Tips for Spanish 21

Spanish 21 is a variety of Blackjack getting popular in Europe. It is owned by Masque Publications Inc. Unlicensed, though equivalent versions of Spanish 21 is popularly called Spanish Blackjack.

Regarding the rules of Spanish 21, many of them may appear liberal as opposed to that in conventional blackjack. For example, Spanish 21 permits payout bonuses for five or more card 21's, 6-7-8 21's, 7-7-7 21's, late surrender, doubling down any number of cards with the option to ‘rescue’ or surrender only one wager to the house, and player blackjacks and player 21's always winning, at the cost of having no 10 cards in the deck (though there are kings, queens and jacks). To sum them up, if the player can have a fool proof basic strategy in place, Spanish 21 guarantees a definite lower house edge than any other blackjack game.

Now let's look at some useful tips that may come in handy while you play blackjack.

• The first thing every player must consider is to understand the house rules clearly. It will come in handy while forming strategies. Remember, house rules may vary from one casino to another.
• It would be better to learn the game before trying ones luck in the casino. Hence try your mettle playing some free online games before graduating yourself to the real game.
• Use the strategy chart to the maximum advantage even if it takes some time to do so. In such a game that includes many decks, it is vital to use it until you reach a comfort zone.
• In the game, it is advisable to keep off from trying the Super Bonus bet as it has extremely high house odds.
• It is better to play in those casinos where redoubling is permitted. If redoubling is not in the house rules, then you may almost double the house edge, even though it is still a comparably low .76%.
• Finally, keep in mind that if you fail to draw to split aces, you increase your house advantage by 0.29%.

It is true that the rules of Spanish 21 are generally liberal than the original blackjack game. But one should make oneself thorough with the basics of the games before actually start playing. And that is the most important of the tips this article would like to give to a prospective player. Good Luck!

Blackjack Odds

Blackjack, one of the most popular card games enjoyed by millions of casino buffs, is a game where the choices a player makes will affect the house edge. In a blackjack game, the dealer cannot make any choices. All the choices are made by the box holders (blackjack players). The success of a blackjack player depends on the choices they make.

Blackjack is believed to have the best odds for its players. However, this depends on the rules of the game as well as the skills of a blackjack player. A single deck blackjack with Las Vegas Strip rules and double after splitting allows the player a 0.1% advantage. Of course, to obtain the best advantage the player needs to utilize the correct blackjack basic strategy.

House’s Advantage

However, most casinos tend to change the blackjack odds in favor of the house. That is the rules of blackjack game will be structured so as to ensure the house's advantage (also referred as the house edge).

The house edge comes from the fact that the dealer’s hand is played last. That is, the blackjack players have to complete their hands before the dealer does. If the players hand goes bust (exceeds 21 points) then they lose immediately. If both the player and the dealer go bust then the house wins. However, the player can change this benefit away from the house and into their favor, with certain basic strategies and card counting techniques.

Doubling Down

If the player is dealt with a favorable hand he/she has the option to double the wager. For instance, if the player gets a 5 or a 6, then this is a good hand for doubling down. The main idea behind this is that if the player obtains a total of 11 and his/her odds of drawing a 9, 10, or a face card are high, then it is always a good idea for the player to use the doubling down option. This helps you to

Splitting Pairs

If the blackjack player obtains a pair then he can use the option to spit it and create two hands. According to the general blackjack rule, the player will always split aces and eights, but never split 5’s and 10s. This is because a 5 value card is considered as an obvious weak first card. While the reason for not splitting a 10 value card is that a 10 value card is considered as a strong hand and can only be beaten by a blackjack.

By following the basic strategies of blackjack a player can easily reduce the house edge and can change the blackjack odds in favor of him/her.

European Blackjack

European Blackjack is virtually the same as the traditional blackjack founded by the British. The differences with it can be considered minor with the exemption of one rule; the dealer is dealt only one card. The second card is not dealt until the player hand is complete and dealer’s is the next turn. This aspect calls for a different strategy altogether as opposed to the conventional blackjack game. Shown below are the general rules of the game.

• Once more, the dealer is dealt only one card until the player’s hands is finished and the dealer’s turn begins.
• Played with 6 decks of 52 cards each.
• Blackjack always supercedes any other hand with a value of 21.
• If got blackjack, the player is paid out at odds of 3:2.
• If the player’s and dealer’s hand tie, then it is a push.
• Dealer stands on hard or soft 17.
• The player can only double on a 9, 10 or 11 or after splitting.
• Also the player can only split once.
• Insurance is not recommended in this form of blackjack.

Before experimenting with European Blackjack in any casino, make sure that you are well versed in its rules and strategies. In a general sense, the player needs a good level of expertise in the strategies to be successful in the game. Further, before starting the game, check the casino website for the exact rules and procedures followed by them.

Blackjack Surrender

Most casinos offer an option for blackjack known as blackjack surrender. As the name suggests, blackjack surrender allows the player to prematurly withdraw from the game.

A blackjack player can surrender his/her hand when the dealer has an Ace or a ten value card face up. If the player thinks that he/she will not be able to beat the dealer after receiving the initial two cards, the player can surrender to the dealer. The player must surrender his/her hand before taking any further action. That is, once the player has drawn a third card, or double down, or split, then he/she cannot surrender the game. One of the interesting factors is that the surrender announcement is the only play in the game which is made verbally.

There are mainly two types of blackjack surrender options available – “Early Surrender” and “Late Surrender”.

In “Early Surrender”, after the player has announced his/her intentions to surrender the game, the dealer will take half of the bet amount without checking whether he (the dealer) has a blackjack or not. Most blackjack experts recommend “Early Surrender” as the best among both surrender options.

In “Late Surrender”, the player needs to announce his/her intentions and the dealer marks you bet, by either placing a plastic chip or by placing the player’s chips on top of the cards. But if the dealer is having a blackjack, the player will lose his/her entire bet. If the dealer is not having a blackjack, the player will get half of the total bet amount by using later surrender option.

Caribbean 21 Blackjack

Caribbean 21 Blackjack is a popular online blackjack variant found in online casinos. Caribbean 21 is an eight deck blackjack game which offers some major variations from the traditional blackjack game making it more interesting to play. Some of these changes provide an additional chance for a player to win the game, while some changes benefit the dealer.

The main aim of the Caribbean 21 Blackjack is similar to the traditional blackjack game, that is, to obtain a total card value of 21 points or close to that total without exceeding the 21 points, or making the dealer bust (exceed 21 points). Before starting the game the player need to place a bet. When the player placed his/her wager, the dealer will deal two cards (face up) to the player. The dealer also dealt two cards for him. If the player’s total card value is closer to 21 than the dealer’s cards, then the player wins the blackjack and get as much as he/she had wagered. The player also wins the game if the dealer busts.

One of the main variations of Caribbean 21 Blackjack is that the game allows the player the ability to split any two initial cards and to hit a redouble after doubling. Remember, nothing comes free and the player loses all ties. Here are some of the

Rules of Caribbean 21

• Ace card is value as one point. All other cards are valued the same way as traditional blackjack. That is, 2-9 are counted in their original values, face cards and tens are counted 10.
• The player will receive two cards (face up) while the dealer will get only one card face up. In Caribbean 21 Blackjack, there is no hole card.
• Players can stand, hit, surrender, split, or double.
• Doubling is allowed as many times the player wants. Players can also redouble and double after a split.
• Splitting can be done on any two cards.
• Surrender is allowed at any time. But if a player surrenders, half of the total bet is forfeited.
• The dealer wins all ties.
• If a player receives an ace and two 10 value cards, then the hand is known as Caribbean 21. Caribbean 21 is regarded higher than all other 21 point hands.
• 21 pays 3:2. While all other winning hands pay 1:1.
  

Vegas Downtown Blackjack

Vegas Downtown Blackjack is one of the popular online versions of the traditional blackjack game. Its rules are virtually similar to the original blackjack game, the major difference being the fact that the game is played using two decks of cards. But this can change the complexion of the game completely as the odds of hitting certain cards are completely altered with the change in the number of cards.

The other rules of Vegas Downtown Blackjack that differs from the traditional blackjack are,

If a player splits an ace, and then he/she receives a 10, the value of his/her hand will be 21 and not a blackjack. Such a hand can be beaten by a blackjack, the numerical value of the hand not withstanding.

The dealer should also hit on soft 17. This would mean that if the dealer has an ace and a value 6, he must hit. This gives the player a better chance of winning the hand as the chances for the dealer going bust is quite high.

Given below is a short listing of the rules that are characteristic of Vegas Downtown Blackjack. Some of it are mentioned earlier, but repeated again for clarity.

• Dealer always peeks on aces and 10 value cards.
• Usually played with 2 regular card decks.
• Dealer must hit on soft 17.
• The player can double down one any two cards. It is also permitted to double down after splitting.
• One can split three times to make four hands.
• Aces can only be split once but only one card to split aces.
• 10 value cards can be split.

Vegas Downtown Blackjack has two versions. One is the single-hand version and the other, multi-hand version. Each form of the game must be played with different strategies as the odds of receiving cards alternating depend on the amount of hands the player is playing with. Therefore it is advisable that the player gets acquainted with the respective strategies before playing any of these games.

Check at your casino to know about the exact rules followed by them before start playing.

Single Deck Blackjack

Of all the blackjack variants found in land based casinos, Single Deck Blackjack offers the best odds to a blackjack player. The total odds in any blackjack game are the same whether it is a single deck blackjack, two decks blackjack, or any multiple deck blackjack. But the fact why single deck blackjacks are preferred by most experienced blackjack players is that, in a single deck blackjack game the box holders (blackjack players) can easily keep track of the shifting odds from hand to hand. This helps the players to easily win the game than any other conventional blackjack variations.

However, most casinos tend not to offer true single deck blackjack. One of the main reasons is that casinos are well aware of the fact that experienced blackjack players can easily win the game in single deck blackjack tables, and it will be difficult for them (casinos) to make good profit from a table of serious blackjack players.

Casinos also instruct the dealer to count the playing cards and shuffle them well when the odds look really good in favor of the box holder. Some other casinos tend to reduce the payout rate of a single deck blackjack game. That is, a box holder’s natural blackjack (a two card total of 21 points consisting of a ten value card and an ace) rate will be decreased from the traditional $3 for every $2 bet to a revised rate of $6 for every $5 bet. The main idea behind this change in rate is to shift the odds in favor of the casinos by around one and a quarter percent. This results in the odds for a player even worse than they would get if they are playing any other blackjack variation or the conventional multi-deck blackjack.

Hence, before you participate in any single deck blackjack game, it is advisable to check out all the rules of the particular casino and make sure that there is no trick played by the casinos to change the favor of the game to their side.

Atlantic City Blackjack

Atlantic City Blackjack is similar to that of standard blackjack games, but with some variations. The most notable variation in the rules is the absence of surrender option. In the casinos in the US, the game is played with eight standard decks of 52 playing cards, which are shuffled at the start of every game. In the following sentences, we’ll see some rules governing Atlantic City Blackjack.

The aim of Atlantic City Blackjack is to beat the dealer by getting a higher value hand than him or by letting his hand go bust. In this game, the player can only bet one hand at a time. Also, in Atlantic City Blackjack, a blackjack is the strongest hand possible, which can only be matched and not beaten.

General Rules

When the dealer is dealt and ace or 10, he/she checks for a blackjack. The dealer having a blackjack means that the game is over.

Blackjack always supersedes any other hand with a value of 21.

Face cards and tens have a value of 10, while ace assumes 1 or 11 as the situation demands.

The player can draw up to nine additional cards to make a hand of 11 cards, provided the value does not exceed 21. Even after receiving 11 cards, if the player’s hand did not exceed 21, then that hand automatically stands and the dealer plays his hand.

The dealer stands on soft 17.

The dealer’s hand is dealt strictly based on the rules of the casino. Hence it is advisable to check the casino website to learn the details before starting the game.

The winning hands in Atlantic City Blackjack pay out as shown below:

If the player wins a Blackjack, he/she will be paid out at odds of 3:2 on your original bet.

If the player has a winning hand but not a Blackjack, then he/she is paid out at odds of 1:1 on the original bet.

If the player loses against a Dealer's Blackjack but has taken Insurance, he/she will be paid out at odds of 2:1 on his/her Insurance bet.

For details on all the rules and conditions, see the respective casino website.

Labouchere Betting System

The Labouchere Betting System, also known as 'Cancellation' system, is a negative progressive system which can be successfully used in Blackjack. Labouchere system is also known by various names such as “Crossout”, “Split Martingale”, and “Labby”.

The Labouchere Betting System can also be easily used in online blackjack games.

Let us have a look on how the Labouchere betting system works.

Labouchere Betting System is based on a series or a set of numbers, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. The player can choose a series according to his/her likes, the series can be long or short and need not be sequential such as 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 5, 7. The choice of a specific series depends on the type of blackjack game you are playing and the odds of the bet. When the player wins he/she cross out the numbers, until the series is complete.

Each number symbolizes the amount in units or chips to bet. You bet the first and last of these numbers, which sums up to the profit the player intends to make. In the above example 1 and 6, which adds to 7 units. That is, if the box holder is playing $10 blackjack hands, in this example the player bets $70.

If the player wins, cross out 1 and 6, and move inside to the next two number sequences 2 and 5. In this example, the total again sums to 7 units, so again bet $70. Again, if you win, cross out the 2 and 5, and move inside to the next two number sequences 3 and 4. If you win this too, you would have completed the game and if needed you can play new game.

If you lose the first series, then you have to add that one number to the end of the series. For example, if you lost the first bet of 7 units, then you need to add the number 7 to the end of your number sequence. That is after adding the number in the end, you number series will be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and your bet would be 1 plus 7, total 8 units. And if you lost the second set (2 and 5) after winning the first one, then the sequence will be 2, 3, 4, 5, 7.

Though the betting system seems a little complicated for some people, if you try to understand the system by taking little time, you will feel it is not that much difficult as you think. And if you can work it out, you can easily make huge profits from the game. The only drawback to be pointed out is that if you keep losing the sets, you will end up betting large sums of money even though your initial bet is small.

Pontoon Blackjack

Pontoon Blackjack, regarded as an early British version of blackjack, is becoming more popular nowadays in both land casinos as well as online casinos. Even though majority of the rules of Pontoon blackjack are same as ordinary blackjack game, there are a few twists in Pontoon which makes is more challenging and exciting for blackjack buffs.

Pontoon Blackjack can be played by a minimum of two players and to a maximum of eight players. Two card decks are used if eight players are participating in the game. The values of cards are same as the ordinary blackjack game. That is, cards from 2-9 are counted in their original values, face cards and tens are counted 10, and Aces 1 or 11 (can be fixed by the players before the game starts.

The aim of Pontoon Blackjack is also the same as ordinary blackjack – obtaining a total card value of 21 points or close to that total without exceeding the 21 points.

Pontoon Blackjack starts with the dealer dealing one card, faced down, to each player and one to himself. The box holders (blackjack players) bet and a second card is dealt to each player and the dealer. If the dealer has a Pontoon the game is automatically completed and the dealer can collect double from the players’ stakes. Else, it is the players’ turn again.

A player can split two similar cards like 5-5 or 8-8, or can buy new cards, up to three cards only. In the first purchase of the card the player need to raise the stakes by no bigger than double of the initial bet in the first purchase. In the next purchase, the player needs to raise the stakes no more than the last bet and not less than the initial bet. Box holders are allowed to twist after buying cards, but after a twist a player cannot buy new cards. The player can stick at any time if the total card value is above 15 and below 21. If the player busts the dealer wins the game and takes all the stakes.

Extreme 21 Blackjack Variation

Extreme 21 is a blackjack variant played widely in the Canadian state of Alberta and the tribal casinos of America. Extreme 21 is an exciting game with special attributes which makes it fun for blackjack buffs. If you are more concerned about money than the fun blackjack offers this is not a game for you.

In Extreme 21, the box holder (blackjack player) plays one at a time and the dealer continues hitting until he/she wins the game or goes higher than 21 points (busts). One of the main attribute of Extreme 21 blackjack is that unlike other blackjack variations, in Extreme 21 the dealer does not stand (refuse any further cards).

Extreme 21 Blackjack is not a multiplayer game; hence the each player plays against the dealer at their turn. The dealer continues hitting until the player or the dealer wins the game. According to Extreme 21 Blackjack rules, push (tie) is not allowed in this game. As mentioned earlier, the dealer is compelled to hit until he beats the box holder. The box holders’ can choose the double and re-double feature if they wish to do so. Some casinos don’t allow this, hence it is advisable to enquire whether doubling or re-doubling is allowed or not. Extreme 21 Blackjack allows the players to re-split as much as they like. This provides the players enough room for card counting, but the players are not allowed to re-split Aces.

Before you start playing Extreme 21 Blackjack, it is better to learn the major rules of Extreme 21 so that you can understand the major difference between traditional blackjack and Extreme 21.

Tail Piece: For those who are more concerned about money than fun can choose Blackjack Bonus or Triple 7s Blackjack, where you can probably win special payouts.