Unfortunately, the rules changes in this version actually
give “the house” a greater advantage. The house edge in a standard Blackjack
game is said to be about 1.5%. However,
because of the rules variations in Blackjack Plus (mainly the dealer “pushing”
with 22), the house edges jumps to as much as 6.36%!
Obviously, this makes Blackjack Plus one of the worst
variants ever created for a player.
FINAL THOUGHTS
On the surface, the differences appear to be intriguing
enough to take the challenge of playing.
However, this variant was created by casinos to fool the uninformed
player. The best strategy for a player in this game is to NOT play the game! I would bet that you would have a lot more
fun playing the boring traditional Blackjack and winning, than playing this version
and losing quickly!
Elimination
Blackjack was invented by Russ Hamilton, the main event champion of the 1994
World Series of Poker. It is a tournament
style of blackjack and is the format used by many casinos today for blackjack
tournaments.
BASICS
The game is
played like regular blackjack. There is
a dealer, representing the house, who deals using a six or eight deck shoe. The difference for players is that they are competing
against each other, as opposed to just trying to beat the dealer or house, in
order to win a guaranteed prize amount.
Players pay
a “buy-in” amount for the tournament (similar to a poker tournament) and are
given a set dollar amount of chips. Every
player is given the same amount in starting chips. The players then work to increase their
amount of chips, hoping to have the most chips at the end of the tournament, so
they’ll be declared the winner.
Dealer and
player options, such as hit, stand, double, split, are the same as in regular
blackjack. Depending on the tournament,
dealer may have to hit on a soft 17.
STANDARD
RULES OF ELIMINATION BLACKJACK
The
following list of rules can vary by casino, but most casinos do abide by these for
tournament play:
The house must hit 16 or less, and
stand on 17 or more. Some houses do hit
soft 17’s
A player can split pairs up to four
times, with the exception of aces. Aces
can only be split once and only receive one additional card. Ten-value cards
may be limited to splitting only identical pairs
A six or eight deck shoe may used,
though usually six deck
A player’s bet must be within the
table minimum-maximum, and if unable to make the minimum bet, the player is
eliminated from the tournament
Surrender is allowed for half the bet
Insurance is allowed if the dealer
shows an Ace
Double down is allowed on any two
cards
A maximum of seven players per table
is allowed
A player has 25 seconds to make a decision
in a normal hand, and 45 seconds to make a decision in an elimination hand
ORDER OF
PLAY
Once a player
has bought in, they are given a random assigned seat at the table. Cards are dealt in the same manner as regular
blackjack.
There is a pre-determined
specific number of hands dealt. The number
will vary depending on the casino, however, it’s usually at least 30 hands.
After the
last hand is dealt, the remaining players chips are tallied and the player with
the most, is declared the winner.
THE ELIMINATIONS
Players are
eliminated through the following:
If they lose all their chips
If they don’t have enough chips to
make the required minimum bet
If they have the fewest chips after an
elimination hand
Elimination hand: A pre-determined hand, by number, where at
the end, player chips are counted and the player with the fewest chips is
eliminated. As stated, they are pre-determined
and usually in a 30-hand tournament, the elimination hands are numbers 8, 16
and 25.
Of course, the
elimination hands are a key part of the game.
Betting strategy can definitely be affected and used deftly with
elimination a possibility.
SECRET BET
Usually only
in professional tour tournaments and high-profile games, players are allowed
one secret bet during the course of the tournament. As in the name, the bet is not revealed to the
other players at the table, and it can be of strategic importance. A player can elect to make a secret bet in
order to force a smaller or larger bet from another player close in chip count.
PLAYING STRATEGY
Most important
to remember is that you are competing against the other players, not the
house. You may need to make moves in an
effort to cause your table opponents to bust when they make a big bet.
You also
need to be aware of the approximate number of chips your table mates have, so
you can stay close or get ahead.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Elimination blackjack became popular due to the popularity of Texas Hold ‘Em tournaments and casinos realized the possibility of doing something similar with blackjack. As with poker, this gives the player an opportunity to win a large amount of money with a relatively small “buy-in” amount.
Multiple
Action Blackjack has been around since 1992, being developed and patented by
The Four Queens Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. It is probably more prominent
at online casinos now. The difference in this version is that the player has
one hand that is played against 3 different dealer hands.
First, you
will notice a different table layout in this version compared with regular
blackjack. There are three betting
circles for the player and three rectangular spots marked 1,2 and 3 in front of
the dealer. The rectangle spots are where the dealer will play his/her 3
different hands.
HOW TO PLAY
The player
is dealt two face up cards and the dealer is dealt one face up card. For online versions, the same face up card of
the dealer is shown in all three rectangles.
The play
proceeds the same as regular blackjack at this point. The player can hit, stand, double down or
split, depending on casino rules. As
rules permit, the player can surrender or take insurance. If a player decides to split, the bet must be
double the original bet. If a player decides to double down, it can be done on
1 or all three bets. If the player does
go over 21 and busts, all bets are lost.
Once the
player stands with a total of 21 or less, the dealer plays his first hand in
rectangle 1. If he busts, the player
receives an even money payout on his first bet. If the dealer does not bust and
the player wins, the player receives an even money payout. If the player loses, the first bet is lost.
If the player does get blackjack, it is paid at 3 to 2, unless the dealer also
has blackjack, which results in a push and the player’s bet is returned.
After
discarding all cards, except the original face up card, the dealer plays out
hand number 2, with the same rules as above.
Once hand number 2 is completed, all cards except the original face up
card are discarded and hand number 3 is played out, with the same rules.
Strategy for Multiple Action Blackjack should be the same as in regular blackjack because all the rules are the same. What changes with this version is that games are completed quicker because the player plays only once in every three games. So, it’s preferred by players who like a quicker paced game play.
This
is a very simple version of Blackjack that was started at casinos in the state
of Washington in 2010. You can find it
at many online casinos now.
RULES
Played with a single deck of cards
Cards are shuffled after every hand
No drawing rounds and players do not have the option
to hit, double down or split
Players only decide to play or fold
Hands are scored based on the best blackjack hand
derived from any 2 or 3 cards
Dealer must have at least 17 points to open
Aces can count as 1 or 11
Possible Ace Plus optional side bet
HOW
TO PLAY
Play
begins with the players making their Ante bet in the assigned Ante betting
circles on the table. Once all players
have made their bets, the dealer deals three cards to each player and then three
cards to him/herself. All the player’s
cards are dealt face down, but the dealer is dealt two face down and one face
up.
The
players then look at their hands and decide how to form their hands. They
decide which two or three cards will give them the best blackjack hand, closest
to 21 without going over. Therefore, it’s
impossible for the player to bust, because they can choose their best 2 or 3
cards.
The
first player to the dealer’s left starts by deciding to raise their ante by
placing an additional bet, equal in size to the original ante, in the “play” betting
area. If they choose not to “play,” they
must fold. If the player opts to “fold,”
the ante is lost. In order to play against
the dealer, a raise must be made.
Once
all players have decided to play or fold, the dealer then reveals his/her face
down cards and looks to form the best blackjack hand
possible. However, the dealer’s hand
must total at least 17 to “qualify” to play.
If the dealer does not have 17, the active players win, regardless of
their total.
WIN DETERMINATION
There are only three ways for a hand to end, once the
dealer has formed a hand. First, if a
player has a 2-card blackjack, both the player’s ante bet and the raise (play) bet
are paid even money. The player wins no
matter what the dealer has, even if the dealer has blackjack.
Second, if the dealer does not qualify, all players’
ante bets are paid even money, but their play bet is considered a push and that
bet is returned.
Third, if the dealer does qualify, the best hand
wins. If the player beats the dealer, all bets are paid even money. If the dealer wins, the player loses all
bets. If there is tie, except for
blackjack, it’s considered a push and all bets are returned.
ACE PLUS OPTIONAL BET
Pays only based on the player’s hand. The bonus of at least an even money payout is
paid if the player’s hand contains an ace.
This bet must be at least one unit and is placed in the Ace Plus betting
circle before the hand is dealt.
ACE PLUS BONUS PAYOUTS
3-to-1 payout for Ace plus
any card 10 through King
5-to-1 payout for Ace plus any
pair of 10’s through Kings
15-to-1 payout for any Ace
pair
25-to-1 payout for any Ace
pair plus any card 10 through King
100-to-1 payout for 3 Aces
STRATEGY
The game is said to be simple because to play, you either raise or fold. Since you can’t bust, you might think you would try to play almost every hand. However, to truly make your playing session profitable, a best strategy for raising has been determined, as follows:
Raise (Play) With a player’s
hand of:
16 or less: Never
17, against Dealer 2
18, against Dealer 2-8
19, against Dealer 2-9
20-21, against Dealer anything (Always play)
It is best strategy to only bet the Ante, to minimize loss, but many players feel making the Ace Plus bet is “where the money is.” The bonus payouts are enticing, but once again, as in most side bets in any game, it really is a sucker bet because of the true rarity of hitting it.
While you can certainly sit down at a
poker table and start playing without knowing all the terminology you’ll hear,
it would probably be a good idea to be aware of what you might hear.
Betting Round
Actions
BET – When a player makes a wager
CALL – When a player pays the same
amount of the previous bet
RAISE – When a player bets higher than
the previous bet (call plus an additional amount)
RE-RAISE – When a player makes a third
bet, higher than the raise amount, after a bet and a raise
FOLD – When a player tosses in his
hand without making a bet
CHECK – When a player passes the
action to the next player without making a bet
3-BET – The third bet in a betting
round, also a re-raise
CAP – The last possible raise in a
betting round, in a fixed-limit game.
Players usually can raise up to 4 times in a single betting round and
then the action is “capped.” Once a player has capper, the remaining players
can only call or fold, no raising is allowed until the next round.
CHECK BEHIND – When a player checks after
the previous player checks
Made Hands
BOTTOM PAIR – When you pair the lowest
card on the board
MIDDLE PAIR – When you pair a middle card
on the board
TOP PAIR – When you pair the highest
card on the board
OVER PAIR – A player’s pair that is higher
than any card on the board
BOTTOM TWO PAIR – When you pair your
cards with the lowest two cards on the board
TOP TWO PAIR – When you pair your two
cards with the highest two cards on the board
TWO PAIR -When you pair your two cards
with any two cards on the board
SET – 3 of a kind
STRAIGHT – 5 cards in numerical order
FLUSH – 5 cards of the same suit
FULL HOUSE – a pair and a set
together, 2 of 1 number and 3 of another
Incomplete or “Draw”
Hands
This is when you don’t have a made
hand, but can end up with a strong made hand, if the right cards come up on the
board.
BACKDOOR DRAW – A drawing hand that
needs help from the turn and river.
Hitting on the turn opens a backdoor to hitting again on the river.
OVERCARDS = Cards that are higher than
cards on the board
GUTSHOT – When you are missing a card
in the middle of a sequence
OESD – Open Ended Straight Draw. When you have 4 cards in numerical sequence,
that will end up in a straight with the 5th card added to either end
FLUSH DRAW – When you have 4 cards of
the same suit
Additional Terms
POCKET PAIR – When you are dealt a
completed pair
UNRAISED POT – When no one raises
before the flop
RAISED POT – When there is a raise
before the flop
PRE-FLOP – Refers to everything that
happens before the flop is dealt
POST-FLOP – Refers to everything that
happens after the flop is dealt
UNIMPROVED – When your hand doesn’t
improve with the next card dealt
CONCLUSION
These are the most common poker
terms. Don’t be afraid to ask about a
term if you can’t remember or don’t understand when playing.
All players were beginners at one time and didn’t know the terms either. They might be happy to answer a question because it will signify that you are a novice and therefore, they might be able to easily take your money! Play responsibly!
Novice
players will stand with a soft 18, against a dealer’s 9, 10 or Ace, because
they figure that there are only 3 cards that will help the hand, 4 card will
keep it the same and the remaining 6 cards will make it worse.
Unfortunately,
though it is logically correct in that thought, it is flawed because it is only
thinking in terms of one additional hit! Statistically, when you hit a soft 18, you’ll
improve your hand with the first hit only 23 out of 100 times.
In that same
vein, you’ll make 38 stiffs (12 thru 16), which you will continue to hit! With the continued hitting, you’ll improve
your hand, to 19 or better, 10 more times out of the 38. So, you’ll improve
your hand almost 33 out of 100 times.
Statistically
it’s been shown that based on 100 hands, 34 times you’ll hit a hard 18, 32.5
times you’ll hit a 17 or bust, and 33.5 times you’ll hit a 19 thru 21. So, you can figure only 32.5 times out of a
hundred, you’ll lose against a dealer’s 9, 10, or Ace.
If you hit a
soft 18, you will improve your hand a little more often than not hitting
it. It is a slightly improved chance,
but by hitting a soft 18, against a dealer’s 9, 10 or Ace, your chance to win
goes up more than it goes down, when you don’t.
For example:
If you stand with a soft 18 against an Ace, you’ll win 5 out of 13 hands. If you hit all 13 hands and turn them into 17’s,
you’ll win only 3 hands. However, if you hit and make all 19’s, you win 8 out
of 13 hands. So, you’ll have more wins
by taking the chance to improve your hand, than by sticking with it.
It’s been
figured out that when a dealer has a 9, 10, or Ace, and has to hit a soft 17, if
you stand on a soft 18, your win percentage is 39-41%. If the dealer has to stand on a soft 17, and
you stand on a soft 18, your win percentage goes to 41-45%.
If you hit a
soft 18, when the dealer has an 9, 10 or Ace and must hit a soft 17, your win
percentage is 42-45%. If you hit a soft
18 and the dealer has a 9, 10 or Ace and must stand on a soft 17, your win
percentage is 43-45.5%.
As the basic strategy charts tell you, you should hit a soft 18 against a dealer’s 9, 10 or Ace, because testing proves it to result in slightly more wins. Trust the charts and you’ll win more in the long run!
This game was developed by Real Time Gaming, an online casino software developer. It is a variant of standard blackjack that has many differences that make it a challenge. The first and biggest difference is that an Ace is only and always counted as 1. It is never valued at an 11, so there is never a two-card “21” in this game. A hand comprised of two 10-value cards and an Ace is the Caribbean 21. As in standard blackjack, the objective is to beat the dealer’s hand, without going over 21. Caribbean 21 beats all other hands totaling 21.
RULES
All cards are valued the same as in standard
blackjack, except for the ACE, which is, at all times, valued at 1
The game starts with the player making a bet
Two cards are dealt face up to the player and
one card is dealt face up to the dealer
The dealer does not take a hole card
The dealer does not take his final cards until
the player has completed all his plays
The player can take insurance on whether the dealer
will hit a Caribbean 21 if the dealer has an Ace up
Insurance can be taken at any time, up to half
of the total amount bet at the time
The insurance bet pays out at 9 to 1 if the
dealer gets two ten value cards as his 2nd and 3rd cards
The insurance bet is paid out at the end of the
hand
The stand and hit moves are the same as standard
blackjack
The player can double down at any time, even
with more than 2 cards, this includes re-doubles, as well as doubles after
splits
The player can split any two cards
The player can surrender at any time, forfeiting
half of his total bet at the time
PAYOUTS
Dealer wins all ties
If the player is dealt a Caribbean 21, the
payout is 3-2
If the player busts, he loses his bet
If the dealer busts, the player wins even money
on his bet
HOUSE EDGE vs. STRATEGY
Following a basic strategy developed by Michael Shackelford,
a top authority on casino game probabilities, for this version, the house edge
can be as low as 0.19%, which is lower than many other blackjack variants. To be noted though, the house edge on the
insurance bet is 5.38% in this version, so that bet should not ever be taken,
despite the tantalizing 9-1 payout.
ONLINE PLAY
Being a property of RTG (Real Time Gaming), Caribbean 21 blackjack can be found at many of the top online casinos, as RTG is considered a leading industry software provider. Take a look at the list below for a few of the most reliable online casinos where you can enjoy a true game of Caribbean 21 blackjack.
The challenge and thrill of play Caribbean 21 lies in the player’s ability to split any two cards and re-doubling. Because of those extreme player-friendly rules, the house gets a slight advantage back by ruling that all ties go to the dealer. In other words, without the possibility of a “push,” Caribbean 21 blackjack makes for a more up and down game playing experience, sure to appeal to thrill-seeking players who prefer out right gambling on every hand, instead of a back and forth grind out with pushes.
Texas Hold’em
Poker is definitely the most popular variation of poker played around the
world. In fact, many people not familiar
with poker, think this is the only type of poker played. More and more people want to learn the game
because of it’s popularity on TV. It’s well
known that the top professional players earn millions playing a simple looking
game, so why can’t the average person win a few bucks also? It seems like such a simple game.
Starting
Rules
In casinos and card rooms, the dealer doesn’t play. In home games, the dealer duty usually changes clockwise with each hand
The player to the immediate left of the dealer acts first. The player to act first is at a definite disadvantage because they have no idea as to what the other players may do
At casinos, there will be a “dealer” button that moves with each hand played, so play will rotate fairly
There are 2 forced bets called blinds. They are the small blind and the big blind. Games begin with the two players left of the dealer making these predetermined blind bets. This is to insure there is always something (a pot of money) to play for in each hand. This is also why the dealer button moves every hand, because it wouldn’t be fair for the 1st two seats to always have to put in the two blinds
The small blind is usually ½ of the minimum bet and the big blind is usually the full minimum bet. So, when you see a $1/$2 Hold’em table, that means the small blind is $1 and the big blind is $2.
The object of the game is to combine your hole cards with the 5
cards eventually dealt in front of the dealer, known as the “board,” to make
the best poker hand at the table. The
hand can contain your 2 hole cards and 3 board cards, 1 hole card and 4 board
cards, or neither hole card and just the 5 board cards.
PLAY OF THE HAND
The Deal
Each player is dealt 2 cards face down, called the “hole cards.”
You cannot let the other players see your cards and therefore they are to be
checked discretely. No board cards are
dealt yet.
First Betting Round
The 1st player to act is the 1st player
left of the big blind spot, because the blinds have already bet in that sense. The player may fold, call or raise.
To fold, the player pushes his cards face down towards the middle
of the table, called a muck, and is out of the hand.
To call, the player matches the big blind bet.
To raise, the player bets at least double the big blind
bet. If he decides to bet all his remaining
chips, it’s know as “all-in.”
Play continues clockwise around the table, with each player making
the choice of fold, call or raise, with the same rules in play. As betting continues around the table, a raise is actually called a re-raise at that
point.
THE FLOP
After the end of the 1st round of betting, the dealer
“burns” (discards) the top card of the deck, just in case it was accidently
seen, then proceeds to place the next 3 cards face up on the table in front of
him. This is the flop.
Second Betting Round
This starts with the 1st player to the dealer’s left,
since there are no more forced bets.
After the flop, the option of “check” is now available. This is like taking a pass. You can stay in the hand without betting
additional money.
If everybody checks, that round is over and everyone gets to see
a free card.
If someone bets, then all players must either fold, call or raise.
You cannot check if a player has made a bet before you. If a bet is made before you, you must fold,
call or raise.
THE TURN (4th Street)
Once again, the dealer burns the top card and deals the next
card to the table, called the turn or 4th street.
Third Betting Round
The betting again begins with the player immediately to the left
of the dealer. The same betting rules used
in the second round, apply in the 3rd round.
THE RIVER (5th
Street)
The dealer burns the top card and deals the next (and last) card
to the table in front of him, called the river or 5th street.
Fourth Betting Round
Same betting rules apply as in the previous betting rounds, with
the player to the dealer’s left, starting.
THE SHOWDOWN
This is where it gets exciting.
The last
player to bet or raise shows their hand first and the highest five-card hand
wins the pot. In case of a tie, the pot is evenly split among the winning
hands.
Hands don’t always reach the showdown. In any betting round, if a player bets and
everybody else folds, that betting player wins the pot without having to show his
hand.
HANDS RANKINGS
Royal Flush — five cards of the same suit, ranked ace through ten;
e.g., A♥K♥Q♥J♥10♥
Straight Flush — five cards of the same suit and consecutively ranked;
e.g., 9♣8♣7♣6♣5♣
Four of a Kind — four cards of the same rank; e.g., Q♣Q♥Q♦Q♠4♦
Full House — three cards of the same rank and two more cards of the
same rank; e.g., J♣J♥J♠8♦8♥
Flush — any five cards of the same suit; e.g., A♠J♠8♠5♠2♠
Straight — any five cards consecutively ranked; e.g., Q♣J♦10♥9♠8♦
Three of a Kind — three cards of the same rank;
e.g., 8♣8♠8♦K♣4♥
Two Pair — two cards of the same rank and two more cards of the same
rank; e.g., A♠A♣J♦J♣7♠
One Pair — two cards of the same rank; e.g., 10♥10♣9♥4♦2♦
High Card — five unmatched cards; e.g., A♣J♦10♠5♣2♥ would be called
“ace-high”
FINAL THOUGHTS
Texas hold’em poker is not very difficult to learn, but it is quite difficult to master. I’ve only given the basic outline and rules of the game here. There are a vast number of possible game situations that can challenge players of the highest levels. Even the winningest pros say they are always learning to play better. Remember it is a game of chance, you can’t win all the time. Play responsibly.
This system was developed by an avid blackjack player who
was frustrated with his inability to consistently win at blackjack.
He wanted a easy, practical system that anybody could
master, to win at blackjack, without the need of deep concentration or card
counting.
THE PROGRAM
Easy Money Blackjack System is an 80-page digital manual, giving step by step directions on how to make your blackjack sessions profitable.
WHAT YOU GET
Several different charts and tables for easy
visual learning
A simple strategy, with only a few rules, that doesn’t require a lot of concentration
Additional bonuses that include, Vegas coupons,
online house edge calculator for any game, printable pocket basic strategy
cards
A 100%, no questions asked, 60-day, money back
guarantee
The program teaches the following:
Methods of tracking favorable tables, to decide
which table to play at
Proper chip stacking, to make betting easier and
more routine
How to manage your bankroll by maximizing
profits and minimizing losses
How to play within your limits and disguise your
winning patterns, in order not to bring attention from pit bosses
Different strategies for playing at land-based
casinos vs. online
Different strategies based on the number of
decks being used
How to take advantage of liberal rules at
different casinos
How to recognize tricks casinos will use to take
your money and avoid falling for them
When it is a good time to take insurance
When is the proper time to surrender, how to use
it for your benefit
SUMMARY
This is a highly comprehensive and valuable course, with
enough information to start making your blackjack sessions profitable on a more
consistent basis. It is clear and very
easy to understand.
Easy Money Blackjack System is based on personal secrets and information amassed from many years of play and thousands of computer simulated hands played.
It would be informational for even the most avid player, as it does point out many things that a typical blackjack book doesn’t give you. It’s an easy to grasp system that will take your game to the next level.
21st Century Blackjack is probably one of the most unique variants of blackjack It was invented, by an Irvine, California company called Casino Gaming Concepts, to “get around” the 1860 California law that made it explicitly illegal to play the game of “Twenty-One,” among other gambling games where the player bets against the house.
It is similar enough
to standard blackjack for players to want to play, but also varies enough to
not be considered an illegal game under the California law. It is mostly played in California, as you
might imagine.
It is also sometimes
called 21st Century No-Bust Blackjack, because one variant is that
there is no “busting” in this game.
The Differences
While the list of
differences may seem lengthy and complicated, the basic goal of the game
remains similar to blackjack, in that, as a player, you try to get closer to 21,
than the dealer, without going over.
The game is played with multiple decks of cards, from 2-8 decks, with 1 joker included, per deck of cards.
The maximum hand is 22, also called a natural
The joker is considered wild and helps a player get a hand of 22
Players are allowed to bet on other hands
There is no house dealer. There is a “dealer/bank” button that moves around the table, giving players the chance to act as the dealer as the game goes on. (This may vary depending on the casino)
There is no bust…a player/dealer with a hand value over 21 that is also higher than a player’s hand, results in a push
A player/dealer with a hand value over 21, but lower than a player’s, over 21 hand, results in a loss for the player
The player/dealer does not actually receive cards for that round, but “acts” as the bank for the round. The player/dealer gets the money if the dealer wins, but also must pay the players if the dealer loses.
The casino usually charges a fixed amount to play, usually $1 to play and $2 to act as the dealer. This is how the casino makes money on this game.
The casino may or may not provide an employee or a player with a large bankroll, (detected by the large bankroll in front of them) to cover all bets on the table. If a player chooses to act as the dealer, but doesn’t have enough money to cover all bets, the large bankroll person will step in and cover what remains, and then splits all wins and losses with the dealer.
A player can place up to 3 bets on his hand, designated by 3 betting circles on the table in front of his hand.
A player may also bet on another player’s hand by placing a wager in one of that player’s betting circles.
RULES OF PLAY
The maximum hand
value is 22, or a “natural”
A “natural” beats
all other hands
A “natural” is
formed with 2 Jokers, a Joker and an Ace,
or 2 Aces
In some casinos,
a “natural” of 2 Jokers, pays extra
A “natural” for
both a player and the player/dealer, results in a push
Other than when
paired with an Ace or another Joker, a Joker paired with anything else results
in a hand value of 21
There is a dealer/bank button that moves
from player to player as the game progresses.
The button stays with 1 player only a specified number of hands
There is usually a bet limit, but
players may bet that limit in each of the 3 betting circles
A player does not bust if his hand totals more than 21, play
continues until the dealer’s last move and then rules will determine wins and
losses
Player may double
down on and receive 1 additional card
Splitting is
allowed
Surrender is
allowed after first 2 cards
Player must hit
12 or less
Player must stand
on hard 20 and up, and hard/soft 21, 22
Player may double
down on 11 or 12 and draw up to two additional cards
A player may not
double down, split or surrender if they have a Joker
If a player and
the player/dealer tie with hands less than 21, it is a push
A player cannot
hit if the player/dealer’s up-card is a joker
Player/dealer hits
soft 18 or less
Player/dealer
stands on hard 18 or more
When a player and
player/dealer go over 22, it’s a push if the player’s hand value is lower than player/dealer’s
When a player and
player/dealer go over 22, a lower dealer hand results in a win for the dealer.
Card values are
the same as regular blackjack, except for the joker, which has no value except
to pair with any other card to value 21 or 22.
Some rules may
vary depending on the casino
How to Play
Player’s place
their initial bet and one of them opts to be the player/dealer (or bank)
Two cards are
dealt to each player, each face up, with the dealer receiving his first card
face down (the hole card) and the 2nd card face up
If the
player/dealer has an Ace or 10up, the hole card is checked to determine if he
has a natural. If he does have a
natural, all players hands lose, except if a player also has a natural and that
player pushes
If the player/dealer
doesn’t have a natural, play continues with each player deciding to hit, stand,
double down, split or surrender
The player/dealer
is last to play and either hits or stands.
When his play has ended, winners and losers are decided and payouts are
made
PAYOFFS
All payoffs are to the
extent the player/dealer has the money to cover all bets
Order of payoff or
collection is determined by the player/dealer’s hole card and is in clockwise
order. The player/dealer will place an action button in front of the first hand
and go clockwise from that point. If the
hole card is an Ace, the payoffs start with the player immediately to the left
of the player/dealer. If the hole card
is a two, payoffs start with the second player to the left of the player/dealer,
and so on.
Order of payoff can make
a big difference if the casino doesn’t offer the “large bankroll player” or
employee who would cover any bets the chosen player/dealer can’t pay. If the player/dealer doesn’t have enough
money to cover all bets, the players whose bets weren’t covered, would get no
action, no matter if they would have won or lost.
Final
Thoughts
As mentioned in the beginning, though the rules and differences may seem great, the game play is not that different from standard blackjack. If you’re an avid blackjack player, it’s a game that will challenge you a little more, having enough difference to keep you from getting bored with play. Also, if you’ve ever thought that being the “bank” or “dealer,” would be cool, this game gives you the opportunity to do that! Different can be fun!
