Top Variants of Blackjack: Popular Choices Explained

Blackjack is a popular casino game with several variants that offer unique twists and rules. One of the most popular variants is Classic Blackjack, also known as “Traditional” or “Standard” Blackjack. This variant follows the basic rules of the game, where the goal is to beat the dealer’s hand without exceeding 21.

European Blackjack and American Blackjack are two common variants with slight rule differences. In European Blackjack, the dealer only receives one face-up card at the start, while in American Blackjack, the dealer initially gets two cards, one face-up and one face-down.

• Number of decks: European Blackjack is typically played with 2 decks, while American Blackjack usually uses 6 or 8 decks.
• Dealer’s hole card: In European Blackjack, the dealer only receives one card face up initially and does not receive a hole card until all players have finished their hands. In American Blackjack, the dealer receives one card face up and one card face down, and if the face-up card is an Ace or a 10-value card, the dealer checks for blackjack before players act on their hands.
• Doubling down and splitting: In European Blackjack, players are only allowed to double down on hard totals of 9, 10, or 11, and they can only split once. In American Blackjack, players can double down on any two cards and can split multiple times.

Spanish 21 is a variant of Blackjack that is played with a Spanish deck of cards, which consists of 48 cards (all four 10s are removed). This variant offers additional bonus payouts for specific hands, such as a five-card hand totaling 21 or a six-card hand totaling 21.

1. Spanish 21 uses a Spanish deck of cards, which consists of 48 cards (without the four 10-value cards) instead of the standard 52-card deck used in traditional Blackjack.
2. In Spanish 21, a player’s 21 always beats the dealer’s 21. This means that if both the player and the dealer have a hand with a total of 21, the player wins.
3. Spanish 21 offers additional bonus payouts for certain hands. For example, a player’s hand of 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 of mixed suits pays 3:2, while a suited 7-7-7 pays 2:1, and a suited 6-7-8 pays 3:1.
4. In Spanish 21, players are allowed to double down on any number of cards, unlike in traditional Blackjack where doubling down is usually limited to the first two cards dealt.
5. Spanish 21 also allows players to surrender their hand after doubling down, known as “double down rescue.” This means that if a player doubles down and then realizes they have a weak hand, they can surrender and only lose their original bet.

Double Exposure Blackjack, also known as “Face Up 21,” is a variant where both of the dealer’s cards are exposed from the beginning. This gives players an advantage in knowing the dealer’s hand but comes with modified rules to compensate for this.

Pontoon is a British variant of Blackjack that has its own set of rules. In Pontoon, both of the dealer’s cards are initially dealt face-down, and the players have additional options, such as “buying” extra cards or doubling down on any number of cards.

Pontoon is a card game similar to blackjack, where players aim to get a hand total closest to 21 without exceeding it.

Vegas Strip Blackjack and Atlantic City Blackjack are two popular variants named after their respective locations. The main difference lies in the rules regarding the dealer’s actions. In Vegas Strip Blackjack, the dealer must stand on a soft 17, while in Atlantic City Blackjack, the dealer must hit on a soft 17.

The main differences between Vegas Strip and Atlantic City Blackjack are the number of decks used and the rules regarding dealer’s actions.

Progressive Blackjack is a variant that offers an additional side bet for the chance to win a progressive jackpot. Players contribute to the jackpot with each side bet, and if they are dealt specific combinations of cards, they can win a portion or the entire jackpot.