Casino Game & Previews
How to Play Blackjack/Spanish 21
The Game
Blackjack is played with a standard deck of 52 cards, or with a shoe of six standard decks. The object of the game is to build a hand that beats the dealer's hand by obtaining a score of 21, or as close to 21 as possible, without exceeding it. The score of a hand is the sum of the values of the cards. An ace counts as either 11 or one, whichever results in a better score for the hand. Any face card counts as ten, and any other card counts as its face value. Any hand with a total greater than 21 "busts" and cannot win. The ultimate hand is a natural 21, called a "Blackjack," which consists of an ace and a ten or face card. A Blackjack beats any other hand but another Blackjack.
Starting the Game
To play Blackjack or Spanish 21, choose a game from the Blackjack menu in the Casino Lobby. You have a choice of tables with various bet ranges, and may choose to play either with a single deck, which is reshuffled before each hand, or with a six-deck shoe, which is reshuffled after a certain point, determined at random.
Game Display
The Blackjack display consists of a table, on which the cards are dealt, and a betting console, which features a number of function buttons and text displays, including the following:
| Bet Range |
Lists the minimum and maximum original bets allowed at this table. |
| Credits |
Shows your current available balance. |
| Bet |
Shows the total amount you have wagered on this hand.x |
| Last Win |
Shows the results of the last hand. |
Placing a Bet
Before each hand, you may reset your original bet amount. The bet amount is shown in the Bet display. Buttons appear to the left and right of the bet amount. Click a button on the left of the bet to decrease the bet. Click a button on the right of the bet to increase the bet. You may increase or decrease your bet to any amount within the betting limits, as shown in the Bet Range display. Once your are satisfied with your bet amount, click the DEAL button to start the hand.
Playing the Game
Both you and the dealer receive two cards to start. The dealer's first card is face down; the second is face up. Your cards appear in the lower half of the table. If you receive a Blackjack, the hand is over. If the house receives a Blackjack with a ten or face card face up, the hand is over. Otherwise, you have a number of play options available to you, as shown by the highlighted buttons. The buttons and their functions are as follows:
| Hit |
Click this button to draw a card and add it to your hand. |
| Stand |
Click this button to finish the hand, drawing no additional cards. |
| Double Down |
Click this button to double your bet on this hand and take only one additional card. After drawing the additional card the hand is finished. This button is highlighted only when the hand consists of two cards. |
| Split |
Click this button to split your hand into two separate hands. The button is highlighted only if your hand consists of a pair. If you choose to split, you must place an additional bet, equal to your original bet, for the new hand. This doubles your bet. The dealer redeals the cards into two separate hands and hits each hand, to create two hands two cards each. You play each of the hands one at a time in the normal way.
Exception: if you split a pair of aces, each hand receives only one additional card. If you draw another pair, you may split again, up to a limit of four hands. An arrow appears on the table above the hand currently in play. When you finish a hand, the arrow moves to the next hand. |
| Surrender |
Click this button to surrender half of your bet and end the round. If your hand seems hopeless, surrendering is a way to cut your losses. The round ends immediately and you are credited with half your bet. The dealer does not play. |
| Insurance |
Click this button for insurance against a possible Blackjack for the dealer. The button is highlighted when the dealer's exposed card is an ace. Insurance costs half your original bet. If the house hand is Blackjack, you win the insurance bet. Insurance pays 2-1, covering the loss of your original bet. If the house hand is not Blackjack, you lose the insurance bet and play continues normally. |
If you end your turn with a hand that is not busted, then the turn passes to the dealer. The dealer must hit the house hand on a score of 16 or under, and must stand with 17 or greater. The dealer may not double down or split.
After the dealer's turn, the house scores the final hands and calculates any winnings. If you have a winning hand, you keep your bet and receive winnings equal to your bet. For a winning Blackjack, you receive additional winnings equal to half your bet.
Note: A natural 21 following a split is not a Blackjack. If your hand's score equals the house's score, the result is a push (tie) and you keep your bet. If you have a losing hand or bust you lose your bet. For split hands the house calculates the winnings for each hand individually. The overall results, whether a win, loss or push, appear in the Last Win display.
Spanish 21
Spanish 21 is a version of the classic Blackjack game that adds new rules and new ways to win bonus payoffs. Spanish 21 is played with the same basic rules as for Blackjack, but the Spanish 21 player enjoys the following advantages:
- Your Blackjack always beats the dealer's Blackjack!
- Your total of 21 always beats the dealer's 21!
- You may double down on any number of cards!
- You may hit a split ace hand.
- Double-down rescue: If after doubling you are dissatisfied with your non-busted hand, you may surrender the doubled portion of your bet and keep (rescue) your original bet.
In addition, the Spanish 21 player receives a bonus payoff for hitting 21 with one of the following combinations on a non-doubled hand:
| Bonus 21 Payoffs |
| Hand |
Pays |
| Any 5 - Card 21 |
3/2 |
| Any 6 - Card 21 |
2/1 |
| Any 7 + Card 21 |
3/1 |
| 6 - 7 - 8 Mixed Suit |
3/2 |
| 6 - 7 - 8 Suited |
2/1 |
| 7 - 7 - 7 Mixed Suit |
3/2 |
| 7 - 7 - 7 Suited |
2/1 |
| 7 - 7 - 7 All Spades |
3/1 |
Spanish 21 is played with 6 Spanish decks of 2-9, jack, queen, king and ace.
Exiting the Game
Click Exit to exit the game and return to the Casino Lobby. If a game is in progress, please wait until the hand is scored before exiting the game
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