4bjstrategies20140528Blackjack Games

Want to practice your basic strategy and skills? Here are your best options if you’re looking for free and real-money blackjack games.

So we’ve offered you tips on how to master blackjack strategy in no time and how to count cards. Now it’s time for you to practice your newly acquired skills on a free online blackjack site.

You will be able to learn the basic strategy much faster if you play online or mobile blackjack, and luckily there are many websites that allow you to play for free, without risking your money. You can also choose from several types of blackjack games, each with its own rules.

So here are the 7 best blackjack games available online. Some of them have free versions, others you have to pay for, but they are all great for practicing your basic strategy and skills.

1. Blackjack Switch is played using 6 decks of cards. After you’re dealt the two hands of face-up cards, you can swap the top card in each hand for free. You play the hands as usual once the swap is done.

The dealer has to hit on soft 17 and if he hits 22, all bets are pushed. Splitting is allowed, but re-splits aren’t. When you split Aces, you can only take one more card and then you must stand, but if you get a 10-point card you get 21, not blackjack. The blackjack payout on this game is 1:1, but you can also practice it for free.

2. European Blackjack is a 4-deck game where the dealer is forced to stand on all 17s. Any pair of cards can be split, and this includes Aces, but after you split you can only get one more card. Split aces plus a 10 card do not become blackjack; they count as 21. Re-splitting is not allowed.

You can also use the double down option, but only if the point value of your original cards is 9, 10, or 11. Doubling down isn’t allowed after you’ve split your cards or if you’ve hit blackjack. The payout is 3:2 and surrendering is not allowed.

3. In Classic Blackjack, you will only use one deck of cards. The dealer has to stand on 17 and players are allowed to split pairs once. You can draw multiple cards even if you’ve split your Aces, but if you get a card worth 10 points, this will count as 21 and not as blackjack.

Double down will equal your original bet and is only allowed on hands with a value of 9, 10, or 11, and only on the first two cards, but never after you’ve used the split option. This game pays out 3:2 and there is no late surrendering.

4. In Bonus Blackjack, you will play using 2 decks of cards and the dealer’s restriction is that he has to hit on a soft 17. Re-splitting is allowed up to three times. You can split Aces only once, but then you can only draw one more card on each and receiving a 10-point card will not count as blackjack; it will merely count as 21.

Doubling down is allowed on any two cards first dealt to you, as well as after a split, but wagers must equal 50% of your original bet. You cannot double down if you have blackjack. This game pays 3:2 and surrendering is not an option.

5. With Big Five Blackjack, you’re going to be using 5 decks of cards. If the dealer has a soft 17, he must hit. You can split any two cards, but this option is only available once for Aces. You will only get one card on each if you split your Aces; then you have to stand. Drawing a 10 will not get you blackjack, it will only count as 21. You can re-split up to 3 times, to make 4 hands in total.

You can double down on any first 2 cards, but not if you have blackjack. Your bet has to be half the amount of your original bet. If you have a bad hand, you can choose to surrender; you will lose half of your original bet though. Otherwise this game pays out 3:2.

6. 21 Duel Blackjack is a 6-deck game where cards are dealt as follows: player gets dealt 1 up and 2 down, dealer gets 2 down cards; 2 more cards are dealt up, in the middle of the table. Then you can fold and lose your bet, or use your up card along with one of the two communal cards. Splitting, doubling down and surrendering are not allowed.

If you keep playing with one of the communal cards, your bet is doubled. The dealer has to stand on all 17s; if his hand is less than 13, he does not qualify. You get 1:1 on your initial bet and push on your second bet. If the dealer has 12 or more, you lose both bets. If your hand is higher than his, you win 1:1 on both bets. There are no blackjacks here; all hands totaling 21 are equal.

7. Atlantic City Blackjack is a pretty common game, played with 8 decks of cards. The dealer has to stand on 17. On a 10 or Ace, he checks his hole card for a blackjack. You can’t surrender if he is showing an Ace, but if you do choose this option, you’ll lose half of your original bet.

You can split and re-split up to 3 times per game, and Aces can be split, but you only get one card after that. You cannot have blackjack with split 10s or Aces. Doubling down is allowed on any two first cards, even if you’ve split them, but not on blackjack. Payout is 3:2, but you can also surrender if you have a bad hand. The best part about this game is that you can also play it for free.