Spanish 21 Game
Spanish 21 is a fast-paced variation of blackjack that has become increasingly popular. The game is played on a standard blackjack table. The main difference between Spanish 21 compared to blackjack is the removal of all 10's in the decks. Jacks, Queens, and Kings remain, but all natural 10's are removed from every deck used at the table. Spanish 21 is just like regular blackjack with a few exceptions. Here are the different rules: THERE ARE NO 10's IN THE SHOE! This game is played with 6 decks containing 2-9, J, Q, K, A.
OBJECTIVE OF SPANISH 21 : The final goal of Spanish 21 to create a hand as close to 21 as possible.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 1 to 7 players
MATERIALS: A “Spanish” deck of 48 cards – with no 10s, casino chips or cash, and a blackjack table with a custom layout.
TYPE OF GAME: Card Draw Game
AUDIENCE: Adult
OVERVIEW OF SPANISH 21
The game is a variation of common blackjack and is also referred to as Pontoon in Australia and Malaysia. It’s played by up to 7 players on a custom blackjack table. The goal is to form a card hand that is closest to 21.
Bets are accepted at the beginning of the game and as rounds proceed, there will be no further increase or decrease in bet values. Any two-cards that score 21 will be considered a win over the dealer’s hand and be paid 3-2. The game can be played indefinitely, as long as there is an adequate bankroll.
GAMEPLAY
The round starts with the croupier accepting bets from all players at the table. Once complete, all players will be dealt 2 cards from a shoe of 6-8 Spanish decks. Players will be allowed to assess their cards and choose to either hit, stand, split, or double, or surrender.
The dealer then compares the cards and pays out wagers as prescribed in the game’s rules.
GENERAL RULES OF PLAY
- Player’s 21 trumps dealer’s 21, always.
- A dealer can choose to hit or stand on a soft 17, unlike blackjack where they must hit.
- Redoubling can be allowed up to 3 times.
- A player can double at any number of cards.
- A player may surrender after doubling down to receive half of his wager.
- You can still surrender after the dealer checks for blackjack in the first round.
- The shoe will contain no 10s.
- Dealers must hit on 16.
- Doubling after splitting is allowed.
- Players can draw multiple cards after splitting Aces
- There are bonus payouts for selected hands.
GAME RULES
HIT, STAND, SPLIT
In regards to which moves to make, the rules are similar to classic blackjack. Players are allowed to hit, stand or split at any point in the game, after the dealer has received your bets and dealt the initial hand.
LATE SURRENDER RULE
Free Online Spanish 21 Games
A late surrender means that a player is allowed to surrender their hand after the dealer looks for a blackjack. This is a great opportunity for players to cut losses. If you can manage to calculate the odds between your hand and the dealers, you’ll still be able to salvage at least half of your wager.
RE-SPLITTING RULE
You can choose to split aces at any point in the game. Also, you’re allowed to double, re-double or re-split after your initial split. Late surrender also applies here, so if things go wrong, you’ll be able to get half your bet back.
MATCH THE DEALER RULE (SIDE BET)
Aside from rule variation from the original blackjack game guidelines, Spanish 21 also surprises players with bonus games and additional side bets within the gameplay. Match the Dealer is one such side bet. This bet is paid out whenever any of the initial cards match that of the cards that the dealer has face-up. However, as a rule, seasoned punters avoid this wager in order to secure their chances of winning.
SUPER BONUS RULE
The Super Bonus is another side bet, exclusive to Spanish 21. It is when a Player holds suited 7-7-7 while the dealer draws a 7 of any suit. and the Dealer. Depending on the shoe, either 6 or 8, the probability of scoring this bonus is about 1 in 668,382 and 1 in 549, 188, respectively.
STRATEGIES
The strategies to play Spanish 21 is very close to that of blackjack. As you would in the classic variation, you’ll need to be able to assess the probability of the cards with the dealer and gauge them against your own. And as with blackjack, there are strategy sheets for the outcomes possible in Spanish 21.
BASIC STRATEGY – DEALER HITS ON SOFT 17
Source : wizardofodds.com
BASIC STRATEGY – DEALER STANDS ON SOFT 17
Source : wizardofodds.com
BASIC STRATEGY – DEALER HITS ON SOFT 17, PLAYER HAS NOT DOUBLED
Source : wizardofodds.com
BONUS PAYOUT HANDS
6-7-8
- 6-7-8 of mixed suit pays out 2 to 1
- 6-7-8 of the same suit pays out 3 to 2
PERFECT CHARLIE
- Perfect Charlies are 5-card 21s
- Also known as 2-3-4-5-7
- Pays out 3 to 2
CLOSING
Many prefer this variation of blackjack as the odds are stacked in the player’s favor. Additionally, there are also bonus payouts for selected hands and from the looks of it, these can easily be scored. The game is one that everyone should try out, especially if you’re looking for an easy win against the dealer.
Blackjack Variations > Spanish 21
Spanish 21 Blackjack is a tougher, more intense game, especially since the House’s advantage and edge increases by 2%. However, this is thankfully offset by several extra bonuses and some higher payouts in the game.
It is a game that has grown in popularity, and currently found in every offline casino, but not so much so for online casinos yet.
Spanish 21 Rules
As all other blackjack game variations, it follows some similar characteristics of blackjack, such as the point value, the goals, and terminology, but like all variations, it has its little differences and extra twists:
The first difference and most noticeable one is the fact that 10’s are not used, which is what gives the House the extra advantage. You still have the Jacks, Queens, and Kings, but no 10’s.
Doubling down is only allowed after getting a hit and/or a split – with any card and hand. If the player doubles down, however, he/she must double the same bet amount originally made at the beginning. Players can also split up to 4 hands
Players can surrender on any hand against the dealer, except if the dealer gets blackjack or 21. By surrendering, they will get half their bet amount back.
Spanish 21 Game Free
Players can also surrender after doubling-down, which will give them back the double down bet, but they will lose the initial bet.
Players will always win with a 21 – regardless of the dealer’s hand. Insurance can be purchased too, and it pays out 2:1.
Lastly, you can do two side bets: a Super Bonus bet where if you get three 7’s, and the dealer’s face-up card is also a 7, then you’ll get $1,000 on $5-$24 bets and $5,000 on $25 bets. The other side bet consists of betting that your hand will outrank that of the dealers, in which payouts could go up to 40:1.
How to Play Spanish 21
Clearly, Spanish 21 is quite similar to regular blackjack… all you have to remember is that you have ‘rescue’ or ‘surrender’ options. You also will have no 10’s, so remember the advantage on the House, and last major difference is the addition of bonuses and higher payouts, but let the dealers worry about that since they remember all those payouts – unless you wish to learn them by heart -.
Make your initial bets and side bets if desired. Get your cards, and either surrender, split, double, hit, or stand. Once you compare with the dealer’s hand, you’ll be able to see if you have lost, pushed, or won the hand. The dealer should let you know about the bonuses and payouts if you can’t remember.
Spanish 21 Hand Examples
The most important hand examples to remember would be the bonus hands, which are the only extra payouts compared to regular blackjack:
* Blackjack pays 3:2
* Insurance as seen above, pays 2:1
* 5-card 21 (getting up to 21 with a combination of 5 cards dealt) pays 3:2
* 6-card 21 pays 2:1
* 7 or more card 21 pays 3:1
Spanish 21 Game
* 21 made-out of a 6, 7, and 8 suited pays 2:1
* 21 made-out of a 6, 7, and 8 mixed-suit pays 3:2
* 21 made-out of a 6, 7, and 8 spades pays 3:1
* 21 made out of three 7’s mixed suit pays 3:2
* 21 made out of three 7’s suited pays 2:1
* 21 made out of three 7’s spades pays 3:1
If however, the player doubles down, then he/she will not be eligible for the bonus.