack, you can also split pairs. There are also some other rules that swing the edge in the dealer’ favor. Here are some to keep in mind:
- The dealer wins on all ties except if you blackjack
- The dealer hits on soft 17
- There is no option to late surrender
Spanish Blackjack
Spanish Blackjack is another intriguing variation that strays away from the norm. With this variation there are eight decks, but each deck is missing all the 10′s, leaving them with a total of 48 cards each. This may seem like a large disadvantage, but the rules of Spanish Blackjack can actually work in your favor. While there are no 10′s, there are a number of special payouts to be obtained with certain hands. For instance, 7-7-7 of the same suit facing the dealer’s 7 payouts 50 to 1. Any combination of 7-7-7 or 6-7-8 receives a special payout as well as 21 with 5,6, or 7 cards respectively. Other advantages allow you to double-down twice, spit and re-split your hands.
Blackjack Switch
A popular favorite offered by software developer PlayTech, Blackjack Switch is an innovative variation of blackjack that gives you very good odds. Hence the name, this game allows you to play two hands at the same time and switch cards between them. You are required to make two bets of the same size and receive two different hands from a shoe of six decks. It is the top card in each deck that can be switched freely between both hands. The major disadvantage is that a dealer blackjack beats your blackjack, and blackjack only pays out 1 to 1. Despite the drawbacks, this is a good game for anyone looking for a new outlook on blackjack.
