Since the early 17th century, blackjack has been a popular casino game around the world. Blackjack offers a series of amusing variations, which is one entertaining aspect. Spanish 21 is a Hispanic variant of blackjack, wherein player’s 21 always wins. But how to win at Spanish 21?
The rules of Spanish 21 need to be adjusted due to their seeming simplification. And because it has distinct rules, Spanish 21 is among the most popular blackjack variations.
Pontoon: Spanish 21 Card Game
Spanish 21 is known as Pontoon in Australia and Malaysia. Australia has a few rule modifications that demand their page. Another puzzling game called Player’s Edge 21 is similar to the one mentioned above.
In some cases, this Blackjack variation offers one of the best bets in online casinos. But this depends on the Blackjack rules set by the casino. Spanish 21 might be a better wager than blackjack when the dealer stands on a soft 17 or when redoubling is permitted.
Do you prefer to play a game with a lower house advantage but still want to play blackjack? If so, then Spanish 21 might provide a change of pace for you.
What Is The Difference Between Regular 21 And Spanish 21?
Regular blackjack and Spanish blackjack are primarily distinguished by the fact that in the latter, a player naturally always wins.
But let’s dig a little deeper and thoroughly contrast the two things.
You can play Spanish 21 using one, six, or eight decks that have all tens removed. Although the deck only has 48 cards, the casino advantage is still strong. Spanish 21 has many player-friendly features to balance out the house advantage.
Additionally, in blackjack, when both the player and the dealer have a natural, it will be a push. In Spanish 21, the player always wins if both sides hit 21.
Therefore, if you have a 21 in your hand, it makes no difference what cards the dealer has.
Moving on, whenever you make a natural, you are eligible for a “Bonus 21”.
Let’s say, you have 5 cards to make 21. In this case, you will receive a 3:2 payout. Additionally, a six-card twenty-one pays 2:1. The ideal situation entails a suited, spade sevens combination that pays 3:1.
BONUS 21 PAYOUT
|
Five-card 21 |
3 to 2 |
|
Six-card 21 |
2 to1 |
|
Seven-card above |
3 to 1 |
|
Mixed 6-7-8 |
3 to 2 |
|
Suited 6-7-8 |
2 to 1 |
|
Spaded 6-7-8 |
3 to 1 |
|
Mixed 7-7-7 |
3 to 2 |
|
Suited 7-7-7 |
2 to 1 |
|
Spaded 7-7-7 |
3 to 1 |
Because the Hispanic option has more payoff alternatives than conventional blackjack, players favor it.
The well-known, self-explanatory, high-risk side bet known as Match the Dealer is another notable difference. The best way to maximize your payout on this bonus bet is to match the dealer’s rank and suit. Payouts on this bet vary.
How To Win At Spanish 21? Know The Rules.
Spanish 21 is played with six or eight Spanish decks. Each of which contains 48 cards – the standard 52 cards minus four tens.
Any card counter will tell you that removing any 10-point card from the deck shifts the odds in favor of the dealer.
Blackjack Spanish 21 Rules
To compensate, Spanish 21 offers a slew of incentives and advantageous rules. There are several Spanish 21 games all across the country. Therefore, the regulations will vary slightly from place to place, although the usual rules of Spanish 21 in the player’s favor include:
- Spanish 21 allows late surrender.
- You can double after splitting.
- Spanish 21 permits re-splitting Aces.
- A player with a total hand of 21 always wins.
- The player’s blackjack always wins over the dealer’s blackjack.
- A Spanish 21 player may double on any number of cards.
- After splitting Aces, the player may either hit or double down.
- In “Double down rescue”, the player may surrender after he doubles down.
- In Spanish 21, a six-card 21 pays 2:1, a five-card 21 pays 3:2, and a seven or more-card 21 pays 3:1. However, the bonus is not honored after the players double down.
- In addition, a 7-7-7 or 6-7-8 of mixed suits pays 3:2. A 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 of the same suit pays 2:1. Also, a 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 of spades pays 3:1. After doubling, these bonuses do not pay.
- When the dealer holds a seven face up, the suit 7-7-7 pays $1000 for bets between $5 and $25 and $5000 “Super Bonus” for bets over $25. A $50 “Envy Bonus” is also given to every other player. However, this extra does not apply to winnings from splitting or doubling.
Variable Rules
- On soft 17, the dealer may stand or hit.
- Spanish 21 card game may use 6 or 8 decks of cards.
- Some casinos permit up to three times of redoubling. Some casinos forbid surrendering or drawing to split aces, although this is not usual.
- After splitting, a face card and an ace have occasionally been reported to count as a blackjack. However, this Spanish 21 rule is very rare in an online casino.
- If bonuses are paid out following a split has been a hot topic of discussion for many years. The fact that they do not pay after doubling is virtually always accepted. In addition, the Super Bonus is the only bonus that is not supposed to be awarded after splitting, according to the game’s design. However, after a split, most casinos do not pay the bonuses. The effect of not allowing bonuses after splitting is very tiny, estimated to be under 0.01%.
A Spanish Blackjack Strategy: How To Win At Spanish 21?
Do you want to learn how to beat Spanish 21? Follow our easy Spanish 21 tips while remembering the rules of Spanish 21.
1. Avoid The “Match The Dealer” Side Bet.
“Match the Dealer” is one of the unique aspects of this Blackjack game. If you choose to place this wager, it means that you believe one of your initial cards will match the dealer’s upcard.
The main benefit of this side bet is the 18-to-1 payout possibility. The drawback is that this side bet has the highest house edge of 2.99% when playing with 8 decks. On Spanish 21 using 6 decks, this side bet has 3.06%.
So, you should avoid making this wager if you want a better chance of winning.
2. Know When To Hit And When To Stand
How to win at Spanish 21?
If you want to beat the dealer, you need to know when you should hit or stand.
Unlike most luck-based games, Spanish 21 allows you to choose whether to hit or stand by using your cards. To hit means to request another card from the deck. When your total hand value is an 8 or less, this is the greatest time to accomplish this. This is because it is impossible to bust out when your card value is so low.
On the other hand, you will not be adding any more cards to your hand when you choose to stand.
When you have a hard 17 or higher, you should stand. This indicates that you have a card with a total value of 17 in your hand.
A soft 17, on the other hand, includes an Ace and a 7. In this case, you can choose whether the Ace card’s value is 1 or 11.
Do you have a hard 17 or above and you want to know how to win at Spanish 21? In this case, we advise that you stand. It is because your card values are close to 21 and your odds of breaking out are 69%.
However, if you have a hard 17 and the dealer’s upcard is an Ace, it is advisable to late surrender. If the dealer has a blackjack, you will only lose half of your bet.
3. How To Win At Spanish 21? Know When To Split
To split means to divide your hands into two. This is only possible if you have a pair, such as a pair of 2s or a pair of 3s.
However, when you have a pair, this is not always the best option. The type of pair you receive should determine your next move. Therefore, keep the following in mind if you want to know how to win at Spanish 21.
- Pair of 2s or 3s– When the dealer has a 2 or an 8, you should split. However, if the dealer has a 9 or an Ace, you must hit.
- Pair of 4s– Do you have this pair? Then, you should always hit.
- Pair of 5s– When the dealer has a 2 or a 7, you should double down. However, we advise that you hit when the dealer’s upcard is an 8 or higher.
- Pair of 6s– When the dealer has a 4 or a 6, you should split. However, if the dealer has another card, you should opt to hit.
- Pair of 7s– If the dealer’s card is a 2 or a 7, split. However, if the dealer has another card with a higher value, you must hit.
- Pair of 8s– If the dealer holds an Ace, you must surrender. However, if the dealer has another card, you must split your pair of 8s.
- Pair of 9s– When the dealer has a 2, 6, 8, or 9, you should split. However, if the dealer has a 2, 7, or an Ace, you must stand.
Play Spanish 21 Online In Singapore
When you play Spanish 21 at Singapore online casino, you should not only concentrate on your cards. You should also take into account the dealer’s upcard. Doing so will allow you to decide what to do next on how to win at Spanish 21.
Although it requires a lot of decision-making, Spanish 21 is a very simple game. At first, the gameplay looks challenging to understand. But, once you master the basic blackjack strategy, you will be well on your way to big wins.
