Blackjack Switch

Blackjack Switch is a simple but exciting new variation of Blackjack.

Nutshell: In a nutshell, you play two hands in Blackjack Switch, and you may choose to "switch" the second card on each of the hands before you take another action, if you believe it improves your hands.

For example, say you are dealt 5♣A♥ in one hand and J♠6♣ in the other, dealer shows a 7♠. Wouldn't it be nice if you could switch the ace and the six? Now you can! Giving you a Blackjack in one hand and a juicy 11 to double with in the other hand.

To compensate for this awesome player advantage, the dealer hits soft 17s, Blackjack pays even money, and a dealer 22 is a push. You can double on any 10 or 11, and you can split each hand only once. Insurance and surrender are not available.

Description

The basic object of Blackjack is to score as close to 21pts in a hand without going over (bust). Cards are scored by face value, with all face cards scoring 10pts, and Aces may count as either 11pts or 1pt. A two card hand scoring 21pts — an Ace with any 10-value card — is called a Blackjack.

The game is played with 6 decks of standard poker cards (52 cards each, no jokers nor wildcards). Player must play exactly two hands with the same wager amount. Each hand is dealt two cards, player hands face up, dealer's first card is face down (hole card) and the second card face up.

Dealer Blackjack: After the cards are dealt, prior to any player actions, if the dealer has an Ace or 10-value card face up, he first checks his hole card to see if he has Blackjack. If it is an Ace, the dealer has Blackjack and play ends. Otherwise play begins from the hand on the right and progresses to the left, and ends with the dealer.

Player Hands: The player may take one of the following actions on the first hand dealt: hit, stand or switch. If the player card values sum to 10 or 11, the player may double. If both cards are of the same value, the player may also split. Once the first hand is played the player has the same options on the second hand, except the player may no longer switch.

Hit: Hit to receive an additional card to improve your score, closer to 21pts. If you exceed 21pts you are BUST, and your hand is removed. If you have less than 21pts you may hit again, or Stand.

Stand: To stand is to accept your hand as it is. The actual object of Blackjack is not to get 21pts, but to beat the dealer. Therefore depending on the score of your hand, and the card the dealer is showing, you may prefer your hand versus risking going bust to improve.

Switch: On the first hand, before any other option is taken (hit, stand, double, split), the player has the option to switch the second card with the second card of the player's second hand, in an effort to improve the hands, even make Blackjack. The player may switch back if he changes his mind, before another action is taken.

Double: To double, you must place an additional wager equal to your ante. You receive only one additional card (you may not continue to hit), but you stand to win twice as much. This is typically done when you are dealt a hand that scores 11, as any 10-value card will improve your hand to 21, and you cannot go bust.

Split: If a hand is dealt two cards with the same face value, you may "split" them. To split, you must place an additional ante wager of equal amount for the second hand formed by the split. The two cards are seperated into two hands. The first hand is dealt a second card, and you have the option to hit or stand. Once the first hand is stood, a second card is dealt to the second hand and again have the option to hit or stand.

Dealer Hand: Once all player hands have been stood or busted, the dealer now plays if necessary (player has unbusted hands). Unlike the player, the dealer has no options but instead must play by specific rules that are independent of the player's hands. If the dealer has a total less than 17, the dealer is required to hit. If the dealer has a total more of 18 or more, the dealer must stand. If dealer has a soft 17 — that is a hand that totals 17 using an Ace valued as an 11 — the dealer must hit, any other 17 hand (hard 17) the dealer must stand.

Resolution: If the dealer busts with a 22, all player hands (except Blackjack) push. If the dealer busts with any other value, all player hands are paid. If the dealer stands, player hands higher than the dealer's win, equal to push, and lesser than lose.

Game information provided is meant to provide a concise and quick overview, it is not meant to convey the game rules in their entirety.

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