Pontoon Blackjack is an Australian or British version of the popular casino game known as 21. This blackjack variation offers players different house edge, rules as well as an alternative experience.
Another popular version of this game is Malaysian Pontoon. This card game has similar rules to the British version and in this guide, we look at that. If you want to know more about Pontoon blackjack continue reading this guide.
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Pontoon Blackjack Rules
Pontoon rules are similar to those of the traditional game. The premise is simple, you need to beat the dealer by getting a hand that is 21 and does not exceed that. To kick start the game, each player will get two cards face up.
However, the dealer will get dealt cards face-down. When it comes to the rules, although there is a lot that is similar, there are a few differences. You will find differences such as method of play as well as the terms used. Below, our experts list the rules of playing pontoon blackjack:
- If your hand is higher or equals 15, you can stand. Alternatively, if you have a hand that has five cards.
- You are allowed to hit for any hand value but at the end, it should not exceed 21.
- Until they reach a minimum hand value of 17, all dealers should hit.
- You can re-split aces at any point.
- You are only allowed to split on two cards that are the same value.
- After you’ve doubled down, you can hit even. You can do this once with a set of two to four cards.
- You are only allowed once, to double down once you split your hand.
How to Win Pontoon Blackjack
Pontoon blackjack is a game designed to meet the needs of blackjack players. This game become widely popular right after it was introduced to the industry. The game dates back to the 17th century. Spain is the first place the game was first played. Below, our experts discuss how you can play pontoon blackjack:
1. Each player will be dealt two cards face down and at this point the players can start placing their bets.
2. The cards are dealt in a clockwise rotation. At this point, the dealer as well as the dealer are allowed to inspect their cards.
3. The dealer needs to tell all the other players if they get a pontoon. The players will continue to its portion of the player’s bets.
4. Players will now have to improve their hand by buying if the dealer does not receive a pontoon.
5. You win if you achieve pontoon.
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Say for instance you are playing pontoon blackjack for real money and you achieve and overall hand that is less than 21 what do you do? Our experts are here to share this with you. There are a number of options that you have but this depends on the hand you have achieved. We look at them below:
#1 Option: You can stick if you have a hand of 15 or more. What this means is that you can stop playing. The game will move on to the next player and you can keep your bet for that particular round. You win if your hand is higher than the dealer’s hand.
#2 Option: You are allowed to twist if you have a hand that is below 21. At this point, you will be dealt another card facing up. You are allowed to request another two cards at most if the cards you are dealt are still under 21. A five-card pontoon has been achieved, if still the five cards are equal to 21 or under.
#3 Option: There’s an option to buy more cards if you have a hand that is less than 21. You are adding more money into your initial bet when you buy more cards. Moreover, your payout ratio changes automatically if you win. You can increase your stake and buy another card hand if you are still under 21. You can create different hands by separating the cards if you are dealt the same cards in both instances.
Difference Between Pontoon and Blackjack
A noticeable difference between the traditional blackjack and pontoon is that in the latter, your hand is not valid until it is 15 or higher. In this instance, you will not stand on cards valued at 12 or 14. In pontoon blackjack, you will have to continue playing until you reach 15.
Pontoon can be played by a minimum of two players. However, five to eight players are the best number of participants. You can play heads-up against the dealer if the table is empty in pontoon blackjack. In the British version of pontoon, both the dealer’s cards are hidden from the players because they are face-down. This is different from the classic game of blackjack.