When it comes to online casino games, slot games are the most popular by some distance. However, with regard to table games, there is one game that rules when it comes to popularity, and that is blackjack. Nowadays, blackjack fans arespoiled for choice when it comes the variety of blackjack games that are on offer, and this variation is what we are going to take a look at in this article.
Playing Blackjack Variants for Free
Before we go ahead and start taking a closer look at some great variants of blackjack that you can enjoy at online casinos, there is something that we would like to tell you. Obviously, a lot of the time when you are playing at online casinos, you will be doing so with real money because you want the opportunity to be able to win real money in return.
However, there will probably be times when you feel like some type of entertainment but do not feel like risking any of your hard-earned money. When this feeling hits you, you will be glad to hear that there are plenty of places online where you can enjoy a variety of blackjack variants for free – obviously if you are not risking real money, you will not be able to win any real money, but there will still be plenty of entertainment on offer.
If you ever get the urge to play free blackjack, then we recommend that you head over to www.online-free-casino.org/free-blackjack/, as here you will find a wide variety of blackjack variants that you can enjoy for free. As well as playing free games for entertainment, another benefit of playing for free is that you can learn the ins and outs of a new variant without having to do so with your own hard-earned money on the line.
Popular Blackjack Variants
Below you can find seven blackjack variants that you can enjoy at all of the best online casinos.
Blackjack Switch
This blackjack variation was patented by Geoff Hall back in 2009, Blackjack Switch quickly established itself as a very popular blackjack variant, both at online casinos and land-based ones. While this game is generally played in the same way as traditional blackjack, there is a twist, and this is that every player has two hands and can switch their cardsafter they have been dealt.
So, how is it played exactly? Well, each players places two wagers at the start of the game and are then dealt two different hands. Once a player has received both their hands, they have the opportunity to switch the cards from theirhands in order to form a much better hand. However, this comes with a price. To start with, you will only be paid evenmoney for a blackjack and, secondly, the dealer will only bust is their hand equals 23 or more. If the dealer has a 22, then it is a push for every player, no matter what their own hand was.
Double Exposure Blackjack
Double Exposure Blackjack has become a firm favourite for blackjack players as it is one of the few variants out therethat actually improves the odds for the players. It is for this reason that it is quite rare at online and land-basedcasinos, but you can still come across it and, if you do, we really do recommend that you give it a go.
Double Exposure Blackjack is played in almost the same way as a regular game of multi-deck blackjack, but there is onebig difference, and this is that both the cards that the dealer has are exposed, meaning that everyone at the table knowswhat hand the dealer has before they go ahead and make a decision. Obviously, this gives the players a big advantage, so there are some other rule changes to try and balance this out. For example, surrender, insurance, and multiple splitsare not permitted, and the dealer will hit on soft 17.
Buster Blackjack
This is not actually a variant of blackjack, it is your traditional blackjack game with a side bet that pays out wheneverthe dealer busts. As the dealer does not bust all the much, this side bet is made even more interesting by increasing thepayout for each extra card that it takes for the dealer to bust. Since this is a side bet, you can lose with your main hand and still land some money if the dealer goes on to bust. If the dealer has a 3-card bust, then there is a 1:1 payout,but if the dealer has an 8-card bust, then the payout jumps to 250:1.
Double Attack Blackjack
Double Attack Blackjack, also known as Double Blackjack or Double-Attack, is a variant of Spanish 21, which happens to beone of the world's first variants of blackjack. The appeal of this game comes from the fact that players have the option to double their wagers after they have seen the dealer's first card, and they can also surrender at any time.
This game is played using eight Spanish decks (does not have the 10-spot card), and is pretty similar to traditionalblackjack in the sense that your aim is to hit 21 and beat the dealer. So, what does the name refer to? Well, it gotthis name because the dealer's first card is dealt face-up, which means that players can go on a double attack and doubletheir initial wager. Apart from this, another significant rule chance is that the players are able to double down or surrender whenever they like, which gives smart players the opportunity to win more consistently.
Pitch Blackjack
You already know about Pitch Blackjack, even if its name is not familiar to you. This is simply traditional blackjackplayed using one or two decks of cards, and it got its name from the pitching action that the dealer does when dealing thecards. Online variations of Pitch Blackjack are usually called single-deck blackjack. This is a variant that has become popular with card counters because it is very easy for them to keep track of all the cards.
Pitch Blackjack uses one or two decks, and the cards are placed face down in front of each player, who has to hold themin their hand like in traditional poker. This is the main difference in this variant since standing, hitting, doublingdown, insurance, and splitting are all available like in traditional blackjack. If you want an extra card, then you scratch the table with your cards, while you hide your chips under your hand if you want to stand.
Multi-Hand Blackjack
This was one of the earliest blackjack variants that you could find at online casinos, and when online casinos soonnoticed just how much it is loved, it is a blackjack variant that you can find at all of the best online casinos. Whenit comes to brick-and-mortar casinos, you can play multiple hands at the same time, but only if you have some extraspace available next to youat your table. However, there are no restrictions online to how many hands you can playat once.
If you are already familiar with the rules of traditional blackjack, then you will already know how to play this variant.It is your standard game of blackjack, but instead of sticking to one hand at a time, you can play as many as eight.
Chinese Blackjack
Although this is mostly popular in China, it is increasing in popularity across East and South Asia, and is slowly making its way into European online casinos. At first glance, it looks quite a bit like regular blackjack - each player getstwo cards and try to get as close to 21 as possible without going over. However, there are many other differences thatmake this a true variant of blackjack. For instance, if you get two aces then you are an automatic winner, dealerscan decide whether to stand or hit, and aces will be counted differently depending on the number of cards that you have.
