It’s not a secret that blackjack is popular among gamblers, and wherever you play, be it a land-based casino or online, chances are strong that you’ll find many variations of this game. Some of those may have a more elaborate design, while others seem to be created in an effort just to be somewhat different. No matter what’s the reasoning behind their existence, you may give them a try to test your skills, or luck.
On the surface, blackjack looks like an easy game with simple rules, but deep underneath it is much more complex. To succeed, you should be aware of blackjack variations and their features.
“National” Blackjacks
European blackjack
While being considered the ancestor of American blackjack, the European blackjack still has some features that are different from its western cousin. The general rules for this blackjack variation are the following. There are 8 decks of cards that should be reshuffled after every round. The dealer should stand on soft 17 and draw to 16. There are no re-splits and no splitting 4, 5 or 10-valued cards. Peeking is not allowed. And one last thing is that the card should lie face down and the dealer is forbidden to look at it until the players decide on their next move. Seems like Europeans have decided that the house edge would be quite enough.
Chinese blackjack
This game variation is played mainly in Asia. The basic rules here have much in common with the American version, with the exception of only two decks being used and the dealer’s right to switch them if they wish. All number cards are assigned their face value. All picture cards are assigned a value of 10 except for the ace which value depends on the number of cards a player has.
Double Blackjacks
Double exposure Blackjack
The game is called like that because all players can see both of the dealer’s cards. Here, a shoe typically has from six to eight decks. However, these are not the only rules to remember. In case of victory, the gambler is paid in even money odds, unlike standard blackjack where 3-2 odds are offered. One more thing to know is that all ties go to the dealer. A player will lose their wager every time they tie with the dealer.
Double attack Blackjack
This casino game is a relatively new phenomenon. Although it is based upon many of the Spanish 21 rules, it has some different features as well. Its rules do not vary much from casino to casino: the eight 48-card decks are combined and dealt from a shoe. All 10-value cards are removed. Players can double down after splitting. There’s an option of splitting pairs to 3 or 4 hands with the exception of aces as they can be split only once. What is more, split aces receive only 1 additional card. In Double Blackjack there is a side bet which may be very profitable on the one side, but very hard to hit on the other.
Other Popular Types
Blackjack switch
Here, the peculiarity lies in the fact that two hands are used instead of one in each position. After receiving the two hands, a gambler is allowed to change the top card of each hand for another one. And another interesting thing about this game is that the two hands of a single player are considered separately and two initial bets must be made to receive cards.
Elimination blackjack
This blackjack variation stands out due to the fact that gamblers are playing against each other, not a dealer, which means that the player’s task is to beat other players and remain the last gambler at the table. The general rules for play are similar to those in a regular blackjack: players can hit, double down, stand or split. Dealers should stand on 17 and hit on 16, except for some tournaments where they are required to hit a soft 17. This game is popular among professional players who like to demonstrate their skills to others. Definitely an ego-boosting game.
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