Blackjack is one of the most exciting card games out there. The game is both simple and challenging at once. At online casinos, all the games are about odds and chances. However, a few games like blackjack also need a strategy to win the game. It’s important to understand how to win the game. Learning the rules of the game, and the nature of each bet is important and it varies based on the variation of blackjack that you are playing. The two most popular types of blackjack are the American and European versions. In this article, we’ll explore both.
American Blackjack
The goal of playing Blackjack is to win the game before the dealer, of course before others do, as well. However, the dealer of the game is the common one that everyone is playing against. In this game, all you do is try to attain a hand with a sum of 21 or closer to 21. And you have to do this before the dealer does, that’s when you win the game. However, make sure that the total sum of your hands does not exceed more than 21, it’s a rule. That’s blackjack in a glimpse.
Now, let us read about American blackjack.
An American blackjack version uses either 6 decks of cards or 8 decks of cards. American blackjack has hole cards which allows the dealer of the game to get a peek. The following are what you should know as a player of the blackjack game. You can split Aces in the blackjack, however, you will be allowed to do that only one time.
You can double down in the game and it can be done on any of the hand sums out there. The players of the game can split their hands, and this can be done thrice maximum in one game. We already said that you can double down and split hands. Also, you can perform a double down after a split in American blackjack.
The payout of the American blackjack is in the following ratios. It can be 6:5 or 3:2. The dealer of the game has to land a soft 17 in the game. Also, hole cards are allowed. That means the croupier could get a peek after the face-up to check whether there is a Blackjack, before the player.
European Blackjack
In European blackjack, there will only be two decks of cards used in the game. Now let us directly look at the rules that a player has to follow while playing the European version of the game. As a player you can split the hand, however, it can only be done one time. If you have already performed a split, you can not do a double down on top of a split. However, you can double down in the game. It can be done on hard hands with 11, 10, or 9.
You already read that you are allowed to split in the game and that it can not be done after a double-down. Also, you are not allowed to split different value cards of the following: 10, 4, or 5. Another thing to note is that, in European blackjack, you are not allowed to surrender in the following situation. That is, if the face card of the croupier happens to be an Ace, then you will not be able to surrender.
Now, let us read about the rules that the dealer has to follow in European blackjack. The dealer has to stand on a soft 17. Also, it is mandatory that the dealer has to have 16 as the hand value. In European blackjack, the dealer doesn’t have a hole card. It means that the dealer can not get a chance to peek at the blackjack before the player.
If ever there arises a situation where the dealer has a blackjack and the player also has a blackjack, then it will be considered a ‘push’. It is the blackjack term for the tie. Upon this happening, all the bets placed will be returned to the players. Another significant point in European blackjack is that the croupier’s blackjack will always win against the blackjack of the player’s hand. This only happens if the sum is 21.
The payout of European blackjack is permanent and they are determined before the game. You already read about the push, which has a 1:1 payout rate. Then there are 3:2 and 2:1 payout ratios.
