Know Your Blackjack Variant

The game of blackjack is one of the most popular forms of gaming out there. Both live and online, blackjack is a significant contributor to every casino and is usually the biggest take from all of the table games. Blackjack has evolved in many directions over the years, and today you can find numerous variants to play. Each variant presents its own set of rules that will affect how you must play basic blackjack strategy. And each variant carries a different house edge, making some games better than others.

If you want to play to optimum strategy you have to understand the variant that you’re playing and the strategy that’s involved. One thing to look for is what the game is paying out for a blackjack hand. The hand can pay as much as 2-1, but some games will pay as little as 6-5 on your blackjack hand.

The next thing you should know about the blackjack game you’re playing is whether or not the dealer hits on soft 17. If the dealer has to hit on soft 17 the house carries a bigger edge than it would in a game where the dealer stands on soft 17, around 0.2%. It’s rare to find a game where the dealer stands on 17 anymore.

Next find out about the doubling rule. This refers to the ability to double your bet after your first two cards are dealt and you hit for another. This gives the player an edge of 0.2% over a game that won’t allow doubling down. Some online casinos will not allow any doubling in their games, while others will.

Finally you should know if you can split pairs off into two hands. Once again some casinos will allow the rule while others won’t. There is a specific strategy to splitting pairs on the blackjack table, so make sure you learn the simple strategy before playing a game that allows the split.

There are lots of other blackjack variants out there. If you’re going to play the game you should know the rules of the variant you’re playing, and you should take the time to learn the proper basic strategy for the one you’re playing.