Blackjack
Blackjack Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object of the Game
You play against the dealer. The object is to draw cards totalling 21, or as close as possible without going over 21.
Bets are placed, then the dealer draws the cards face up — one to each player and one to himself — followed by a second card to each player. Aces count 1 or 11, court cards (Jack, Queen, King) count 10, and all other cards count as their face value.
A player may play any number of boxes at one table.
All initial bets must be placed before any cards are dealt.
Blackjack
If you have "Blackjack" (an ace with a picture card, or a ten) it beats any other combination except a dealer's Blackjack, and you win 3/2 for your bet. If the dealer also has a Blackjack, it is a stand-off.
If you do not have Blackjack, you decide from your hand to take more cards (draw) or stand. You may take as many cards as you wish until you think you have a score closer to 21 than the dealer will have. Once you have a score of 21, you may not draw any further cards.
The dealer must draw on 16 or under and must stand on 17 or over. The first Ace in a hand is 11 unless this causes it to exceed 21. Subsequent Aces count as 1.
Winning and Losing
- If your total is closer to 21 than the dealer's, you win even money.
- If your total is lower than the dealer's, you lose.
- If you tie with the dealer, it is a "stand-off".
- If you go over 21, you lose.
Doubled Hands
With your first two cards, irrespective of their total, you may opt to double your wager or place any amount up to the value of your initial bet, but you will receive only ONE more card.
Splitting Hands
If a player's two cards have the same value, he/she may split them, receiving one extra card face up for each hand.
There is no limit to the number of times players may split cards of equal value.
If after splitting, a player has an ace and a 10 in one or both of the split hands, this is 21 but it is not Blackjack. You may double down after splitting, but if Aces are split, they receive only one more card on each, and doubling down is not possible in this case.
Insurance
When the dealer's first card is an Ace, any player with their first two cards may wager an amount equivalent to no more than half the amount staked on his initial wager that the dealer's second card will have a value of 10.
Any wager which wins under this rule shall be payable at odds of 2 to 1.
All insurance wagers shall be made before a third card is dealt to any box (the subsequent deal).
Side Bets
21+3 Blackjack
21+3 is a wager that the first two cards dealt to a player, combined with the first card dealt to the dealer, will make a three-card poker hand against the following list of winning hands. All winning hands are paid 9-1.
- Flush — all three cards of the same suit (e.g. three hearts, three clubs, etc.)
- Straight — all three cards in sequence but not the same suit (e.g. 5D, 6C, 7H)
- Three of a kind — all three of the same ranking (e.g. three 2's, three 7's, etc.)
- Straight Flush — all three in sequence and of the same suit (e.g. 4, 5, 6 of Clubs)
A Straight or Straight Flush may include an Ace in either a high or low sequence (for example, Ace, 2, 3 or Queen, King, Ace). If the three cards do not form one of the above hands, the 21+3 wager will lose.
Blackjack Top 3
Blackjack Top 3 is an additional wager that the first two cards dealt to a player, combined with the first card dealt to the dealer, will achieve one of the following winning hands:
- Three of a Kind — all three of the same ranking (e.g. three 2's, three 7's, etc.) — pays 90-1
- Straight Flush — all three in sequence and of the same suit (e.g. 4, 5, 6 of clubs) — pays 180-1
- Three of a Kind Suited — all three of the same ranking and suit (e.g. three 2's of clubs, etc.) — pays 270-1
If the three cards do not form one of the above hands, the Blackjack Top 3 wager will lose.
Perfect Pairs
Perfect Pairs is an optional side bet placed at the same time as the opening wagers in the basic game. Perfect Pairs is a wager that the first two cards dealt to a hand will be a pair of the same value (for example, a pair of twos, threes, fours, etc.). Odds are paid depending on whether the two matching cards are also of the same suit, same colour, or are of mixed colours.
If the two cards do not form a pair, then the Perfect Pairs wager loses.
- Mixed pair pays 5-1
- Coloured pair pays 12-1
- Perfect Pair pays 30-1
Blackjack House Edge
Main game: Variable according to the techniques applied by individual players.
- 6 Deck: from 4.5% to 0.45%
- 4 Deck: from 4% to 0.40%
Side Bets:
- 21+3: 4 Deck — 4.24% • 6 Deck — 3.23%
- Top 3: 9%
- Perfect Pairs: 4 Deck — 6.76% • 6 Deck — 1.93%