Spanish Blackjack – The Game’s History And How To Play It
A variant of 21, Spanish Blackjack offers a refreshing and a thrilling change from the European and American editions. The card game features several notable differences to its more popular cousins, so if you’re thinking of playing it, read this article and find out what to expect. If you have never played any form of Blackjack before, we recommend that you start with the European variation to learn the basics.
The History Of Spanish Blackjack
The first written mention of 21 is a brief description of its gameplay in a short story written by Miguel de Cervantes in the 1600s. The game spread from Spain, France, and Italy to other parts of Europe, where it was refined over time.
The game eventually crossed the pond to the US, where the American variation was created. Despite the name, Spanish Blackjack is not the original form of the game. Instead, it is a far more recent variant, having been launched in 1995, which is when the first online casinos were being launched. It wasn’t long before online versions of the game were released.
A Few Differences
There are a few important Spanish Blackjack facts that you should know before we look at the gameplay. Firstly, the game usually is played with eight decks of cards in the shoe, although some live editions reduce that to six decks.
Secondly, all the 10s, namely the 10s of hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades, are removed from every deck in the shoe. You also can keep in mind that player Blackjacks always win, even over a dealer’s Blackjack.
How To Play The Game
The gameplay of Spanish https://gamblingca.net/blackjack/ is similar to most other editions. What many players find tricky about the variant is the strategy, as it is more difficult to get to the winning 21 points.
You start playing the game by placing a bet, which is followed by the deal. You will receive two face-up cards, and the dealer will get one card face up and one card face down.
If the dealer’s face-up card is an ace, you will have the opportunity to place an insurance bet, and the dealer will check the hole card. If the hand is a Blackjack, you lose the round. However, if your hand is a natural Blackjack, your bet will be paid 3:2 immediately.
If neither you nor the dealer have a hand worth 21 points, you can choose the move you want to make. You can increase your score by hitting or by doubling down, which sees you placing another bet equal to your first before being dealt another card. Another option is to split. If you split aces, you can hit on them, re-split them, or double down on them.
The dealer’s hole card will be revealed once you have made your move. The dealer usually stands on a hard 17 or on 18 or higher, and hits on a soft 17 or on 16 or lower. If your hand is closer to 21 points than the dealer’s, you win.