Spanish 21 Strategy

• Spanish 21 Strategy
• Spanish 21 Strategy Tips
• Spanish 21 Strategy Card
• Spanish 21 Blackjack Cheat Sheet
• Best Spanish 21 Strategy

If you consider yourself a bona fide real money blackjack specialist, but you’ve never played Spanish 21 before, boy, are you missing out.

This relatively new addition to the blackjack family tree branched off in 1995, when Masque Publishing decided to take its shot at the hybrid table game fad.

These days, Spanish 21 is largely relegated to the best US online casinos, but you can still find it kicking around at the Venetian and Palazzo casino resorts in Las Vegas. Smaller regional casinos across the country, especially in the Pacific Northwest, also spread Spanish 21 tables alongside their traditional blackjack games.

The Spanish 21 strategy found here is based on a combinatorial program which considered both card composition and the six deck nature of the game. In addition an infinite deck model was created in Excel, of which the basic strategy nearly agreed with that of the combinatorial model. Spanish 21 Blackjack Rules Because Spanish 21 is a variation of the blackjack game, players will need to familiarize themselves with the specific rules tied to the game, which are as follows: A player with a hand worth 21 always wins, regardless of what the dealer holds Players may double down on any initial 2-card hand, regardless of the value.

1 – Full Basic Strategy Chart Outlining Optimal Play for All Possible Scenarios

One of the saddest sights you’ll see in the table game pit is a blackjack player trying to use their basic strategy skills in Spanish 21.

When they see a pair of sixes to start against the dealer’s three, these players will split ‘em up, as per blackjack basic strategy. Little do they know, however, that Spanish 21 basic strategy says to take a hit with 6-6 against a dealer’s three.

Same goes for something like a 17 versus the dealer’s seven, which is a clear hit in regular blackjack. In this game though, the book advises sharp players to stand.

Little wrinkles like this aren’t readily apparent, leaving even blackjack experts to flail around like tourists trying table games for the first time.

If you want to add Spanish 21 basic strategy to your gambling repertoire, look no further. To begin, just remember that many plays are no-brainers that don’t require any thinking at all.

When you have a hard total of 8 or lower, just take your free hit and proceed from there, as you’ll never run the risk of going bust. And with a hard 17 or higher, simply stand and avoid the 69% chance of busting that a hit will incur.

Those are the easiest plays anybody can make, so you’ll need to study the tables below to master more complicated Spanish 21 spots.

Spanish 21 Strategy

2 – Primer on Why You Shouldn’t Place Match the Dealer Side Bets

Every so often, you’ll see a Spanish 21 player shout for joy as they collect a “jackpot” payout of between 4:1 and 18:1.

Or should I say, not very often… Spanish 21 offers an optional side bet called “Match the Dealer,” which pays out whenever one or both of your starting cards matches the dealer’s up card.

The best scenario is two suited matches, or something like the 8 of clubs + 8 of clubs for you against the dealer’s 8 of clubs. That’s clearly a longshot, but even a single eight (suits don’t matter here) matched with the dealer’s eight pays out at 4:1.

But, as you can see below, that minimum payout of 4:1 only comes around roughly 1 in 10 hands.

Spanish 21 Match the Dealer Hands and Payouts

Conversely, a whopping 85% of hands will result in a loss when playing Match the Dealer.

All told, this side bet carries a house edge of 3.05%, which is simply too high to chase when Spanish 21’s primary game is already so great.

3 – Online Casino Guide to Find the Best Spanish 21 Tables

Nowadays, Spanish 21 is largely relegated to the realm of online casinos.

That’s good news for fans though, as the best online casino platforms make sure to include Spanish 21 as a staple of their table games menu.

4 – ThePro’s Guide to Spanish 21 and Australian Pontoon (2008) by Katarina Walker

When the game first hit casino floors, most gamblers assumed Spanish 21 was nothing more than a gimmick game like Triple Zero Roulette—something designed to separate suckers from their bankroll while smart players wisely avoided the additional action.

This misconception lingered until 2008, when advantage play specialist and casino game strategy writer Katrina Walker published The Pro’s Guide to Spanish 21 and Australian Pontoon.

Walker herself posted insights to a popular online blackjack forum while explaining exactly why Spanish 21 is more beatable than standard blackjack.

And it’s no coincidence that Walker’s book was published just before the big casinos suddenly stopped spreading Spanish 21 as often, or at all. She really did crack the code for this game, so grab a copy of The Pro’s Guide to Spanish 21 and Australian Pontoon and add this masterpiece to your gambling bookshelf.

Conclusion

Spanish 21 isn’t for everybody, but if you enjoy blackjack with a twist, it just might be the perfect game. Bonus payouts, automatic winners which should be pushes, and the freedom to make creative double down and split plays combine to make Spanish 21 a true player’s game.

Anyone can fly blind at the tables and find a few winners. But, armed with the four resources listed above, you’ll be target shooting accurately in one of gambling’s most player-friendly affairs.

Spanish 21, or as our friends down under like to call it – Pontoon; is a version of Blackjack that is not only fun to play, but one of the best bets in a casino. If you are lucky enough to find the game that is. Spanish Blackjack isn’t spread as often as other Blackjack games due to the low house edge. As a rule of thumb, if you have the option to play Spanish 21, play it!

Spanish 21 is kind of like taking the best parts of every Blackjack version and creating a new Blackjack version around them. Most Blackjack games will have some good and bad. All the bad things like not being able to re-split Aces, are designed to give the house a higher edge. However, you can find just about all of the “Good” that is found in other versions.

Content

Free Games
Rules
Bonus Payouts
Online Games House Edge Comparison
Spanish Blackjack Tips

Free Spanish 21 Blackjack

Where to Play for Real Cash

Spanish 21 Rules

The main difference with this version is absence of all the 10’s. There are still Jacks, Kings and Queens; but the literal 10 cards are removed from the deck. A standard shoe consists of 6 to 8 decks with 48 cards in each deck.

Double Down

As per standard Blackjack games, players can double down on their first 2 cards. However, Spanish 21 lets you double down on many occasions. You can double after a split. You can also double down after each hit if you prefer. Finally, there’s the option to double after splitting Aces. After doubling down you will receive only one additional card. Then you can either stand or surrender – double down rescue.

Splitting

You can split any two hands with similar value. You can also split and re-split Aces. The possible number of splits vary between the games, but usually it’s up to 3 hands.

Late Surrender

Spanish 21 also allows players to use the late surrender when a dealer shows a 10 or Ace.

21 and Blackjack

Spanish 21 has a unique way of rewarding 21’s and Blackjacks. The most lucrative is the fact that the dealer cannot tie when the player has 21 or Blackjack. All player 21’s and Blackjacks beat the dealers 21 and Blackjacks.

Not only do you always win with 21, it also pays off if you make 21 a certain way.

• 5 card 21 pays 3-2
• 6 cards pays 2-1
• 7 or more pays 3-1

Dealt Blackjacks pay the traditional 3-2. While all other 21’s are paid even money.

Bonuses

Spanish blackjack has a few other tricks up its sleeve. These tricks, or treats if you will, come in the form of bonus payouts for getting certain card combinations.

• 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 of different suits pays 3-2
• 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 of the same suit pays 2-1
• 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 of all spades pays 3-1
• 7-7-7 of the same suit when the dealer shows a 7 pay 50:1.

Spanish 21 Strategy Tips

Most of these bonuses do not pay if you have split or doubled.

Online Games Rules & House Edge Comparison

You will find deviations of Spanish Blackjacks that will alter the house edge, but most casinos will use the same rules. The edge using the standard rules is 0.40%

Microgaming:

8 decks

You can split 3 times.

You can re-double once and receive additional card.

No US players

Odds: 99.58%

Where to play: Jackpot City Casino

Games OS:

8 decks.

Standard rules

No US players

Odds: 99.24%

Where to play: Guts Casino

BetSoft:

6 decks.

No Surrender available

Suited 7s with dealer’s 7 pay $1000 for $5 – $24 bets. $5000 for higher bets.

Additional Match the Dealer side bet.

USA friendly

Odds: 99.30%

Where to play: Ignition Casino

RTG:

The number of decks is not disclosed.

Spanish 21 Strategy Card

Standard Rules

Suited 7s with dealers 7 pay 40:1.

USA friendly

Spanish 21 Blackjack Cheat Sheet

Odds: 99.22%

Where to play: Vegas Casino Online

Spanish Blackjack Tips

The main strategy is to utilize the choice to double down at any time. Use this always when you have a total of 11, regardless of what the dealer shows. You also want to take advantage of the option to split Aces.

Avoid trying to hit the bonus payouts, such as going for a 5 card 21 and so on. Doing so will deviate from an optimal strategy; and the payoff when you do win the bonus will not compensate for the loss of statistical advantages.

Best Spanish 21 Strategy

Overall, Spanish 21 is a fun game to play and has a low house edge. So, if you’re looking for a new way to play blackjack, Spanish 21 could be your answer.