All around the globe, blackjack is one of the most popular casino and table games, thanks to its simple structure, high level of player control, and rich strategy, which make it truly stand out. However, one thing you may not be aware of is that blackjack is not exactly the same everywhere you go. Depending on where the table game is being played, the rules can change, whether that be subtly or in more drastic ways.
As a result of this, we have collected a number of variants in different countries, from Europe to Asia, exploring how blackjack rules and gameplay differ from one region to another. Whether you happen to be a casual player of this casino classic or an aficionado of blackjack, knowing these differences could potentially give you some more insight into the game as a whole.
Why Does Blackjack Vary By Region?
You may be wondering why exactly blackjack changes from one region to another, however. As the favourite casino classic has evolved over the centuries, each location has tailored the table game to suit the culture of the casinos in that region, the preferences of players and even legal frameworks. Factors like dealer behaviour, the number of card decks played with, the options the player has at their disposal, and the manner in which the payout structure works can all change based on where you are. These are important to take into consideration, as even the smallest of changes in rules could potentially affect the house edge in these different live blackjack variants.
Blackjack In The United States
Beginning with the classic style many gamers are most likely familiar with, US blackjack is typically played with six to eight decks of cards. In this variant, the dealer hits on a soft 17. Getting dealt a hand valued at 21 typically has odds of 3/2, regardless of whether it’s blackjack or not. When it comes to options the player can take, they are able to double down on any two cards and split their hand up to 4 times if dealt continuous pairs.
What makes US blackjack unique, however, is the ‘hole card’ rule. This means that the dealer takes both a face-up and a face-down card before checking for blackjack. As a result of this, insurance is offered to the players should the dealer show an ace.
Blackjack In The UK
Moving across the pond, the UK usually uses a version of European blackjack which differs from the aforementioned American rules in a few key ways. The first of these is that there is actually no hole card; the dealer only takes a card once all players have finished their hands.
In addition to this, blackjack in the UK is only played with 2 decks of cards, with double down options only being presented should the player have a hand value of a hard 9, 10 or 11. What’s more, splitting a hand can only be done once, with a pair of aces not meeting the criteria for a split to be done.
Spanish Blackjack
Although traditional European blackjack exists in Spain, a regional version referred to as Pontoon or Spanish 21 is just as popular. This has its own twist on the standard blueprint of this table game, with this being played with Spanish decks of cards that feature no 10s. In turn, only the face cards count as 10. There are some additional ways to potentially win a hand in these versions, too, with achieving 21 with 5 or more cards having its own unique odds.
One of the main ways in which Spanish blackjack is different from other variants is that if the player achieves blackjack, they always win the hand even if the dealer has a hand valued the same. What’s more, if a player chooses to double down at any time, they have the chance to claim back part of their extra wager after seeing the dealer’s card.
French Blackjack
Moving onto the country in which blackjack originated, France has put their own spin on this table game formerly referred to as vingt-et-un. Similar to European blackjack, there are no hole cards and limited options for doubling down and splitting.
However, the main nuance comes in the form of the ‘La Partage’ rule. If a dealer has a natural blackjack and you have only placed a standard wager, you only lose 50% of your original bet instead of losing it all, like in most other versions.
Blackjack In Asia
When it comes to the continent of Asia, blackjack is played in a myriad of different ways, with Macau having its own distinct ruleset. The game is still played with six to eight card decks, with dealers also standing on a soft 17 in most cases. However, surrendering a hand is not an option in most versions of Asian blackjack, with the split rules being especially strict and limited to certain hand pairings. Most often, there is no hold card, with the odds of achieving a blackjack sometimes being lower than 3/2 as well.