Spanish 21's rules and strategies are what makes the game such a pleasure to play. Instead of putting the proverbial handcuffs on a thinking player – telling them how they can't play their cards – Spanish 21 loosens up old-school blackjack to create a more engaging game. The Objective and Rules on Spanish 21 Like in every blackjack variation, the main objective of players is to beat the dealer by getting closer to the total of 21, without going bust. In addition to the base game, however, on Spanish 21, players can make a side bet which will award special payouts to those who are lucky enough to win the.
If you ever find yourself becoming a bit bored with blackjack in its traditional format, Spanish 21 is the game for you.
Old-school blackjack is largely defined by the limitations it places on players. Under the standard house rules found in most casinos, you can't double down after drawing a third card, you can't split a pair of Aces after having already done so, and you can't exercise a late surrender. These restrictions are put in place to preserve the house's inherent edge, which any grinder equipped with a basic strategy chart can shave all the down under 0.40 percent.
But when you sit down to gamble real money at the Spanish 21 tables, you're not only permitted to make these adventurous plays, you're encouraged to do so.
This clever offshoot takes blackjack as your grandfather played it and revs the engine up, so to speak. Players have free reign to indulge all of their desires, doubling down whenever the situation warrants (two cards, three cards, whatever works in this game), resplitting Aces, and even winning on a 21 when the dealer has an identical total.
With all of these rules in effect under normal gameplay dynamics, the player would hold a nice edge over the house. To restore order and make the game competitive, Spanish 21 utilizes the 48-card deck, popularized in casinos from Barcelona to Madrid.
By subtracting these valuable 10-value cards, Spanish 21 removes just enough of the player's equity towards making strong totals like 19, 20, and 21. Conversely, the absence of four 10s gives the dealer a leg up, as they'll go bust hitting totals like 13, 14, 15, 16, and soft 17 less often than usual.
Most players know about the lack of 10s in Spanish 21, and maybe a few of the more popular relaxations of the rules, but that's just about the extent of their knowledge on the game.
This can be dangerous too, as Spanish 21's propensity for fun-filled gameplay masks a fiendishly complex underlying strategy. What is megabucks up to. Simply put, if you think you can apply basic blackjack strategy and succeed in Spanish 21, you'll be like Don Quixote futilely tilting at windmills.
To help you develop a deeper understanding of the game's intricacies, I've compiled the following list of four rules and strategies for Spanish 21 that most players just don't much about.
1 – How Many Rules Change Between Blackjack and Spanish 21
Ask around about Spanish 21 when you're playing standard blackjack, and you'll hear a wide variety of answers.
Some players will mention the double down flexibility, others might discuss the use of 'Charlie' hands to score winners, and still others will focus on the bonus payouts for making five-card 21s or 6-7-8 / 7-7-7 combinations.
But what you'll rarely hear is one person confidently listing all of the ways Spanish 21 changes blackjack's fundamental DNA.
That makes sense too, as the Spanish 21 rulebook is quite extensive, with so many rules of the road that fitting them all on a little table game placard is next to impossible.
Is 5dimes safe. With that in mind, check out the list below for a full guide on Spanish 21's player-friendly rules:
Spanish 21 Rules That Favor the Player
- 'Charlie' hands are good for automatic winners, so when you land five, six, or seven cards without going bust, you'll beat the dealer no matter what they have. In other words, the dealer might spike a perfect 20, but when you hit a hand like the 2-2-4-5-5 for an 18, the 'five-card Charlie' makes you the winner
- Whenever the dealer holds a multiple-card 21 (any non-blackjack 21), you'll still be the winner with a 21 of your own
- This rule isn't universal, but many games let you 'redouble,' or double down once again after making the play for the first time. In other words, you could have 4-5 for a 9 and double, with a 2 now giving you 11. Because this is still a great spot for doubling, a redouble would let you add a third bet to make a second double down
- You can double down following a split. In other words, if you split 7-7, then draw a 3 on one and a 4 on the other, you can now double down on the new 11 and 10 totals
- After splitting A-A, you can then 're-split' if you get another A-A total
- Whenever you land a five-card 21, you'll get paid out at 3 to 2 on your bet. Six-card 21s are good for 2 to 1, while seven-card 21s score a 3 to 1 payout
- Whenever you land a 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 three-card hand, in different suits, you'll be paid out at 3 to 2
- Any suited 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 pays out at 2 to 1
- A suited 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 in spades pays out at 3 to 1
- Landing a suited 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 in spades specifically is good for a 3 to 1 payout
- Landing a suited 7-7-7 when the dealer also shows a 7 pays out $1,000 for any bets of $25 or less
- Landing a suited 7-7-7 when the dealer also shows a 7 pays out $5,000 for any bets in excess of $25
In addition to these standard Spanish 21 rules, the dealer's option to hit or stand on soft 17 is depends on the venue's house rules. Site crack mac. Same goes for the shoe construction, as Spanish 21 calls for either a six- or eight-deck shoe.
2 – Spotting the Best Dealer and Deck Setups Can Cut the House Edge in Half
Speaking of those dealer action and deck construction rules, they're pivotal to Spanish 21 success.
As the table below makes clear, a dealer forced to hit on soft 17 automatically doubles the game's house edge, while more decks always adds a few percentage points in the house's favor:
Dealer Actions in Spanish 21 and Their Impact on House Edge
DEALER ACTION (# OF DECKS) | HOUSE EDGE |
---|---|
STAND on soft 17 (6 decks) | 0.37 percent |
STAND on soft 17 (8 decks) | 0.38 percent |
HIT on soft 17, with redoubling (6 decks) | 0.42 percent |
HIT on soft 17, with redoubling (8 decks) | 0.45 percent |
HIT on soft 17 (6 decks) | 0.78 percent |
HIT on soft 17 (8 decks) | 0.80 percent |
Knowing these numbers, the best possible way to play Spanish 21 is with a six-deck shoe while the dealer must stand on soft 17.
3 – Spanish 21 Basic Strategy Can Be Broken Up for Easier Learning
To begin your tutelage on Spanish 21's optimal strategy, start off with the most obvious plays.
If you have a hard 8 or lower to start with, you should always take a hit because you'll never go bust. And if you have a hard 17 or higher, you should always stand, because hitting here gives you a high likelihood of busting.
As for the more nuanced decisions that will come your way, see the tables below to master Spanish 21 basic strategy in a matter of minutes:
TOTAL | CORRECT PLAYS |
---|---|
Hard 9 | Double vs dealer 6. Hit vs everything else. |
Hard 10 | Double vs 2-7. Hit vs 8 or higher. |
Hard 11 | Double vs 2-8. Hit vs 9 or higher. |
Hard 12 | Hit vs any dealer total. |
Hard 13 | Stand vs 6 (but not with 4+ cards). Hit vs all other totals. |
Hard 14 | Stand vs 4-6 (but not with 4+ card). Hit vs all other totals. |
Hard 15 | Stand vs 2-6 (but not with 4+ cards vs 2-5). Hit vs all other totals. |
Hard 16 | Surrender vs Ace. Stand vs 2-6 (but not with 4+ cards vs 2-4). Hit vs all others. |
Hard 17 | Surrender vs Ace. Stand vs all ot |
TOTAL | CORRECT PLAYS |
---|---|
Soft 13 or 14 | Hit vs any dealer total |
Soft 15 | Double vs 6 (but not with 4+ cards). Hit vs all other totals. |
Soft 16 | Double vs 5-6 (but not with 4+ cards). Hit vs all other totals. |
Soft 17 | Double vs 4-6 (but not with 4+ cards). Hit vs all other totals. |
Soft 18 | Double vs 4-6 (but not with 4+ cards). Stand vs 2-3 and 7-8. Hit vs 9-A. |
Soft 19 | Stand vs all totals |
TOTAL | CORRECT PLAYS |
---|---|
2-2 or 3-3 | Split vs dealer 8. Hit vs 9-A. |
4-4 | Hit vs all totals. |
5-5 | Same strategy as hard 10 |
6-6 | Split vs 4-6. Hit vs all other totals. |
7-7 | Split vs 2-7. Hit vs all other totals. |
8-8 | Surrender vs Ace. Split vs all other tot |
4 – The Match the Dealer Side Bet Really Isn't Worth the Risk
https://freepride.mystrikingly.com/blog/compress-pdf-file-on-mac-for-email. One of the biggest hooks that bring new players to Spanish 21 is the Match the Dealer side bet.
Whenever your two-card starting hand has a piece that matches up with the dealer's up card, you'll earn bonus payouts based on the table below:
Spanish 21 Match the Dealer Hands and Payouts
MATCH | PAYOUT |
---|---|
Two suited matches | 18 to 1 |
One suited and one non-suited match | 13 to 1 |
One suited match | 9 to 1 |
Two non-suited matches | 8 to 1 |
One non-suited match | 4 to 1 |
These side bet payouts might seem attractive at first glance, but you'll wind up missing out on them 84.5 percent of the time. And even with the 4 to 1 payout for one non-suited match factored in, 96 percent of all hands you see won't return the larger rewards. https://downloadadd.mystrikingly.com/blog/is-there-a-desktop-app-for-facebook-messenger.
That creates a house edge of 3.05 percent, which just isn't worth the trouble when Spanish 21's base game is already quite reasonable.
Conclusion
Some players will mention the double down flexibility, others might discuss the use of 'Charlie' hands to score winners, and still others will focus on the bonus payouts for making five-card 21s or 6-7-8 / 7-7-7 combinations.
But what you'll rarely hear is one person confidently listing all of the ways Spanish 21 changes blackjack's fundamental DNA.
That makes sense too, as the Spanish 21 rulebook is quite extensive, with so many rules of the road that fitting them all on a little table game placard is next to impossible.
Is 5dimes safe. With that in mind, check out the list below for a full guide on Spanish 21's player-friendly rules:
Spanish 21 Rules That Favor the Player
- 'Charlie' hands are good for automatic winners, so when you land five, six, or seven cards without going bust, you'll beat the dealer no matter what they have. In other words, the dealer might spike a perfect 20, but when you hit a hand like the 2-2-4-5-5 for an 18, the 'five-card Charlie' makes you the winner
- Whenever the dealer holds a multiple-card 21 (any non-blackjack 21), you'll still be the winner with a 21 of your own
- This rule isn't universal, but many games let you 'redouble,' or double down once again after making the play for the first time. In other words, you could have 4-5 for a 9 and double, with a 2 now giving you 11. Because this is still a great spot for doubling, a redouble would let you add a third bet to make a second double down
- You can double down following a split. In other words, if you split 7-7, then draw a 3 on one and a 4 on the other, you can now double down on the new 11 and 10 totals
- After splitting A-A, you can then 're-split' if you get another A-A total
- Whenever you land a five-card 21, you'll get paid out at 3 to 2 on your bet. Six-card 21s are good for 2 to 1, while seven-card 21s score a 3 to 1 payout
- Whenever you land a 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 three-card hand, in different suits, you'll be paid out at 3 to 2
- Any suited 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 pays out at 2 to 1
- A suited 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 in spades pays out at 3 to 1
- Landing a suited 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 in spades specifically is good for a 3 to 1 payout
- Landing a suited 7-7-7 when the dealer also shows a 7 pays out $1,000 for any bets of $25 or less
- Landing a suited 7-7-7 when the dealer also shows a 7 pays out $5,000 for any bets in excess of $25
In addition to these standard Spanish 21 rules, the dealer's option to hit or stand on soft 17 is depends on the venue's house rules. Site crack mac. Same goes for the shoe construction, as Spanish 21 calls for either a six- or eight-deck shoe.
2 – Spotting the Best Dealer and Deck Setups Can Cut the House Edge in Half
Speaking of those dealer action and deck construction rules, they're pivotal to Spanish 21 success.
As the table below makes clear, a dealer forced to hit on soft 17 automatically doubles the game's house edge, while more decks always adds a few percentage points in the house's favor:
Dealer Actions in Spanish 21 and Their Impact on House Edge
DEALER ACTION (# OF DECKS) | HOUSE EDGE |
---|---|
STAND on soft 17 (6 decks) | 0.37 percent |
STAND on soft 17 (8 decks) | 0.38 percent |
HIT on soft 17, with redoubling (6 decks) | 0.42 percent |
HIT on soft 17, with redoubling (8 decks) | 0.45 percent |
HIT on soft 17 (6 decks) | 0.78 percent |
HIT on soft 17 (8 decks) | 0.80 percent |
Knowing these numbers, the best possible way to play Spanish 21 is with a six-deck shoe while the dealer must stand on soft 17.
3 – Spanish 21 Basic Strategy Can Be Broken Up for Easier Learning
To begin your tutelage on Spanish 21's optimal strategy, start off with the most obvious plays.
If you have a hard 8 or lower to start with, you should always take a hit because you'll never go bust. And if you have a hard 17 or higher, you should always stand, because hitting here gives you a high likelihood of busting.
As for the more nuanced decisions that will come your way, see the tables below to master Spanish 21 basic strategy in a matter of minutes:
TOTAL | CORRECT PLAYS |
---|---|
Hard 9 | Double vs dealer 6. Hit vs everything else. |
Hard 10 | Double vs 2-7. Hit vs 8 or higher. |
Hard 11 | Double vs 2-8. Hit vs 9 or higher. |
Hard 12 | Hit vs any dealer total. |
Hard 13 | Stand vs 6 (but not with 4+ cards). Hit vs all other totals. |
Hard 14 | Stand vs 4-6 (but not with 4+ card). Hit vs all other totals. |
Hard 15 | Stand vs 2-6 (but not with 4+ cards vs 2-5). Hit vs all other totals. |
Hard 16 | Surrender vs Ace. Stand vs 2-6 (but not with 4+ cards vs 2-4). Hit vs all others. |
Hard 17 | Surrender vs Ace. Stand vs all ot |
TOTAL | CORRECT PLAYS |
---|---|
Soft 13 or 14 | Hit vs any dealer total |
Soft 15 | Double vs 6 (but not with 4+ cards). Hit vs all other totals. |
Soft 16 | Double vs 5-6 (but not with 4+ cards). Hit vs all other totals. |
Soft 17 | Double vs 4-6 (but not with 4+ cards). Hit vs all other totals. |
Soft 18 | Double vs 4-6 (but not with 4+ cards). Stand vs 2-3 and 7-8. Hit vs 9-A. |
Soft 19 | Stand vs all totals |
TOTAL | CORRECT PLAYS |
---|---|
2-2 or 3-3 | Split vs dealer 8. Hit vs 9-A. |
4-4 | Hit vs all totals. |
5-5 | Same strategy as hard 10 |
6-6 | Split vs 4-6. Hit vs all other totals. |
7-7 | Split vs 2-7. Hit vs all other totals. |
8-8 | Surrender vs Ace. Split vs all other tot |
4 – The Match the Dealer Side Bet Really Isn't Worth the Risk
https://freepride.mystrikingly.com/blog/compress-pdf-file-on-mac-for-email. One of the biggest hooks that bring new players to Spanish 21 is the Match the Dealer side bet.
Whenever your two-card starting hand has a piece that matches up with the dealer's up card, you'll earn bonus payouts based on the table below:
Spanish 21 Match the Dealer Hands and Payouts
MATCH | PAYOUT |
---|---|
Two suited matches | 18 to 1 |
One suited and one non-suited match | 13 to 1 |
One suited match | 9 to 1 |
Two non-suited matches | 8 to 1 |
One non-suited match | 4 to 1 |
These side bet payouts might seem attractive at first glance, but you'll wind up missing out on them 84.5 percent of the time. And even with the 4 to 1 payout for one non-suited match factored in, 96 percent of all hands you see won't return the larger rewards. https://downloadadd.mystrikingly.com/blog/is-there-a-desktop-app-for-facebook-messenger.
That creates a house edge of 3.05 percent, which just isn't worth the trouble when Spanish 21's base game is already quite reasonable.
Conclusion
Spanish 21's rules and strategies are what makes the game such a pleasure to play. Captain jack game. Instead of putting the proverbial handcuffs on a thinking player – telling them how they can't play their cards – Spanish 21 loosens up old-school blackjack to create a more engaging game. And by incorporating the rules and strategies learned here, you'll be able to enjoy the same razor thin house edge rates that hardcore blackjack grinders pride themselves on attaining.
Rules Of Spanish 21 Rules
Spanish 21 is a common variation of standard Blackjack. In Spanish 21, the 10 cards are removed from the deck – but not the Jacks, Queens, or Kings. There are also a number of favorable rules given to the players. In Spanish 21 players are able to hit, double down, or surrender at any time, not just after the first two cards. If you double down and don't like the card you get, you are able to back out with 'double down rescue,' which allows you to surrender one bet while pulling back the other. Also, unless the dealer has blackjack, player 21s win, even if the dealer also has a multiple-card 21. In standard blackjack this would result in a no win push.
Rules Of Spanish 21
There is some disagreement about the exact origin of blackjack. Most believe it began around the beginning of the 18th century in France, evolving out of French games such as chemin de fer and French Ferme. Others believe the history of blackjack originated in French casinos around the 1700's where it was called vingt-et-une (twenty-and-one.)
Spanish 21 Card Game
In addition there are special payouts for certain combinations of 21 points:
Spanish 21 special payouts
- 5 card 21 pays 3-2
- 6 card 21 pays 2-1
- 7 card 21 pays 3-1
- 6-7-8 mixed suits pays 3-2
- 6-7-8 same suited pays 2-1
- 6-7-8 all spades pays 3-1
- 7-7-7 mixed suits pays 3-2
- 7-7-7 same suited pays 2-1
- 7-7-7 all spades pays 3-1
- 7-7-7 same suited with dealer up card any 7 pays $5000 for a bet of $25 or more, pays $1000 if bet between $5 and $25
Spanish 21 is often played with 6 or 8 decks with the dealer hitting soft 17. The big negative in Spanish 21 is that it is played with Spanish decks that contain no 10-spot cards. When you have an 11 and want to double down, you need to remember that there are only 12 10-value cards per deck that will complete your 21 instead of the usual 16 per deck. Spanish 21 can be a very interesting and exciting game once you understand the rules.
Spanish 21 Basic Strategy | |
---|---|
Strategy for Hard Totals | |
Always stand with totals of 18 or more, and hit with totals of 8 or less. Otherwise use the following strategy for playing Spanish 21: | |
Hard 9 | Double down on a two-card 9 if the dealer's face-up card is a 6; hit against all other up cards and hit against 6 if the 9 consists of three cards. |
Hard 10 | Double down if the dealer shows 2 through 7; hit against 8s or higher. |
Hard 11 | Double down if the dealer shows 2 through 8; hit against 9s or higher. |
Hard 12 | Always hit. |
Hard 13 | Hit if the dealer shows 2, 3, 4 or 7 or higher. Stand against 5 or 6, except hit if the 13 consists of five or more cards. |
Hard 14 | Hit against 2, 3 or against 7 or higher, Also hit against a 4 if the hard 14 consists of four or more cards, or against a 5 or 6 with five or more cards. |
Hard 15 | Hit against 7 or higher, and against a 2 if the 15 consists of four or more cards, against a 3 or 4 with five or more cards, or against a 5 or 6 with six cards. |
Hard 16 | Surrender if the dealer shows an Ace. Otherwise, hit against 7 or higher; also hit against a 2 if the 16 consists of five or more cards, or against a 3 or 4 with six cards. |
Hard 17 | Surrender against an Ace. Otherwise, stand unless the dealer shows an 8, 9 or 10 and the 17 consists of six cards. In that case, hit. |
Strategy For Soft Totals | |
Always stand on soft 19, 20 or 21. Otherwise, use the following strategy. | |
Soft 13, 14, and 15 | Always hit. |
Soft 16 | Double down if the dealer shows a 6, except just hit if the 16 consists of four or more cards. Just hit against other up cards. |
Soft 17 | Hit against 2, 3 and 7 or higher. Double down against a 4 if the 17 consists of two cards, against a 5 if the 17 consists of two or three cards and against a 6 of the 17 consists of two, three or four cards. |
Soft 18 | Hit if the dealer shows a 9, 10 or Ace; stand against 2, 3, 7 or 8, except hit against 2, 3 or 8 if the 17 consists of four or more cards, and against 7 with six or more cards. Double down against 4, 5 or 6, except just hit against 4 with four or more cards and against 5 or 6 with five or more cards. |
Strategy For Splitting Pairs | |
Always split Aces, and never split 4s, 5s or 10-value cards. Otherwise, use the following strategy for playing Spanish 21: | |
Pair of 2s or 3s | Split if the dealer's up card is 3 through 7. |
Pair of 6s | Split if the dealer shows 4, 5 or 6. |
Pair of 7s | Split against 2 through 7. |
Pair of 8s | Surrender if the dealer shows an Ace. Split against all other dealer up cards. |
Pair of 9s | Split when the dealer shows 3 through 6, or an 8 or 9. |