Difference Between Blackjack And Spanish 21

The Deck In Spanish 21. The biggest difference between Spanish 21 and standard blackjack is the deck. While most blackjack-style games still use a 52-card deck, Spanish 21 uses a 48-card deck (the four tens are removed). While taking out the tens gives an advantage to the house, numerous other rules are in place to benefit the player.

To the average person there is only one game, “blackjack”, and they are often surprised to learn there are variations on it besides the alternate name of “21”. Casinos offer different rules for gambling games for many reasons, but the two most common are to ensure the players feel like they have good choices and sometimes to give the house a slightly better edge. Blackjack is widely considered to be the most player-friendly game offered by casinos because the odds favor the house by only 1 per cent. Because Spanish 21 uses somewhat different rules from standard blackjack, the chances of winning the game are different. Here is a brief explanation of how Spanish 21 differs from normal blackjack.

How Spanish 21 Differs from Blackjack: the Cards

You play Spanish 21 on the same table as you play normal blackjack. You, the player, have more options in this game than you find in standard blackjack. However, to maintain their advantage the casinos remove the four “10” cards from each deck, thus changing the odds of anyone getting a high-value card (including the dealer, but remember the rules already favor the house). These 48-card decks are called “Spanish Decks” so that everyone knows the game is Spanish 21.

Normally you have 16 high-value cards per deck. In Spanish 21 you only have 12 high-value cards. If you count cards then you have to take that change into consideration, and this does throw some people off at first.

How Spanish 21 Differs from Blackjack: the Rules

As with any game offered by a casino, the rules may vary from one location to another. The following rules are considered the basic set for Spanish 21. When you play this game be sure you understand what the house rules are as they may differ slightly from what you find here:

Dealer Gets a Hole Card: The dealer deals both his cards and peaks at the face down card. If he has a blackjack he turns it up and declares it before play begins.
Player Blackjack Wins Over Dealer Blackjack: Spanish 21 pays 3-to-2 when both the dealer and the player are dealt a blackjack (Ace and face card). In the standard game this would be a push, where the player keeps his bet (and his dignity).
Player 21 Always Wins: In standard blackjack the house wins if the dealer reached 21 with fewer cards than the player. In Spanish 21 the player always wins if both the dealer and the player reach 21. This is a pretty nice touch.
Late Surrender: If you want to cut your losses short, and if the dealer does not have a blackjack (21), you can surrender half your bet and leave the table. You are not allowed to continue playing on a late surrender.
Player May Double on Any Number of Cards: In standard blackjack you can double down (double your bet) only after you are dealt two cards and then you only receive one more card. In Spanish 21 you can double down after the second card or later. In fact, you can double down, take a card, double down, take a card …
Re-split Aces: Say you are dealt two Ace cards. You have the option of splitting them into two hands. In standard blackjack you stop there. But in the rare event that you are dealt one or two more Aces you can split again in Spanish 21.
Double After Split: When you are dealt two cards of the same value you can split them to create two hands and then you can double your bet after you split the cards. Keep in mind that your odds of improving a split have changed before of the four lost “10” cards.
Surrender after Double: If you double down and then change your mind you can surrender. The dealer takes your original bet but you keep the double portion. This is sometimes called a “double down rescue”.

How Spanish 21 Differs from Blackjack: Dealer Rule

If the dealer has a soft 17 (one of the cards is an Ace) he usually has to hit rather than stand. The odds favor the house with this rule better than in standard blackjack, where the dealer stands on 17.

Players can place a side bet on matching the dealer’s cards. The payouts vary based on how many decks are in the shoe (usually 6 or 8), with the better odds paid against the smaller number of decks. Players can bet on matching the dealer’s face up card and/or (in some casinos) on matching both the dealer’s cards.

How Spanish 21 Differs from Blackjack: The House Edge

In standard blackjack the house edge is 1%. In Spanish 21 it can run up to 3%, so the casino will definitely make more money from this game than from standard blackjack. Still, if you understand the game and play well you can enjoy some pretty nice payoffs compared to the standard game.

How Spanish 21 Differs from Blackjack: Payouts

Most of the payouts in Spanish 21 are quite similar to those of standard blackjack with the following exceptions.

If you do NOT double or split: Five-card 21 pays 3 to 2, six-card 21 pays 2 to 1, and seven or more card 21 pays 3 to 1.
Mixed suited 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 pays 3 to 2. Most casinos disallow this after doubling or splitting.
6-7-8 or 7-7-7 of the same suit pays 2 to 1. Most casinos disallow this after doubling or splitting.
6-7-8 or 7-7-7 of spades pays 3 to 1. Most casinos disallow this after doubling or splitting.
Before you double or split, when the dealer is showing a 7 card face up any suited 7-7-7 pays the player $1000 for bets of $5-$24 and $5000 for bets of $25 or over. All other players at the table receive a $50 “envy bonus.”

Spanish 21 is the harder game to learn and play because it is more complicated than standard blackjack. It’s a good game to progress up to if you feel less challenged by the usual blackjack games. But if you would still like to try it out, then exercise strong self-control and just play with small bets for at least a few games until you become comfortable with the rules, the options, and the odds. You will find that some of the best strategies in standard blackjack are good to use in Spanish 21, but when you are counting cards those low cards will throw you off because they can be very valuable in Spanish 21.

Difference Between Blackjack And Spanish 21 And 3

Spanish 21 is a casino game that is based on the classic game of blackjack, but has several different rules and exciting twists. The game is played with only 48 cards and the removal of the tens provides the house with an increased edge. This fact is compensated with additional bonus advantages and alternative rules with which the player can gain back the advantage.

Spanish 21 is essentially a table game which has experienced a growth in popularity in the recent decade. It was formally introduced to Las Vegas casinos seven years ago and these days, most casinos will boast one or two Spanish 21 tables. The online version of the game is even newer, only having hit the scene a few years ago, and is yet to be completely standardized.

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Difference Between Blackjack And Spanish 21 And 2

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