Special Variations
Spanish 21
Perhaps the most reprehensible, if not truly heinous, variation of the game that has been foisted upon the unsuspecting blackjack public recently is the game billed by the Vegas Strip and downtown casinos alike as Spanish 21. The Lady Luck on Fremont Street even has the audacity to advertise “Over 99% Payback” for this blackjack look-alike.
For Spanish 21 games, all the usual blackjack rules and procedures apply, but in addition:
1. A player’s blackjack always beats the dealer’s blackjack and is paid off with the usual 3-to-2 bonus.
2. A player’s total of 21 is always a winner and is paid off immediately, even if the dealer also ends up with a 21; i.e., no pushing here as is normally done.
3. Players may split any cards of equal value (including Aces), creating as many as four separate hands from the original one. Furthermore, hitting and doubling on such split hands is also allowed.
4. Players may double their bet and take just one more card any time they wish, i.e., after 2, 3, 4, or more cards even after splitting.
5. After doubling, a player who is not satisfied with the final draw of the hand may take back the doubled portion and surrender, thereby losing only the original portion of the wager. This variation of surrender is called the “double-down rescue.”
6. Both the surrendering and insurance options of normal blackjack continue to be permitted in this game.
As if these half-dozen very liberal rule changes were not enough, the Spanish 21 player receives bonus payoffs for certain hands as follows:
1. A total of 21 comprised of five, six, or seven separate cards pays a bonus at the rate of 3 to 2,2 to 1, and 3 to 1 respectively. A 21 with more than seven cards pays 3 to 1.
2. A 21 consisting of a 6, 7, and 8, is paid a bonus of 3 to 2, 2 to 1, or 3 to 1 depending upon whether the cards are of mixed suit, all the same suit, or all Spades respectively.
3. If your initial hand consists of three 7s, this rare 21 is rewarded with a bonus of 3 to 2, 2 to 1, or 3 to 1 depending upon whether the 7s are of mixed suit, all the same suit, or all Spades respectively.
4. Most casinos that offer Spanish 21 also offer an additional bonus for players who receive three 7s of the same suit whenever the dealer’s up-card is also a 7. If the player has bet a minimum of $25 on the hand, he gets paid the super bonus of $5,000, and all other players at the table get what is known as an “envy” bonus of $50 each. If only $5 is wagered on the hand, however, the super bonus is reduced to $1,000, and no envy bonuses are paid.
If at first glance Spanish 21 blackjack seems too good to be true, it’s because it is. The only obviously disadvantageous rules for the player are that the game is played from six-deck shoes only and that the dealer is required to hit all soft 17s. These restrictions are quite common and in themselves offer no real deterrent. Why this game is so deadly for the novice blackjack player is explained under tip 84.
“No-house” Blackjack
This variation of blackjack is commonly played at home. There is no fixed “house” to benefit from the different rules, because the dealer is continually changing. Typical rule variations: Dealer wins all pushes; blackjacks pay 2 to 1, but there is no insurance offered; splitting and doubling are allowed, but only one card on split Aces; any five-card hand under 21 is an automatic winner.
Custom normally dictates that whenever you get a blackjack, you become the dealer. If the dealer gets blackjack, she keeps the deal. If both dealer and player draw blackjacks, the dealer maintains the deal. When two or more players receive blackjacks, the holder of the natural that is dealt first gets to be the next dealer. If any player does not wish to be the dealer (because of low funds, or whatever the reason), he can offer to sell the deal to the highest bidder among the other players.
No-house blackjack is increasing in popularity and is legal in parts of Canada and the United States as long as the shoe is passed around in such a manner that there is no fixed house.
