Blackjack Rules

There exist rather a large number of Blackjack rule variations. Here you will find 123 of them. If you are aware of additional rules, please post them to the forum.

Double Down Rules


  • Double down on 10, 11 – Almost universal, this rule allows doubling down on two cards totaling 10 or 11 without an Ace. On extremely rare occasions, you might find a casino that only allows double down on 11. These games should be avoided as the penalty is .45-.52.
  • Double down on 9 – This Blackjack rule adds two cards totaling nine to the double down opportunities. Player advantage of .09-.15.
  • Double down on 8 – This rule adds two cards totaling eight to the double down opportunities. The gain is minimal if one is not counting cards.
  • Double down any hard count – This rule adds all other totals without an ace. The gain is minimal even for a card counter.
  • Double down on soft count – This fairly common option allows doubling down on any first two cards, even if one of the cards is an ace. This rule has an advantage of .08-.13.
  • Soft Double A9 or A8 only – This limits the soft double hands to only soft-20 and soft-19.
  • Ace Counts as 1 – In a soft double, the ace always counts as 1 with this rule. So, if you double an A8 and draw an ace, the hand counts as 10, not 20. This rule is found in some Northern European casinos.
  • Double after split (DAS) – This rule allows doubling down on hands that have been created by splitting a pair. This is common in Atlantic City, fairly common in Las Vegas and available at about 35% of the world's casinos. A few casinos limit the hands that you can double. This rule has an advantage of .12-.14. You must change your strategy to realize the full gain in advantage.
  • Double down on three cards – This rare option allows doubling down on three cards, as well as the traditional two.
  • Double on any number of cards – This rare Blackjack rule allows doubling down in almost any circumstance. Advantage of .23. Common in Spanish 21 and SuperFun 21; but the advantage is different in these games.
  • Redouble – Here you can double and then double again after drawing a card on the first double. You may be limited by the table limits.
  • Soft Double Down counts as hard hand – With this lousy rule, an Ace in a hand to be doubled always counts as one.
  • Discard Double – Very good but not common rule that allows you to throw away your double down card and draw another. This requires two strategies. The first strategy specifies when you will double. The second specifies when you will throw out the double down card.
  • Hit after Double Down – This rule does not actually exist. However, in some casinos surrender after double down does. Inexperienced dealers will sometimes allow you to hit after a double in these casinos. This can be very valuable.

Split Rules


  • Resplit – This very common rule allows splitting pairs, usually, up to three times. As a result, up to four hands can be created from one. Some casinos allow only one split and a few allow six or infinite splits. There is almost no gain in advantage past three hands.
  • Resplit Aces – Adding this rule allows resplitting of a pair of aces. This rule is less common but more common than most people think. Advantage is 0-.1 depending on other rules. In shoe games, this rule is quite valuable for card counters and is often seen with late surrender games in Las Vegas.
  • Multiple draw after split Aces – Most casinos will allow only one card drawn to each split hand after splitting aces. A few allow additional draws. Advantage is about .1.
  • Double after split Aces Several casinos now allow splitting aces and then doubling down on them. Either from a defensive standpoint (getting a lousy hit and double for table min hoping to get a good card) or from an offensive standpoint where it would be a double if it had occurred on your first two cards.
  • Must double down third card on split Ace – A new rule in a few American Indian casinos allows a third card after splitting aces, but you must double. You can double for less.
  • Split tens must be same value – In most casinos, tens, jacks, queens and kings all count as ten and can be considered the same for splitting rules. In other words, you can split a jack and a king. A few casinos demand that the cards be exact pairs.
  • No Ace Splits – Some casinos do not allow a split of aces. This Blackjack rule is fairly rare and should be avoided.
  • Split any time – This very rare rule allows you to split a hand after drawing additional cards as long as you have two cards of the same value touching each other. For example, draw 10, 2, 2 and you can split the deuces resulting in hands of 12 and 2. You can then finish each hand.
  • Split any 16 – Such as A5, 97, T6. Great rule as it gets rid of the worst hand. Unfortunately rare.
  • Discard Split – Very good but not common rule that allows you to throw away one of your hands after a split. This requires two strategies. The first strategy specifies when you will split. The second specifies when you will throw out the split hand.
  • No 4, 5 or Ten Splits . – This rule used to be law in the UK. The law has been changed to allow these splits, but many casinos have not changed with the law.

Insurance and Surrender Rules


  • Insurance – This nearly universal rule allows an insurance bet against a dealer face-up ace. Note: Not allowed with Double Exposure (described later).
  • Even Money – If you have a Blackjack and the dealer has an ace, you can call out “even money”. You will be paid 1:1. This is exactly the same as insuring the hand. Many people will argue that it is not the same. They are wrong. I will not clutter up this book with an explanation — you can find one in Wikipedia.
  • Insure Blackjack only – Some casinos in Europe, and in particular the UK, allow insurance bets only when the player has a Blackjack. This is not referred to as insurance but “even money” in the UK as insurance is not defined in UK rules. The rule greatly harms the player who is counting.
  • Insurance for full amount – This unusual Blackjack rule allows an insurance bet equal to the value of the original bet instead of the usual half-bet. It is a good bet for card counters.
  • Insure against Ten – Here you bet the dealer has an ace in the hole. The payoff varies.
  • Late Surrender – The common form of surrender. The player can surrender a hand (throw it in) for half of the bet after the dealer has checked for Blackjack. If the dealer is not allowed to peek and does not know if there is a dealer Blackjack, then the surrender occurs only after the dealer checks for Blackjack and finds that it does not exist.
  • Early Surrender – This less and less available rule allows surrender of a hand before the dealer checks for Blackjack. If you can find a casino that allows it, this is one of the most valuable options in the game. Advantage is about .6-.7. It can be found in Africa, some places in Eastern Europe, for a time in Moscow, a couple of casinos in Vancouver and a handful of casinos in Western Europe. In rare cases, you will find a dealer that allows this because she does not understand the late surrender rule.
  • Early Surrender vs. 10 – Allows a surrender if the dealer has a ten-up Blackjack. Only available with no dealer hole card.
  • Macau Surrender – This, currently obsolete, rule allows surrender of an unbusted hand with five cards.
  • Surrender any number of cards – With this rule, the player can surrender a hand after any number of draws.
  • Surrender after Double – A new rule that allows a surrender even after you have doubled down. Also called Double Down Rescue. The dealer takes the double portion of the bet, and the player retains the original bet.
  • Insure then Surrender allowed – In some situations, you may want to insure a hand and then surrender the same hand. In a casino, this can cause some interesting conversations with the dealer or pit boss. Casinos will often argue that a hand that has been insured cannot be surrendered because it no longer exists. You might argue that insurance is purely a side bet. However, it rarely makes sense to get into an argument with casinos over relatively minor matters as it will just focus their attention on you and indicate that you have more knowledge of the game than they would like. Save your arguments for more costly situations, like mispayment of a bet.
  • Surrender after Split – As it says, this Blackjack rule allows a surrender even after splitting hands. You may still play the remaining hand.
  • Casino Surrender – If you have a two-card 20, and the dealer has a ten up but no Blackjack, then you may chose to win half your bet instead of risking a loss. Not a good bet.
  • Insurance closes – ENHC game, you can wait to buy insurance until the moment the dealer announces “Insurance closes!” and hits the upcard. This is very convenient because you have the chance of seeing more cards to make the decision. And you can buy insurance before you hit your hand and if you bust your hand your insurance still plays. (from mleancole)

Unusual Blackjack Games or Side Bets


  • Over/Under 13 – This Blackjack game, once gaining popularity in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, is now fading away as it can beaten by card counters. You can bet that your first two cards will total over 13 or you may bet that the first two cards are under 13. The house wins all totals of 13. Aces normally count only as one for this side bet. (Not true in all casinos.) The bets are resolved immediately after the dealer up card is shown and pay 1:1.
  • Red/Black – This side bet is very similar to Over/Under 13 except that you bet on whether the dealer upcard is red or black by placing a bet in the “R” or “B” circle. The dealer wins on all twos. Play is the same as with Over/Under 13 described above. This is also a beatable side bet.
  • Royal Match – This rule allows a different side bet on the first two cards. You may bet that your first two cards are in the same suit. If they are, the bet pays 3:1. If they are the Queen and King of the same suit, this is a Royal Match, which pays 10:1. The bet is resolved as soon as the dealer upcard is shown. There exist variations in the payoffs.
  • Super 7’s – This option exists in a few casinos with a few variations. The version included here appears to be the most common. You may make a side bet of only $1 that you will be dealt consecutive sevens. If you are dealt two sevens, you will be dealt a third card, even if the dealer has a Blackjack. If you split sevens, you will be paid for only the first two sevens. Payoff occurs after the second or third card is dealt according to the following table:
    • First card any 7: $3
    • First two cards any 7’s: $50
    • First two cards 7’s same suit: $100
    • First three cards any 7’s $500
    • First three cards 7’s same suit: $5,000
  • Double Exposure – Also known as Zweikartenspiel. In one of the more unusual Blackjack games, both dealer cards are dealt face up. Obviously, this gives the player an enormous advantage. To counteract this advantage, the “No Blackjack bonus” and “Dealer wins ties” rules usually accompany this game. Also, there is no insurance bet in Double Exposure. This is a very different game with entirely different playing strategies. I would not suggest playing this option in a casino if you have not fully studied the game. The game was invented by Richard Epstein — who unfortunately neglected to patent it.
  • Multiple Action – In this game, the player can place two or three bets. Three betting boxes exist for this purpose for each seat. Normally you must place bets in at least the first two boxes. Relative bet size rules vary by casino. Your play is normal, except that the dealer has no hole card. After you have made all of your playing decisions, the dealer gets three hands. First, the dealer hand is finished and the first bets for all players are resolved. All dealer cards except for the first are then discarded and the dealer hand is again completed using the original first dealer card as a start. All player hands remain as they were. Then the second bets are resolved. This process is repeated again for the third dealer hand. If you double down or split your hand, double down and split bets are added in all bet boxes where you have an original bet. If you take insurance, then the insurance bet is placed in the normal spot and resolved dealer hand by dealer hand. If you surrender, then surrender bets are resolved hand by hand. The strategy is the same as with normal Blackjack.
  • Bust Out – This Blackjack side bet is rather like insurance. After the dealer turns over the hole card, and before the dealer hand is finished, this bet is available if the dealer has a stiff hand. A dealer stiff hand is a hand that must be hit and will bust if the dealer draws a ten. (Hard 12 through hard 16.) If the dealer then draws a ten, you will be paid two to one. This game can be easily beaten by card counters and, therefore, appears to have disappeared.
  • Seven and ½ – Seven and ½ is not really a Blackjack game at all, but an entirely different card game developed in Sicily. However, as it has appeared at times in Nevada and Atlantic City, and it is similar to Blackjack, it has been included. Seven and ½ is played like Blackjack with the following modifications:
    • The card deck has 40 cards with no eights, nines, or tens.
    • Aces always count as 1 and face cards count as ½ .
    • The goal is to get as close as possible to 7½ instead of 21 without busting.
    • The dealer and the players are each dealt one card face up instead of two cards.
    • Each player, in turn, can hit, stand, surrender, or double-down just as in Blackjack.
    • If the player draws a pair of threes, twos, or aces, they may be split.
    • The dealer must draw to 4½ and stand on 5.
    • The dealer wins all pushes (ties).
  • Super Fun 21 – This is a new variation of single-deck Blackjack. You may hit and double split aces, double or surrender on any number of cards, and surrender after doubling. Several bonuses exist: player 21 with five or more cards pays 2:1, player hand of 20 or less with six cards automatically wins, player Blackjack always wins, and a diamond Blackjack pays 2:1. However, all other Blackjacks pay even money. This last rule is very expensive. The game requires a quite different strategy to be played correctly.
  • Spanish 21 – This Blackjack game has been around for a few years and is lately becoming more popular. Katarina Walker is the expert on this game and I have copied (but shortened) the Wikipedia definition of the game below as she has edited it to create the best explanation in print. For more information, read Katarina Walker’s The Pro's Guide to Spanish 21 and Australian Pontoon.
    • The game is played with two, four, five, six, or eight decks dealt from a shoe, or from a continuous shuffling machine (CSM). Spanish 21 is played with 48-card Spanish decks, which are standard 52-card decks with the 4 ten-spot cards removed. All cards have the same values as in Blackjack.
    • The dealer gets a hole card.
    • In most venues, the dealer hits soft 17. The house edge for 6-deck H17 Spanish 21 is 0.78%, but the house edge for 6-deck S17 Spanish 21 is only 0.37%.
    • Blackjack pays 3:2, and always wins regardless of whether or not the dealer has a blackjack.
    • Insurance is paid 2:1, just as in Blackjack, despite the fact that there are four fewer ten-valued cards per deck. As 3 cards in 12 are worth ten, the chance of the dealer getting a Blackjack when showing an ace is only 25%. Therefore, for insurance to be an even bet, it would have to pay 3:1, not 2:1. Consequently, the insurance bet in Spanish 21 ties with Keno as being the worst bet in any casino.
    • Hitting, standing, and splitting all follow similar rules to Blackjack. Doubling after splitting (DAS) is always permitted, and, in most venues, players are allowed to draw as many cards as they wish after splitting aces, or may double down after receiving second or subsequent cards. The Mohegan Sun casino does not allow drawing on split aces.
    • In most venues, late surrender is allowed.
    • Players may split to a maximum of four hands, including aces.
    • Players may surrender after doubling (double-down rescue). The dealer takes the double portion of the bet, and the player retains the original bet.
    • The player may double down on any total, even after taking hit cards.
    • In some casinos, players may double-double down, or redouble up to two times after doubling down. For example: The player bets one unit and is dealt 2-3, giving a hand total of 5; the dealer is showing a 6. The player doubles the first time and draws a 3. The hand total is now 8 and the total amount wagered is two units. The player doubles a second time and draws a 3. The hand total is now 11 and the total amount wagered is four units. When the player doubles a third time on 11, the total amount wagered will be eight units. Redoubling is a profoundly player-advantageous rule, when optimally executed. The house edge for 6-deck H17 without redoubling is 0.78%, and with redoubling is 0.42%. The double-double down rule is not offered in S17 games.
    • There are a few additional rule variations associated with the double-double down rule. Many casinos will not permit players to double down for less than their original wager. In cases where double down for less is permitted, the player forfeits the option to redouble. Most casinos cap the double down wagers to the posted table maximum bet. For example, the table maximum is $100; the player makes an initial wager of $75; then, the player doubles down by wagering another $75 (for a total bet of $150). If the player wishes to double down a second time, he may only wager an additional $100 rather than the full $150 because of the cap. There are a few casinos that will not permit the player to redouble if the proper size of the redouble wager exceeds the table maximum bet.
    • A total of 21 always wins for the player. It never pushes against the dealer's 21.
    • A five-card 21 pays 3:2, a six-card 21 pays 2:1, and a 21 with seven or more cards pays 3:1. A 21 composed of 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 of mixed suits pays 3:2, of the same suit pays 2:1, and of spades pays 3:1. These bonus payouts apply even if the hand was the result of a split. However, these bonus payouts do not apply if the 21 was the result of doubling.
    • A “super bonus” of $1,000 for bets under $25, and $5,000 for bets of $25 and over, is paid on a suited 7-7-7 against any dealer 7. All other players at the table receive a $50 “envy bonus.” The super bonus is not paid on split hands.
    • At the time of this writing, the Meskwaki casino in central Iowa and the Red Dragon casino near Seattle, Washington, pay 3:2 on Blackjacks obtained after splitting aces or face cards, in addition to the 3:2 payout on regular Blackjacks.
  • Pontoon – The Australian version of Spanish 21 renamed to avoid the patent. The major difference is that no dealer hole card is dealt.
  • 21 Madness – Yet another new bonus. This is a $1 side bet. If you get a Blackjack, and the dealer does not, the side bet pays somewhere between $5 and $1,000 by chance. The average payoff is $13.90.
  • Blackjack Switch – The player plays 2 hands and places 2 identical bets. The main element of the game is that the player is allowed to “switch” the second cards around, if desired. To compensate for this powerful feature, the dealer will “push” players’ hands on a dealer's total of 22. However, Blackjacks will still win, but only pay even money. The designer of the game, Geoff Hall, sent me the full switching strategy, developed by Karel Janecek. But it is something like 100 pages.
  • Super Match – A Blackjack Switch side bet. This is an optional bet that does not have to be the same amount as the “Blackjack Switch” wager. It can be higher or lower, if desired. Players who place this bet are aiming to be dealt a pair or better from the initial four cards dealt out.
  • Blackjack Side Bet – At the Copa Casino in Gulfport, MS, several of the tables have (or had) a side bet available only on the first hand of a shoe. The player may bet that the dealer will receive a natural and/or that the player himself will receive a natural. A winning wager with a single natural pays 17:1. If both the player and dealer receive naturals, then the payout is 25:1 (for either or both bets).
  • Double Attack Blackjack – The dealer up card is the first card dealt. You can double your bet after seeing the card. All tens are removed from the deck. Insurance pays 5:2 to partially make up for the lack of tens.
  • 21st Century Blackjack – Played in California card rooms and related to No Bust Blackjack or California Blackjack, with the following rules:
    • Six 53-card decks including a Joker are used.
    • A per-hand fee is taken.
    • The best hand is 22 instead of 21.
    • A hand with two jokers, an ace and a joker, or two aces is called a natural and is paid instantly.
    • A joker with anything makes a hand total of 22.
    • The game is player banked.
    • The Banker must hit soft-18 or less and hit on hard-18 or more.
    • If the dealer upcard is a joker, the downcard is turned over and no one can hit. The dealer hand counts as 21.
    • If the dealer downcard is a joker, double down and split bets do not lose.
    • If both the dealer and player bust, and the player has a lower total, the hand pushes.
  • 21+3 – This is a bet that the first two cards and the dealer up card make a Poker hand. Payoffs depend on the hand.
  • Bonanza BJ – To win this side bet, you must receive a 20 in the first two cards and a dealer must have a ten up.
  • Dare any Pair – Bet that the first two player cards are a Pair.
  • Lucky Ladies – A popular new rule betting that the first two cards are a pair of Queens or 20. This side bet can be beaten and will be discussed later.
  • King’s Bounty – A side bet that appears to be taken from Lucky Ladies, only with Kings. Unsuited 20 pays 4 to 1, 2 Kings pays 6 to 1, suited 20 pays 9 to 1, suited 10’s, Jacks or Queens pays 20 to 1, suited Kings pays 30 to 1, a pair of king of spades pays 100 to 1 and a pair of king of spades against a dealer blackjack pays 1000 to 1.
  • Lucky Lucky – A side bet with a complex payoff on 678, 777, 21, 20, or 19 suited or unsuited.
  • Pair Square – Bet that the first two cards are of the same rank
  • Perfect Pairs – Bet the first two cards are a pair with various payoffs.
  • Sweet 16 – Bet the first two cards are a low pair, ace or 16-21 points.
  • Streak – Bet on streaks of wins.
  • Push Your Luck – Bet that the player's hand ties with the dealer's hand. The player wins 10 times the side bet.
  • Buster blackjack – Buster blackjack features a side bet that allows the player to bet that the dealer will bust. The payoff depends on the number of cards in the dealer hand. For example, 2 to 1 for when the dealer busts with 3 or 4 cards, 4 to 1 when the dealer busts with 5 cards, 12 to 1 with a 6 card bust, 50 to 1 with a 7 card bust, and 250 to 1 with and 8 or more card bust.
  • In Between Blackjack – A side bet that the dealer upcard is in between your initial cards. Ace only counts as high. Two cards matching the dealer upcard pays 30:1, one card spread (e.g. your hand 5-7 dealer 6) pays 10:1, two card spread (e.g. 5-8 dealer 6) pays 6:1, three card spread pays 4:1, any spread pays 2:1.
  • Buster Blackjack – Side bet that the dealer will bust. There are at least four payoff tables depending on the number of cards the dealer has when she busts. The dealer will still draw cards if the player busts or gets a Blackjack. (Thanks to Mike Shackleford for clarrifying the last situation.)
  • Cowboys and Cowgirls – A new side bet at the Las Vegas Hilton. You bet that the dealer upcard is black (cowboy) or red (cowgirl). Payoff is even money. Suited black king or suited red queen pays 3 to2. Any color dealer upcard of 3 and both side bets lose.
  • Pure Blackjack – This is a California cardroom game similar to California Blackjack, except that player tries to reach 21.5 instead of 22 and there are no jokers. BJ usually pays 6:5, if the player-banker has three 8s, everyone pushes or ties.
  • Burn 20 Blackjack (info from Geoff Hall) – Burn 20 Blackjack is dealt as a normal game of Blackjack, with two cards to the Player and one to the Dealer.
    • If the Dealer has an Ace to 9 as their exposed card, the game continues as normal.
    • If the Dealer has a “10” value card (i.e 10,J, Q or K) there is potential for a “Burn 20”. The game continues as normal until all Player decisions have been made and the Dealer addresses their own hand. They will then deal the second card to their hand.
    • If the Dealer’s second card is a 2 to 9, or a Blackjack with an Ace of a different suit to the Dealer’s first card, then the game continues as normal.
    • If the Dealer’s second card is a 10 value card, or a Blackjack with an Ace of the same suit as the first card , the Dealer will then place both cards in the Burn 20 area marked on the layout (marked with flames) and deal themselves two further cards, face up.
    • If the new cards are not two further 10 value cards, the game will continue as normal.
    • If the new cards ARE two further 10 value cards, the Dealer will again burn them by placing them on the flame symbol. The same applies if the two new cards make a Blackjack (regardless of suit), the two cards will be discarded.
    • This process will continue until the Dealer draws two cards that are neither both 10 value cards or form a Blackjack.
    • If the Dealer achieves a score of 20 using three cards, the game is unaffected and continues as normal. The “Burn 20” rule applies only for a two card score of 20 on the Dealer’s hand or a Blackjack formed by the new cards.
    • The only other change to the normal game is if the Dealer achieves a score of 22, in which case all remaining Player hands in the game will push, except for Blackjacks which will be paid at 3-2 as normal. (This provides the additional house edge to compensate for the Burn 20 rules favouring the Player).
    • When the Dealer has a score that is not 22, winning Player hands are otherwise paid even money as normal, other than Blackjacks at 3-2. Players may make all usual decisions to split or double on their hand.
    • As soon as two further cards that are neither two 10’s or a Blackjack are dealt to the Dealer’s hand, the Dealer will discard any ‘burned’ cards on the flamed “Burn 20” area and places them into the discard holder. They will then complete their hand as normal.

Blackjack Win/Play Variations


  • Player 21 ties dealer 10 up Blackjack – If the dealer has a ten up and an ace down and the player has any 21, there is a push.
  • Dealer wins tied 17 – This awful option causes tied 17 hands to be lost instead of pushed.
  • Dealer wins ties – With this option, you lose your bet on a tied hand. This awful rule sometimes is added to counteract another unusual option that heavily favors the player.
  • Five cards unbusted wins – (Five Card Charlie) With this rule, the player always wins when he receives five cards without busting. Very rare.
  • Six cards unbusted wins – With this rule, the player always wins when he has received six cards without busting.
  • Seven cards unbusted wins – With this rule, the player always wins when he has received seven cards without busting. This rule makes almost no difference and can be ignored.
  • Player 22 counts as 21 – With this rule, the player does not bust with a total of 22.
  • Dealer ten up exposes hole card – Where this rule exists and the dealer up card is a ten, the dealer flips over the hole card. This is a very valuable rule and will not be found in a casino without some other option that hurts the player.
  • Dealer wins tied 17, 18 and 19 – This awful rule causes tied 17, 18 and 19 hands to be lost instead of pushed. The rule exists in Swedish casinos and makes Blackjack unplayable in Sweden.

Blackjack Card Handling Variations


  • No dealer hole card dealt – (ENHC) With this rule, seen nearly everywhere outside the U.S., the dealer does not receive a second card until after the players have played their hands. With no hole card, the dealer cannot peek to check for Blackjack. Four variations exist describing how bets are handled when the dealer gets a Blackjack:
  • Blackjack Wins All – This lousy rule means that all split hands and DD bets will be lost if the dealer has Blackjack. Unfortunately this is the most common version by far.
  • Original Bets & Busted Only – OBBO means that if you split, the original bet will always be lost and the split hand will be lost if it busts. Double down bets are not lost.
  • Original Bets Only (OBO) – The best version. Only your first bet is lost. DD and Split bets are returned. This is common in Puerto Rico.
  • Busted Bets + 1 (BB+1) – This Australian rule means that you will lose all busted bets, plus one other bet if it exists.
  • Double Down dealt face up – More and more casinos are dealing the double down card face up instead of down as this can reduce cheating.
  • Dealer shows burn card s – Some casinos discard (burn) one to five cards off of the top of the deck after shuffling (six cards in some Russian casinos). Some of those casinos show them and some do not. In some cases, you can ask a casino to show them when they normally do not, but this can call attention to your play.
  • Dealer peeks on 10 – In many casinos, the dealer will peek at the down card to check for Blackjack when the dealer up card is a ten. This option is becoming more common as newly developed optical devices for peeking at the down card are being installed on casino tables.
  • Dealer peeks on Ace – Normally, the dealer will peek at the down card when an ace is showing, as there is a good chance that a Blackjack exists. Some casinos do not check to prevent cheating.
  • Burn card before each round – Some Asian casinos discard one card before each round begins. This is not a good rule for card counters.
  • Dealer can draw only n cards – Some games limit the number of cards in the dealer’s hand.
  • Expose hands as played – An Argentine rule. In a face down game, player hands are exposed as they are played, no matter what.

Blackjack Bonuses


There exist many bonuses. Here I have listed common bonuses.

  • Suited AJ pays 2:1 – With this favorable option, an ace and a jack in the same suit pay 2:1 instead of the normal 3:2.
  • Ace, Jack of Hearts pays 2:1 – As it says, an ace, Jack of Hearts Blackjack pays 2:1 instead of 3:2.
  • 777 pays 2:1 – In the highly unusual case that you receive three sevens, you get a few extra dollars.
  • 777 pays 3:2 – Even lower bonus than above.
  • Suited 777 pays 10:1 – Three sevens of the same suit pays 10:1. Good luck!
  • Blackjack pays 2:1 – This extremely valuable bonus pays 2:1 on Blackjack instead of 3:2. Advantage is 2.25-2.32. Normally this bonus is paid only for brief periods in promotions. Getting a seat in such promotions is very difficult.
  • Five card 21 pays 2:1 – Five cards totaling 21 pays 2:1. Small gain, but keep it in mind.
  • Six card 21 pays 2:1 – Six cards totaling 21 pays 2:1. Even smaller gain.
  • No Blackjack bonus – Blackjack pays 1:1, not 3:2. This is a very painful option sometimes used to counteract options favorable to the player. Be careful, this option is highly disadvantageous to the player.
  • Split tens then draw ace is BJ – When this rule is available and you draw an ace after splitting a pair of tens, the ace-ten counts as a Blackjack and receives the appropriate bonus.
  • Split aces then draw ten is BJ – When this rule is available and you draw a ten after splitting a pair of aces, the ace-ten counts as a Blackjack and receives the appropriate bonus. This rule can be found in South America.
  • Blackjack ties are paid one-half the bet instead of pushing – Another rule found in some South American casinos.
  • Suited 678 pays 2:1 – When this option is set and you get a six, seven and eight in the same suit, the payoff is two to one.
  • Winning suited 678 pays 2:1 – This is the same as above, except that the bonus is earned only if the dealer does not also have 21. This rule is found in some Atlantic City casinos.
  • Blackjack pays 6:5 – This horrible new rule is starting to appear at many casinos. Blackjack pays only $6 for a $5 bet. Run, don't walk away from this game. It is not really Blackjack. It is a scam.
  • Blackjack rounded up – A Blackjack often results in a half dollar as a part of the payoff. At a few casinos, the dealer will round the payoff up to the next dollar.

Miscellaneous Rules


  • Hand fee – The casino collects a per-hand fee. This can be a dollar amount or a percentage and is seen in Indian casinos in some states.
  • No mid-shoe entry – You must wait for the shuffle to start betting. This is to prevent card counters from waiting for the count to increase before they bet. Some casinos allow you to enter mid-shoe, but limit your bets to the table minimum or to your first bet until the shuffle.
  • Player Banked – Players are given the opportunity to bank the game. That is, the player collects losses and pay wins. The house makes money on fees.
  • No spreading hands mid-shoe – A new limit on number of hands played. This rule does not allow spread to multiple hands unless it is the first hand after a shuffle.

About Blackjack: The Forum

BJTF is an advantage player site based on the principles of comity. That is, civil and considerate behavior for the mutual benefit of all involved. The goal of advantage play is the legal extraction of funds from gaming establishments by gaining a mathematic advantage and developing the skills required to use that advantage. To maximize our success, it is important to understand that we are all on the same side. Personal conflicts simply get in the way of our goals.