Understanding the Basics: Variants Part 3

This is the final part of a three-part article in which we have looked at the biggest and most common blackjack variants out there, as well as a few lesser variants that can be found both online and offline. There are many more variants out there, on top of the ones we have covered in these three articles, but these are the main ones, the ones you will see a lot of. Once you have read the previous two articles (available elsewhere on the Download Blackjack website) and have finished with this, then you should understand more about the tweaks and changes that make these variants so different.

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Double Attack Blackjack

This is popular in Atlantic City and basically allows the player to double their stake (if they want to) when they have seen the dealer’s second card. At that point the player has made all of their moves, which makes this a great way to win big when you have good hands. However, to offset this advantage, a blackjack does not pay as much during a game of Double Attack Blackjack.

Chinese Blackjack

Played throughout Asia, this game only uses two decks and usually has a large number of people playing. Rules are similar to Classic Blackjack, but in Chinese Blackjack the players act as the dealer and they take turns doing so.

Multiple Action Blackjack

A very interesting game indeed, this allows the player to make multiple bets and choices on the same hand, taking themselves down many paths. However, for each one they make, the dealer will get another hand and the player will need to pay as if it were a separate hand as well.

Elimination Blackjack

Also known as Tournament Blackjack, this variant of blackjack is more or less the same as Classic Blackjack and is applied during tournaments. The actual rules may differ, as they are often tweaked by the tournament operators, but the form of elimination is usually the same. Basically, the player still needs to beat the dealer, but they also need to focus on the other players at the table. The one who has the most money at the end, or the one who survives as the last one standing, is the one who wins the prize pool. On many occasions there is more than one blackjack table and the players need to judge their overall tournament progress by looking at the leaderboard. If you have ever played in a poker tournament then you will be used to this format.

Perfect Pairs

Whilst this began as a blackjack variant, it is now often used as a side bet. The main difference between Classic Blackjack and Perfect Pairs is that the latter pays out when the player’s first two cards are paired-up, often paying even more if they receive a third and fourth card that is also of the same face value. There were some tweaks to the rules to offset this huge player bonus, but generally, this is a great variant to play if you can find it.