Even though blackjack is fun to be played with its classic rules, there are also plenty of variations that can make the gameplay more gripping and worthy of your time and bets. One very exciting variant of the classic game is Spanish 21 which is played very similar to the classic table game but definitely has its own specifics.
If you wish to make your blackjack betting different and more exciting, you can try Spanish 21. The rules of the game are not that different and you would have an easy time grasping all the special options you can utilize.
The Objective and Rules on Spanish 21
Like in every blackjack variation, the main objective of players is to beat the dealer by getting closer to the total of 21, without going bust. In addition to the base game, however, on Spanish 21, players can make a side bet which will award special payouts to those who are lucky enough to win the additional bet. There are also some specific hands that will reward players with great payouts which is another reason to enjoy playing Spanish 21.
The game is usually played with six to eight Spanish decks which are comprised of 48 cards, excluding the 10s. While this might be seen as a disadvantage for players, there are actually some specific rules which improve their winning chances. One of these rules is that whenever both the player and the dealer have 21, this ends up being a win for the player.
Since the game has variable rules, the dealer may stand or hit on soft 17. There are variations of Spanish 21 which will allow players to split up to three times, allowing them to bet on up to four hands. There is also the option for a late surrender after the first two cards are dealt. After a split, players will also have the chance to double down. Unlike other variants where players can draw only one card after splitting Aces when playing Spanish 21, you can draw several cards after they have split Aces.
In addition to the usual blackjack payout of 3 to 2, players also will enjoy special payouts for combinations like 6-7-8 or a five-card 21.
Match The Dealer Side Bet
One very interesting thing about Spanish 21 is that it allows players to make a special side bet called Match the Dealer. This is actually a rather common side bet in many blackjack variations. It allows players to wager money on their initial two cards matching the face-up card of the dealer. The payout that one would enjoy if he/she wins this bet depends on the number of decks used in the game.
If you are playing with six decks, then an unsuited match will award a payout of 4 to 1. If you switch to a version with eight decks, the payout will be 3 to 1. If your match happens to be of the same suit, however, you will enjoy higher payouts of 9 to 1 on a six-deck game and 12 to 1 on an eight-deck variation.
Tips to Follow When Playing Spanish 21
If you wish to improve your Spanish 21 gameplay, then there are a few tips you can follow. There is a separate strategy chart on this exact variation of the game that one can easily find online. If you want to optimize your winning chances, make sure you are following the right type of strategy rather than using a chart that applies to the classic blackjack game.
While the bonus payouts of Super 21 sound pretty tempting, do not lose your focus and draw just to form one of the special-paying hands. It is better to concentrate on the regular blackjack game and attempt to beat the dealer.
Since the game allows a late surrender, many players tend to overuse this option. The truth is that it is not that profitable to always use this offer and there are actually only a few instances when surrendering is a good tactic.
The fact that there are fewer cards with the value of 10 in the decks of the game is not always disadvantageous for players. In fact, this change means that there is a smaller risk of going bust when drawing more cards which changes the way players may act when playing Spanish 21. This is why drawing more cards is not necessarily a bad thing in this game.
As it was mentioned earlier, Spanish 21 offers a wonderful side bet which is Match the Dealer. And while this betting option may sound very good, players are not advised to resort to doing this type of wager too often. It is true that there are several ways to win this bet and the payouts are not too shabby but the truth is, the house edge of this side bet is very high and gives players a small chance to enjoy a fruitful outcome. In the six-deck version of Spanish 21, the Match the Dealer bet has a house edge of 3.99%, while the eight-deck variant gives the Match the Dealer bet a house advantage of 3.06%. This clearly shows, that avoiding this bet, gives players much better chances of enjoying a profitable outcome.