Blackjack Variations - Part 3
After discusing some blackjack variants with rather high house edges i think its time to introduce you to one that has a rather ridiculous low house edge - The Blackjack Switch.
Blackjack Switch is just a recent blackjack variation first seen on the internet at Playtech casinos. It is fast gaining popularity and is even now being played at some land-based casinos in Las Vegas and Russia. Its popularity comes not only from its crazily low house edge but also because of its very unique feature. The
Blackjack Switch boasts a house edge of only 0.16%. Unbelievable? Well it’s true. The house edge is this low because of the defining feature of Blackjack Switch. As the name implies Blackjack Switch allows you to switch or trade cards between two hands. Switching cards is of course not allowed in standard blackjack games and is even considered to be a cheating maneuver. In this game you must make two bets of equal size on the two hands before you are allowed to make the switch. You are allowed to only switch the second card dealt to each hand. Since being able to switch a card of course increases your chances of hitting a blackjack and getting better cards some special rules (aside from the switching) were put in place to “help” the dealer.
The rules include:
- mandatory 2 equal bets on each hand
- cards are dealt face up
- player allowed to double on any two cards and after a split
- dealer hits a soft 17
- player gets paid 1:1 for blackjack instead of a 3:2
- dealer gets to push all bets, except for a blackjack, when he gets 22
Las Vegas, Russian, and Playtech Casinos have different rules though when it comes to the number of decks used, dealer peek, and splitting.
In Playtech Casinos 6 decks of cards are used, the dealer does not peek for a blackjack, and resplitting is not allowed. You can only split once.
In Las Vegas casinos the number of decks used varies from 6 to 8 with 8 being more commonly used. The dealer is allowed to peak for a blcakjack when he has an ace or a ten up. Resplitting is allowed and you can split up to four hands.
Russian Casinos is significantly different from the first two in that the dealer stands on a soft 17 and does not take a hole card, players are allowed to take early surrender and in the process gives up one bet while surrendering both hands, and in that a blackjack is treated as 21 points if it is achieved through a switch. Russian casinos also usually uses 4 to 6 decks of cards only. As for the rest of the rules though Russian Casinos follow that of the Las Vega Casinos.
The 0.16% house edge applies for a Blackjack Switch game uner Las Vegas Casino rules with 6 decks of cards. House edge for Las Vegas Casino rules with 8 cards is 0.18% while for Russian rules it is 0.20%. With Playtech rules though it has been said that the house edge is just a mere 0.02%!
Written by The Blackjack Advisor on September 2nd, 2006 with
no comments.
Read more articles on Blackjack and Blackjack Variations and House Edge and Blackjack Switch and Casinos and Las Vegas Casinos and Blackjack Cheat.
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