Blackjack is a world-famous game, both at land-based casinos and online casinos. It holds a special place in the hearts of gamers because it is so easy to learn the rules and strategies, to create your own combination of strategies and just enjoy the game.ย
If you know the history of blackjack, you probably know that the game was once rooted in a single deck. Now it has side bets, jackpots and multiple decks โ the very heart of todayโs conversation โ which shows how far the game has evolved.
What Is Double-Deck Blackjack?
First things first: what is double-deck blackjack? When you step into a double-deck game when playing live dealer blackjack, it simply means, as the name suggests, that two decks are used. But, in the real sense of it, the number of decks that can be allowed in a game has no limits. This means that the possibilities are endless. Here is a secret, though: fewer decks means better blackjack odds and a friendlier house edge.
Your next question may be, โHow do you play double-deck blackjack?โ What are the rules and strategies? Read on to find out.
Standard Rules of Blackjack
So, youโre in a live dealer blackjack game and youโre wondering how to play the double deck. First, get the gameplay down, then look at the rules so that you have a clear picture of whatโs involved.
Step 1: Place Your Bet
You get started playing blackjack by placing your bet first before the dealer starts dealing out cards to all the players.
Step 2: Dealing ‘Em Out
The dealer hands each player two cards face-down. They deal themselves only one card, which faces up. You can then hit or decide to stand or split.ย
Step 3: Keep Hitting or Stand
You hit when you receive a second card without exceeding 21 (or without going burst,) while you choose to stand when you decide to keep your current card.
Step 4: Evaluating the Cards
So you have gotten to crunch time. You compare your card total to the dealerโs and you win if youโre closer to 21. You lose if the dealer is closer and the house claims the round.
Step 5: The Ultimate Goal
As is widely known, 21 is the holy grail in blackjack. If you go over, then thatโs a bust and the dealer takes that round. If you total 21 due to an ace and a face card, this is called a natural blackjack and you win the round.ย
Each card in blackjack holds value:ย
- Each number card carries the value of its number, e.g., 2, 3, 4, etc.
- A face card is a 10.
- An ace is either 1 or 11.ย
Rules of Double-Deck Blackjack
Beyond the standard blackjack rules, double deck rules are a bit nuanced. It is important to know them to understand how to play double-deck blackjack. Hereโs a step-by-step breakdown.
- Double-deck blackjack is a game using two decks.
- The dealer has no hole cards.
- At a soft, the dealer will always take a stand at 17.
- If you donโt have a blackjack in sight, itโs your choice to hit, stand or double down.
- This is a no-surrender zone, which means surrender is not an option, but you can use insurance instead.
- You are allowed to double up even after splitting your cards.
- And, of course, you can beat the dealer by getting closer to 21 than they do.
Basic Double-Deck Blackjack Strategy
Now that youโve dealt with the basics of double-deck blackjack, take a look into the gameโs soft and hard-hand strategies.
Soft 17 Strategy
In this game, whether itโs a soft hand or hard, the dealer must stand on 17. A hard 17 is a hand totaling 17 without an ace card. A soft 17, however, includes an ace that can be counted as 1 or 11. A soft 17 calls for calculated moves.
No matter what happens, always hit if youโre dealt a soft 17. An ace can only be worth 1 or 11, so you should always take the risk. If you hit, regardless of what transpires, your outcome will better the dealerโs. So itโs better to count your ace as 11. In addition, hit when the dealer’s face-up card is 9, 10 or an ace. Opt to hit if the dealerโs soft total is 17 or less.
Stand firm when the dealer’s card falls between 2โ8 and you have a soft hand of at least 18.
You should double down if the dealerโs face-up card is 6 and a soft hand of 19 or more. Also, double down if the dealerโs face-up card is 5 or 6 alongside the soft hand of 13โ18. Split is reserved for special occasions of dual aces being dealt.
Hard Hand
This is a bit complicated compared to the soft hand.
Hit when:
- The hard total is between 5โ8.
- The dealerโs face-up cards are anything between 2โ7 or an ace.
- You have a confirmed dealerโs ace and the hard hand totals 11.
- The face-up card is an ace, 2, 3 or 7 alongside your hard total of 12.ย
- The dealer’s face-up card is between 6โ10, with a hard total between 13โ16.
Stand when:
- The hard total is 12 and the dealer’s face-up card lies between 4โ6.
- The hard hand total is between 13โ16, while the dealer’s face-up card falls between cards 2โ6.
- The hard hand is between 17โ21.ย
Double down when:
- The hard total is 11.ย
- A dealerโs face-up card is 2, with a hard hand total of 9 and above.
- The hard hand is 11 and the dealer’s face-up card is an ace.
Split when:
- It’s a pair of 7s, aces or 8s.
Play Double-Deck Blackjack and Other Games at BetMGM
Double-deck blackjack is preferred by many players, thanks to its unique advantage of winning on both hands. But is double-deck blackjack better than multiple-deck blackjack?ย
In many ways, yes. The number of decks directly impacts the tableโs house edge; fewer decks lower that edge. In addition, double-deck games have better odds than most games, bettered only by single-deck counterparts, although double-deck games are becoming more frequent in casinos.ย
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