So you want to play Blackjack? Well, not every Blackjack game plays the same way. Some casinos have special versions of Blackjack, which can be a good or bad thing. In Vegas, there’s one area that does Blackjack one way and another area that does it differently. With this in mind, I’m going to go over some popular game variations.
This first variation is doubling down after you’ve split your cards. It’s always a good idea to ask whether or not you can do this before starting a game. This is a great rule for you, the player. It lowers the house advantage some and it will allow you to really capitalize on premium hands. So, look for this variation as it’s a plus.
Another blackjack game variation is the splitting of aces and how the hand is played. Most casinos will give you only one card on split aces, but some allow you to play them like a regular hand. Again, splitting aces cuts the house advantage slightly. Also check to see how many splits are allowed. For instance, if you split aces and the next card is an ace, can you split again? Combine this with the first variation we talked about and you have the recipe for a big hand.
I give up! Okay, not really. There’s another game variation called surrender. Basically, you can call it quits and get half of your money back (before taking any cards). There are two types of surrender: early and late. In early surrender, the house will let you surrender before the dealer checks for Blackjack. The other is late surrender, which allows you to surrender your hand before taking any cards. Surrender is a great option to have. Many players mess it up, but you want to have the option.
Earlier I talked about Vegas. One section hits on soft 17 and the other stands on any 17. This rule is printed right on the felt, so there’s no need to ask. Basically, by hitting soft 17, the house gets a little bit higher advantage. Therefore, try to play games where the dealer must stand on all 17s.
Finally, lookout for all games that don’t pay 1.5x on Blackjacks. They are starting to creep up. One popular variation is the 6 for 5 rule. A Blackjack on a $5 hand pays $6, not the original $7.50, so you get screwed. Casinos are slowly trying to put these games in. Right now, it seems to be mainly single deck games, but I won’t play them. The increase in house advantage is ridiculous. Stay away, far away.
And there you have it. These are some of the more popular Blackjack variations. As usual, you’ll find all sorts of things out there, like Royal Match. Good luck at the tables!
