NEVADA RULES
The Las Vegas Strip rules are advantageous to the player and give one a slight edge on the single-deck game if our strategies are followed. The rule exceptions noted in Downtown Las Vegas and in Northern Nevada games are slightly disadvantageous to the player, but these can easily be overcome by using the winning techniques presented later.
LAS VEGAS STRIP RULES
- Dealer must draw on all totals of 16 or less, and stand on all totals of 17-21.
- Player may take insurance on a dealer’s ace. Insurance payoffs are 2 to 1.
- Player receives a 3 to 2 payoff on his blackjack. * Player may double down on any initial two card combination.
- Identical pairs may be split, resplit, and drawn to as desired with the exception of split aces, on which the player is allowed only one hit on each ace. One, two, four and bigger deck games are standard
ATLANTIC CITY RULES
The New Jersey Casino Control Commission regulates the rules and variations of the casinos under its jurisdiction. Atlantic City casinos must abide by the following guidelines:
- Dealer must draw to all totals 16 or less and stand on all totals of 17-21.
- Many casinos now offer games where the dealer has to draw on soft 17.
- A player may take insurance on a dealer’s ace. Insurance payoffs are 2 to 1.
- The Player receives a 3 to 2 payoff on his blackjack. *
- A player may double on any initial two-card combination. Identical pairs may be resplit. Doubling after splitting allowed.
- Four, six, and eight decks are standard. One-deck games are occasionally offered.
EUROPEAN RULES
Blackjack is offered in numerous countries around Europe with the rules and variations changing slightly from place to place. However, the following conditions apply in a good many of these places.
- Dealer must draw to all totals 16 or less, and stand on all totals of 17-21.
- A player may take insurance on a dealer’s ace.
- Insurance payoffs are 2 to 1.
- The Player receives a 3 to 2 payoff on his blackjack.
- Doubling down on 9-11 only
- Standees permitted
- No-hole-card rule
- 4-6 decks standard
- If player draws a 2 on an A8 double down hand, total counts as 11, not 21
RULES AROUND THE WORLD
Bahamas • Caribbean • Europe • Southern Africa • Asia South America • Other Locations The general blackjack variations we presented for the European Rules, above, are the most prevalent style of rules you’ll find in casinos around the world. Sometimes you may find double after split permitted as in Great Britain, southern Africa, many European casinos and other places. In Asian and Caribbean casinos, surrender is often allowed. It’s always a good idea to learn the particular rules of a game before playing so you know what you’re up against and how best to play your hands.
Lastly Comment
Note that single-deck blackjack is hard to find outside the Nevada casinos. Multiple-deck blackjack is the predominant style of play in casinos around the world and the type of game you’ll most likely face when you take on the casinos at blackjack. However, no matter where you play, the game of blackjack is basically the same give or take some minor options, and we’ll show you how to win against any variation.
