It’s in Your Hands
Writing about Blackjack is a tough call. First, there are plenty of different variants of this game. So many, you wouldn’t believe it is possible, as if no Blackjack game is the same. Everything depends on the house and its rules, on the type of Blackjack played at this table and on the dealer, of course. There is only one common feature all live casinos share: for Blackjack you will be paid 3:2, and the insurance pays 2:1. And that is all.
But despite differences, all the gamblers would agree that Blackjack is their favorite casino game and that it should be played against a live dealer with real cards only. That’s the essence of any card game!
So, where to play Blackjack? A land-based casino is the best option, no doubt about that. But sometimes going to a land-based house is not an option. Don’t worry, modern Internet technologies have brought land-based casinos to our homes. Now you may gamble against a live dealer and six other players at one table live. That’s the best experience any player could dream about.
Let’s figure out what Blackjack we can find online and how to play it. Well, here the answer is simple: you may play any Blackjack possible. Remember, Blackjack depends on house rules entirely! Before playing your first hand, you better figure out the rules. You need to know how many decks are there: 6 or 8? What basic rules are used: Vegas or European?
What are restrictions for doubling and splitting? Knowing all the facts is essential to any Blackjack player. Remember, all the rules are introduced to raise the house edge. The better you know them, the bigger your win will be.
Most live casinos offer thee major versions of Blackjack: 7-seat classic Blackjack, Unlimited Blackjack and let’s call it Miscellaneous Blackjack. The first version is the closest to the land-based casino variant of this game. Here you along with 6 other players play against a dealer. He deals every player two cards and then deals one or two cards to himself. The number of cards depends on whether you play by the Vegas or by the European rules.
Then, each hand is played in turns: they may either stand or fold. Afterwards, the dealer plays his hand and when he is done his hand is compared to other hands. The players whose hands beat the dealer’s hand, receive payouts. As there are only 7 seats at the table, they are hard to get. Some live casino operators put it zillions of tables, but it rarely works out.
Most online casinos offer 7-seat Blackjack as part of their loyalty program only. Only decorated highrollers and regulars guarantee themselves a place at that table. As the demand is high, there are often a line of players waiting for the seat to open. Casinos offer such players a Bet Behind option. It’s basically a bet on one of the players at the table. A risky option, but fairly popular.
To solve the problem with high demand, casinos came up with Unlimited Blackjack. It is called differently by different operators but the idea is the same: at Unlimited Blackjack the number of players is unlimited. How is that possible? There is only one hand played. One player’s hand, obviously. Every bettor plays this only hand as his own. After the hands are played, the dealer plays his hand. And after, the payouts are distributed.
What, apart from the number of players, makes this Blackjack different from other types? First is the split. When it occurs a player has two options: to split the hand doubling the bet and playing two hands, or if he doesn’t want to split, then he has to fold the hand losing part of the initial bet. Another great difference is that the dealer doesn’t check for Blackjack. We have no idea why, actually!
The third Blackjack type is as we call it Miscellaneous Blackjack games. Those are derived from original Blackjack, if there is such, but their rules and gameplay are modified for a new and more exciting playing experience. There is a Blackjack with multipliers, for instance. One of the differences from the original game is that here, the dealer pushes a three-card bust that influences the player’s hand.
A very exciting variant of the game where you can multiply your bet up to 1,000 times. Power Blackjack is also extremely enticing. There are several major differences. First, the 9’s and the 10’s are removed from the deck. Also, the game features four side bets and there are several multipliers you may apply to your initial bet after the first cards are dealt.
Another Blackjack is a Free Bets Blackjack. It’s always nice to get something for free! Here you get free splits and doubles. But free cash is never free, right?! So when the dealer busts on 22, the winnings are pushed.
The RTP here is lower than in the original variant. And finally, there is a Majority Rules Speed Blackjack. This one is extremely fast. It features two players’ hands only. Its perk is that you may choose which of two hands to play. If there are three or more people playing one hand than decisions are made according to the majority vote, otherwise according to basic rules. This game is extremely exciting, though it might be way too complicated for the newbies.
As you can see live casinos offer so many Blackjack variants you might get lost. Don’t be confused, Blackjack is always Blackjack. No need to panic here. All you need is some time to test several online games, figure out their rules and pitfalls, so you could finally find a game you like the best. Looking for one is probably the most exciting part of the deal. Remember, it’s the road itself, not the destination that matters. Good luck!
Comments
