Blackjack Variations

Unlike poker, blackjack does not really have very disparate variations. For instance, you do not see the huge differences among blackjack variants that you do between, say, Texas Hold ‘Em Poker, Red Dog Poker, and Pai Gow Poker. However, as you try out poker in different casinos, you are likely to come up against slightly different rules. Here are some variations to keep an eye out for, so that you do not get unpleasantly surprised when try playing this game in an unfamiliar location.

Hit or Stand?

For those unfamiliar with the terminology, to hit means to take a third card, and to stand means to stick with the two cards one already has. The question here is what a dealer is required to do if he/she gets a “soft” seventeen, i.e. a hand that is valued at seventeen because it contains an Ace that is individually valued at eleven. In some casinos, the dealer must stand, i.e. play an S17. In other cases, the dealer must hit, in which case the game is called H17. Casinos are supposed to be public with the sort of rules they use. Usually, information about this particular rule is written on the covering of the blackjack table, so players can easily see what rules they will be working under. For players, S17 rules offer slightly better odds.

Card Decks

Different gambling establishments may vary on the number of card decks they use in a standard blackjack game. However, the rule of thumb is that the fewer the number of decks used, the better the odds are for the player.

Ties

When the player and the dealer tie, usually all money is simply returned. However, there are some cases in which the dealer automatically wins a game in which hands are tied. This usually happens in casinos set up specifically for charity, where the point is to squeeze as much money out of players as possible for the cause, whatever that cause happens to be.

Surrendering

This is a betting option you can find in a lot of good blackjack casinos. Basically, you are allowed to hold on to half your wager if you feel like you have no chance of beating the dealer. You are allowed to use this option after the dealer looks at his hole card. However, “early surrender”—being able to use this option before the dealer looks at his/her hole card, is even better. Early surrender was a more common option in the past, but it has become rarer because casinos are aware of the advantage it offers to players. Still, it is not impossible to find gambling establishments that offer you the choice of an early surrender.

Side Bets

Some casinos will usually pick out a “special” hand and allow you to make a side bet in case you should happen to get it. However, these hands usually only crop up quite rarely, such as a pair of Nines.

Even after you have learned the game of blackjack, it is still possible to be surprised by the game as you try out different casinos. These are only some of the variants on blackjack rules you can find between different establishments.