Spanish 21

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There’s an unlicensed version of the game called Pontoon in some casinos in Australia and Malaysia which shouldn’t be confused with Spanish 21.

The blackjack variant arrived on the casino scene in 1995 and has since become one of the most widespread blackjack variations in both land-based and online casinos.

Due to the fact that it closely resembles blackjack, Spanish 21 is pretty easy to learn. However, it comes with a few twists and turns which make it all the more attractive.

What are the Rules of Spanish 21?

Before you try your skills in Spanish 21, it’s essential to learn the basics of traditional blackjack first, since they share so much. Standard blackjack is the foundation for this exciting variant which comes with a couple significantly different rules.

Blackjack, as many of you already know, is a card game played with one or several decks of cards. Each deck has 52 cards, with 16 of them being 10-value cards in blackjack. In Spanish 21, the 4 tens are removed from each deck, so players essentially get to play with 48-card decks and a lower number of 10-value cards. That’s the first major difference between Spanish 21 and traditional blackjack. The second is that a player’s 21 hand always beats the dealer, unlike in standard blackjack variations where the dealer’s blackjack beats all hands.

Aside from these major differences, Spanish 21 requires the dealer to hit on Soft 17, allows doubling down on any two cards after a split, allows surrendering after doubling down, and there is a hole card for the dealer as well. These are the standard Spanish 21 rules – keep in mind that depending on where you play, the casino might tweak them a little.

Due to the fewer 10-value cards in the deck, the odds are adjusted as well. When a player forms a winning hand (totaling 21) with certain cards, he may receive a nice bonus. For example, a blackjack of five cards pays 3:2; a blackjack of 6 cards pays 2:1, while a winning hand consisting of 7 cards pays 3:1. Of course, this all depends on the casino, but as you can see, the bonus is pretty generous, which makes Spanish 21 so exciting.

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Bonuses and Side Bets

We’ve already mentioned that the bonuses for forming a blackjack hand with a certain number of cards are pretty attractive, but none is so lucrative as the so-called Super Bonus. This bonus pays $1,000 for bets under $25 and a hefty $5,000 for bets of $25+ in case the player has a 7-7-7 blackjack against a dealer’s 7. Additionally, all the other players at the table receive a so-called ‘Envy’ bonus of $50. The Super Bonus is only available if the player hasn’t split the cards or doubled down.

There’s also a side bet used in Spanish 21 which depends on the number of decks used in the game. The bet is called ‘Match the Dealer’ and compares the player’s cards with the dealer’s face up card. Match the Dealer pays 4:1 for 6-deck games and 3:1 on 8-deck games. Even better, a rank and suit (‘Perfect Match’) pays 9:1 on 6-deck games and 12:1 on 8-deck games, which means that this side bet is quite profitable if you’re really lucky.

Match the Dealer has a pretty high house edge of 3%, which is still lower than any other blackjack side-bet.

What are the Pros and Cons?

Unlike traditional blackjack, Spanish 21 is free of certain constraints, so players have more freedom to use a solid strategy and make a profit. The most obvious advantage of this blackjack variant is the fact that a player’s 21 is the ultimate winner at the table – it wins in all cases against the dealer, even if they have blackjack. Add a basic strategy to it and Spanish 21 can turn quite profitable.

On the other hand, the major disadvantage of Spanish 21 is the fact that it’s much harder to get to 21 as there are fewer 10-value cards in the deck. Even if you’re a card counter, you won’t be able to use the technique to your advantage in Spanish 21. The variation uses 6-8 decks in play and there are 4 fewer tens in each one of them, so keeping the tracking count is significantly more difficult.

This is why we strongly suggest mastering the game of blackjack before hitting the tables. Playing traditional blackjack or any of its variations can decimate your bankroll, so please take some time to practice before sitting at the tables.

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Should You Play Spanish 21?

Millions of players can’t be wrong for picking Spanish 21 in front of other blackjack variants. It’s a unique twist of the card game which gives players great chances of winning. The reduced house is the reason why Spanish 21 is so attractive, but the side bets and bonuses are attractive as well.

Just imagine getting a Super Bonus for a bet of over $25? You can possibly win $5,000, which is what much more than you could win at traditional blackjack. But, don’t let the high bonuses fool you – Spanish 21 is not that simple to play as it requires extensive knowledge of blackjack. If you’re using a strategy, you also have to adjust it depending on the tweaked rules in the casino you’re playing at.

Get some practice in blackjack first, then try this exciting variation when you’re ready.

The House Edge

Depending on the casino and its rules for the variant, the house edge for Spanish 21 varies, although it is lower than traditional blackjack. If the dealer stands on Soft 17, the house edge is 0.40%. If he’s required to hit and redoubling is allowed, the house edge stands at 0.46%. Finally, if the dealer hits on a Soft 17 and there’s no redoubling allowed at the table, the house edge is the highest, standing at 0.76%.

Spanish 21

What are the Rules of Spanish 21?