The difference between ‘regular blackjack’ and ‘Spanish 21’

Both types of blackjack are popular among online casino players, and the question is - ‘which type suits me the best?’ You probably know the rules of ‘traditional’ blackjack so I ‘m not going to describe them in detail. But the rules of ‘Spanish 21′ may be less familiar to players so I will concentrate upon them.

To start with, Spanish 21 is played with a customized card set: tens are removed from the deck, while Jacks, Queens and Kings remain. At the same time, the gambling house provides a huge amount of special offers and bonuses. The set of rules and bonuses may vary from one casino to another, and be sure to check them before you start to play. As a rule these fluctuations do not affect basic rules which I will try to list below. So here they are as far as I’m concerned:

General rules:

Gambler’s blackjacks beat dealer’s blackjacks and are rewarded at 3 to 2.
Gambler’s totals of 2l beat dealer’s 2ls and other ties are pushes.
Gamblers may double down on any number of cards.
Gamblers are allowed to resplit pairs up to four hands, including Aces.
Gamblers are allowed to double down after splitting.

These bonuses are offered:

Any 7-card-or-better 2l is rewarded 3 to 1;
Any 6-card 2l is rewarded 2 to l;
Any 5-card 2l is rewarded 3 to 2;
6-7-8 in mixed suits is rewarded 3 to 2;
6-7-8 of the same suit is rewarded 2 to l;
6-7-8 all spades is rewarded 3 to l;
7-7-7 mixed suits is rewarded 3 to 2;
7-7-7 same suit is rewarded 2 to l;
7-7-7 all spades is rewarded 3 to l;
7-7-7 suited and the dealer also shows a 7 of the same suit, the player wins a jackpot (not at all casinos)

‘Spanish 21′ rules permit the ‘Late Surrender’ and ‘double down rescue’. The last presupposes that a player can yield half of the whole bet and finish the hand after doubling. The rule doesn’t work if the hand is out of action, but it’s sure a good solution to those situations when you double 11 against a 10 and suddenly seize an Ace.

The Strategy

I doubt not that the withdrawal of tens from a deck makes game more difficult, but the bonuses compensate what’s lost, especially if the player chooses the proper playing strategy. The crucial factor of any basic strategy is player’s options and particular blackjack game rules. The more difficult or perplexing the basic strategy, the more mistakes the gamblers will make and the more income the gambling house will gain. Indeed, the casino’s profits in blackjack come from player’s mistakes! If we contrast Spanish 21 and ‘general’ 21 games, we will suppose that the player will be applying the proper basic strategy for each and from that we can decide which game gives the highest chance for winning. For example, ‘Spanish 21′-variation is enriched with player bonuses; the basic strategy is difficult and can puzzle a gambler. So what game is more profitable for casino?

The Comparison

Enough hints. Keep in mind that online-casino player has an inestimable advantage over a land-based casino visitor. This advantage is obvious: when a newbie comes to brick-and-mortar casino to play his first blackjack party, he will hardly ever pull his game guide from a pocket and place it before him. No one likes to show the lack of knowledge or experience to others. Snide comments of other players, who think they are pros, will embarrass you. So it’s more convenient to learn playing casino at home where you are free to use any helping materials you like.

Whether you decide to begin with classic 21 or Spanish 21, with all of the guides and tutorials presented in the Internet you can enjoy the game and master it. If you choose to follow the game strategy, the casino’s profit from you will be minimal.

If we suppose that the classic 21 game is performed from six decks, permits double after splitting pairs, double on any first two cards, and the dealer stands on soft 17, the edge of the gambling house is 0.41%. A 0.76% casino’s edge is typical for a Spanish 21 game with the rules listed above. It’s easy to find ‘regular 21′ blackjack rules on the internet, but with ‘Spanish 21′ it’s a different matter. Only few casinos offer it. I want to play at casino with the minimal losses, so I choose the ‘regular’21. Taking into consideration what has just been said, some experience at Spanish 21 would be interesting.

Remember that online casino industry offers a wide range of games for your entertainment. So choose wisely and you will win! Good luck!