Editorial

Monday, 08 February 2010 01:23 Last Updated on Monday, 08 February 2010 01:34

For anyone who loves playing blackjack, especially online, there is a new and exciting variation called blackjack switch that is available at many online casinos.

Fans of online blackjack already know that there is a proliferation of different variations to the game that have been around for quite some time. So when a new variation comes along, plenty of interest and excitement is generated amongst gaming enthusiasts. So when some of the big online casino software companies such as Playtech, Grand Virtual Online and DGC began offering blackjack switch at many of their online casinos, a buzz was created that set the game alight. If you haven't already tried it, then after reading this you might be tempted to try your hand at the game in your favourite online casino.

There are many reasons to play blackjack in addition to the allure the game already possesses for its huge army of fans. There are the many online tournaments with big cash prizes, multiplayer versions that get people together to enjoy the action as well as the original game itself with its mix of skill and chance that adds to its popularity. The established variants of the game provide some diversification for players who like to try different versions of the game they have become so accustomed to. So when blackjack switch arrived, players wanted to try it out to see what makes it such an interesting twist on the original.

Rules

The first and most interesting feature of blackjack switch is in a player's ability to do something they probably wanted to do in countless situations in the original game, which is to trade, or switch cards between hands, hence the name. The way in which this works is that you are permitted to swap the second cards between your hands in order to make the strongest hand. For example, if the first hand has 8, 10 and the second has 10, 5 you can switch the 10 and the 5 to make one hand of 13 and another of 20. As this would naturally give the player a decidedly advantageous edge over the house, further rules are in place to redress the balance in favour of the house. These are as follows:

• Players must place two bets that are equal in size for each of their hands
• During play each hand may be split and doubled independently
• Players may re-split up to four hands
• Players may double on any two cards
• Players may double after a split
• Dealer hits a soft 17
• Dealer peeks for blackjack with ace or ten up. If the dealer has a blackjack all player hands immediately lose, except a player blackjack, which is a push
• Blackjack pays out at evens
• If the player switches to create a blackjack, it counts as 21 points (not blackjack)
• A dealer 22 will result in a push for all hands of 21 points or less, although a player blackjack beats a dealer 22
• The two player hands are evaluated against that of the dealer separately

The rest of the rules are the same as standard blackjack.

Strategy

In general, standard blackjack strategies still apply, although in blackjack switch players will find fewer instances where it makes financial sense to double down or split. On the flip side, there are more instances where it makes good financial sense to hit, making for a livelier and more exciting game.

There are some players who like to choose the option whereby they make one hand as strong as possible while allowing the second to be weaker. However, while this would seem to make the most sense, it also sees a lot of players losing big because of overcompensating for the hand's visible strength. Remember, the dealer can still pull some big rabbits out of the hat and the addition of the "push at 22" rule can bring a sudden halt to many runs of luck.

With an optimum strategy, players can limit the house edge in many instances to as little as 0.16% with six decks, although the default house edge is 0.58%. In practice this will be higher depending upon a variety of variables and card combinations.

To add to the action, there is also a "super match" side bet that is based upon a player's four initial cards. Payouts vary according to the result and may also vary in different casinos. Typically, a pair pays evens, 3 of a kind pays 5 to 1, two pair pays 8 to 1 and 4 of a kind pays 40 to 1.

Of course, the best way to learn and understand the many nuances of this variation of blackjack and to obtain a better appreciation of how it is played, the best strategy of all is to log in to a good online casino that includes the game and play it using the free play option. This will allow you to make your mistakes early on without risking any of your own money until you have gained your confidence, sharpened your skills and developed your own personal strategy to master the game.