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Spanish 21 Blackjack Game – Rules, Review & Strategy. This is a blackjack variation that got its name because it is played with six or eight Spanish decks – a regular 52 card deck from which the four tens cards are taken out. Translate Blackjack. See 4 authoritative translations of Blackjack in Spanish with example sentences and audio pronunciations. Spanish 21 wasn’t introduced until 1995, so the blackjack variant has far less history than the game it’s based on. Blackjack’s predecessor is 21. A short story by Miguel de Cervantes indicates 21 has been played since the 17 th century or earlier in Spain.

Spanish 21, a popular variant of blackjack, is played at casinos around the world.

While it’s new compared to the historic table game it’s based on, it has some intriguing rule changes that affect the house odds of the game.

1 – What Are the Rules of Spanish 21?

Spanish 21 is still played on the same casino tables as the game it’s based on, but it uses a custom layout and a different ruleset.

The recreation is played with six or eight decks, which are drawn from a shoe. The dealer will receive a hole card in Spanish 21. A hole card is a card that’s dealt face down, meaning neither the dealer nor player can see the card’s value.

If a player gets a blackjack, consisting of one ace and one card with a value of 10, then they automatically win the game and receive a 3:2 payout, regardless of whether the dealer has blackjack.

Insurance and late surrenders are available in Spanish 21.

Even though there are four fewer 10-value cards in Spanish 21 than in blackjack, insurance is still paid out at 2:1. House edge on insurance in Spanish 21 is 24.7%, making the house edge one of the worst of casino wagers.

Late surrender is when the player surrenders after seeing the dealer’s hand but still has the chance to get half of their stake back after waiving the right to play on.

The dealer is able to peek under the hole card after his original two cards are dealt if the face-up card is an ace. If the dealer peeks and finds out that he has blackjack, all players automatically lose unless one of them has blackjack.

Anytime the player ends up with blackjack, they automatically win, regardless of whether or not the dealer has blackjack. Players will get paid out differently depending on how many cards they draw before hitting 21. A five-card 21 pays out 3:2, a six-card 21 pays out 2:1, and a 21 with seven or more cards pays out 3:1.

2 – How’s It Different From Blackjack?

Spanish 21 wasn’t introduced until 1995, so the blackjack variant has far less history than the game it’s based on. Blackjack’s predecessor is 21. A short story by Miguel de Cervantes indicates 21 has been played since the 17^th century or earlier in Spain.

The history of blackjack began in Spain but spread to other European countries by the 18^th century. In Britain, there’s evidence of the game dating back to the 1770s. After making its round through Europe, 21 finally came to America sometime in the 19^th century. 21 was given its American name of blackjack by gold prospectors.

Prospectors called one of the minerals that indicated a gold or silver deposit “blackjack.” Top bonuses in casinos playing the game at the time were then named after the mineral. Eventually, the game itself was named blackjack.

A big rule change that gives a big boost to the player’s chances has to do with blackjacks. If you’ve ever been frustrated by the dealer drawing a blackjack on the same turn you do, then this rule will put your mind at ease.

In Spanish 21, the player’s blackjack always beats the dealer’s blackjack. Anytime you draw a blackjack in the game, you’ll receive a 3:2 payout, regardless of the dealer’s hand.

Late surrender is another key difference between Spanish 21 and other blackjack variants.

If the dealer doesn’t have a blackjack, you can surrender the game and get half your stake back. If you feel like the deck’s not in your favor, late surrender gives you a chance to minimize risk.

Doubling down also works differently in Spanish 21 than it does in blackjack. Blackjack only allows you to double down on the original two cards dealt, meaning you can only double your wager based on the first two cards you’re dealt.

Spanish 21 lets you double down on any cards you’re dealt in the game. Anytime you double down, you’ll receive another card. You can repeat this process twice, multiplying your bet by a maximum factor of eight, giving you the chance to receive a huge payout.

The lax double down rules of Spanish 21 work in conjunction with its laid-back late surrender rules. Even though doubling down increases the risk of your wager significantly, you can always late surrender and get half your stake back.

3 – Does Spanish 21 Have a House Edge?

The house edge for Spanish 21 will vary based on the dealer’s instructions for hitting or standing when their hand is a soft or hard 17.

Soft 17 is when the dealer’s hand has a sum of 17 and includes an ace.

For example, if the dealer’s hand had a six and an ace, it would be a soft 17. Soft 17 means the dealer could draw a 10 and the hand wouldn’t bust. The ace’s value would change to one and the dealer would have 18 in their hand.

Hard 17 is when the dealer’s hand doesn’t have an ace but has a value of 17.

For example, the dealer may have a six, another six, and a five. Hard 17 has the same rules at casinos but dealers may hit or stand on soft 17, depending on the casino’s rules.

The house edge will also change depending on whether or not you choose to double throughout the game.

With redoubling, the house edge will change to .42% for six decks and .45% for eight decks. The “Match the Dealer” side bet will have different house edges depending on how many decks are in play. The more decks that are in play, the lower the house edge will be for the side bet.

With two decks in play, the house edge is at 3.63% and suited matches have odds of 19:1. However, with eight decks in play, the house edge is at 2.99% and suited matches have odds of 12:1.

4 – What Side Bets Does Spanish 21 Offer?

A popular side bet on Spanish 21 is the super bonus. If a player has a 7-7-7 hand against a dealer seven, they’ll get the super bonus. The super bonus is $1000 on bets under $25 and $5000 on bets over $25. Splitting or doubling down will negate the super bonus.

All players at the table will receive a $50 envy bonus if another player at the table wins a super bonus. Another common side bet offered on this table game is Match the Dealer.

If the rank of one or both of your original two cards matches the rank of the dealer’s face-up card, you can win this side bet. This is a pretty simple side bet to understand, but it can increase the fun of your hand and lets you try to predict which face-up card the dealer will give himself.

You can also make a second Match the Dealer side bet at some casinos. The second bet works the same as the first one, except you’re trying to match the dealer’s hole card this time.

5 – Where Can I Play Spanish 21?

Many casinos throughout the country offer this exciting blackjack variant. Rivers Casino Des Plaines, located in Des Plaines, IL, has Spanish 21 available to play in addition to other table games like baccarat, craps, and roulette.

Spanish 21 Online Game

The casino offers insurance at their Spanish 21 table letting players bet up to half the original bet on any hand. While you can double down on your hand at the casino, bonuses will not be paid out after you’ve doubled down on a hand.

Pair splitting is also available here. Players can split cards of equal value to create up to four hands. The casino also allows hitting and doubling of split hands.

Unlike doubled hands, bonuses can be paid on split hands, however, you will be ineligible for a super bonus after splitting your hand there.

Hawks Prairie Casino, located in Lacey, WA, also offers Spanish 21. House rules at this casino forbid the players from touching their cards at any time while playing and the casino also disallows side bets, so you won’t be able to make Match the Dealer bets there.

Conclusion

Do you have any strategies for Spanish 21? Let us know in the comments section below.

This is a blackjack variation that got its name because it is played with six or eight Spanish decks – a regular 52 card deck from which the four tens cards are taken out. Beside some of the common blackjack rules, such as number of decks, double after split and resplit Aces, Spanish 21 offers some exciting bonuses with good payouts. These bonuses and the 48 card decks make this a unique and popular blackjack variation.

On this page, you will find additional information about the game rules of Spanish 21 Blackjack, the house edge of the game and the optimal playing strategy for securing the best possible odds for the player.

Rules and Special Features

The most usual form of the game is played with six or eight decks of 48 cards, while the four 10s are removed. The player is allowed to surrender and double after splitting the cards. Resplitting Aces is allowed and the player can hit or double down after splitting them. In addition, the player can double on any number of cards and surrender after doubling. Some of the rules that favor the player are: player 21 wins and player blackjack beats dealer blackjack.

The rules explained above are rules common for every Spanish 21 game. However, there are some variables that should be mentioned. For example, the dealer in some variations is allowed to hit on soft 17, while in others he stands on soft 17. At certain casinos redoubling is allowed up to three hands and somewhere a split Ace and a face card are counted as a blackjack.

In any case, what make Spanish 21 so unique and thrilling are the many bonuses. This blackjack variation awards five-card 21 with a 3:2 payout, a six-card 21 with a 2:1 payout and a 7+ card 21 with a 3:1 payout. If the player gets a combination of unsuited 6-7-8 or 7-7-7, a 3:2 bonus payout is granted to him. If the same combination is suited the payout is 2:1, while 6-7-8 and 7-7-7 of spades has the best payout of 3:1. Furthermore, suited 7-7-7 across a dealer’s 7 is considered to be a super bonus and pays £1,000 for bets from £5 to £24 and £5,000 for £25+ bets.

Spanish Blackjack Free Play

House Edge and Soft 17

Certain rule variations affect the house edge of the game. If the game is played with eight decks and the dealer stands on soft 17 the house has an edge of 0.38%. Reducing the number of decks to six will immediately lower the house edge to 0.37%. Hitting on soft 17 increases the house edge to 0.78% when played with six decks and to 0.80% when played with eight decks. Usually, this variation allows the player to surrender. However, if this rule is changed, the house edge grows for 0.006% (dealer hits on soft 17) or 0.018% (dealer stands on soft 17).

Side Bets and Bonuses

In Spanish 21 usually a side bet known as Match the Dealer is offered. The point of this bet is the player’s cards to match the dealer’s face up card. For example, if the dealer’s card is 9 of spades, the player should have 9 of spades, 9 of any kind or a total card amount of 9 in order to win the side bet. Depending on the number of decks, the payout varies and can be 4:1 (6 deck) or 3:1 (8 deck). Furthermore, a perfect match or rank pays 9:1/12:1. Additionally, if the player has 9 of spades and 9 of diamonds, he will get two bonuses.

Game Play Strategy

Because of the many rule variations that significantly change the optimal Spanish 21 strategy, here is discussed the best strategy when the game is played with eight decks and the dealer hits on soft 17. First, in case of receiving a pair of 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9 and Aces, the played is advised to split. Some exceptions apply whatsoever. In case of suited 7-7 when the dealer holds 7 it is the best to hit, while 8-8 across a dealer’s Ace signals the player to surrender. The player should stand with a pair of nines if the dealer has 2, 7 or Ace. If the dealer shows 9 or Ace and the player have 2-2, 3-3, 6-6 or 7-7 hitting another card is a good move.

Second, in case of hard 4-14 the player should hit no matter the dealer’s card. However, exceptions are situations when the dealer has 4 and 5, while the player has a hard 14 and 6 across player hard 13 or 14. Hard 15+ is a sign to stand, unless the dealer has 7, 8, 9 or Ace and hitting is a good option. Hard hand of 10 or 11 is a good time for doubling, however you should pay attention to the number of cards you have. For example, if you have three cards and a hard 10, it would be the best to hit instead of double. Hard 16 and 17 when the dealer holds Ace should result in player’s surrender.

Finally, soft 12-17 should motivate the player to hit, no matter the dealer’s hand. Same goes if the player has soft 18, while the dealer holds 9 or Ace. To stand is a good move when you have soft 18 and 19. However, it is also important how many cards you hold. In a case of a soft 19 and six card hand you should hit. Soft 17 and 18 across dealer’s 4, 5 or 6 is a sign to double.

Overview

Play Spanish 21 Blackjack

Spanish 21 is a very exciting blackjack variation. There are some rules that make it favorable to the dealer and some that are better for the player. Depending on the rules modifications it can have a low to medium house edge compared to other blackjack games. However, the many bonuses and the Match the Dealer side bet make it very interesting and challenging for the players. Using the optimal playing strategy can increase the player’s chances to win and turn this blackjack variation in a long lasting entertaining experience.