European Blackjack

This version of European Blackjack will provide fans of the game with hours of fun. It is a single-hand game that is played with two standard decks of cards. The game offers a number of features including the ability to split, double down, and take out insurance. It is a rapid paced game that offers everything a serious player could need.

Game Flow

At the start of a round, you need to place your Ante bet and then click on deal. You will receive two face up cards and the dealer will receive one face up card.

The aim is to build a hand that is as close in value to 21 as possible but without exceeding 21 and going bust. Hand values are very easy to calculate, the number cards are worth their face values, picture cards are worth 10 and aces are worth 1 or 11. The game is named after the strongest hand, an ace and a 10 card. This is called Blackjack and no other hand can beat it, even those worth 21 but made up of more than two cards.

You then have two basic options for each hand.

• Stand – Your hand remains as is and play moves to the dealer.
• Hit – You receive another card, if you don’t bust then you may Hit or Stand again.

However, very often there are more options.

• Double – This is available if your hand is a hard 9, 10 or 11 (a hand is hard if it does not contain an ace). It doubles your bet, you will receive one more card, and then the hand stands.
• Split - If your first two cards have the same value then they can be Split into two hands. This doubles your bet and you will play the two hands independently. It is not possible to form Blackjack from a split hand, only a hand worth 21.
• Insurance – If the dealer’s face up card is an Ace, you can place an Insurance bet against the dealer having Blackjack. Insurance costs half of your original bet and pays out if the dealer has Blackjack.

When you have finished playing your hands the dealer will play. The dealer will always draw more cards until the hand is worth at least 17.

Bets Explained

The basic betting in Blackjack is very simple, there is just the main Ante bet placed at the start of each round, and occasionally players can also place an Insurance bet.

Special Features

The game has a few features that will enhance your enjoyment. Between each round, there are shortcut buttons to quickly bet the same again and start the next round, so that you do not have to keep placing chips on the table. You will also find buttons to control the volume and sound effects, and you can turn on turbo mode for faster play.

Payouts

All winning hands are paid out at 1:1, except for Blackjack, which pays at 3:2. A winning insurance bet pays at 2:1 (ensuring that you do not lose money on the hand), while hands that tie with the dealer are returned as a push.