21st Century Blackjack
Blackjack has long been a favorite game among poker players, but that doesn’t mean that a classic can’t be improved upon – and that is just what many California cardrooms have done by introducing 21st Century Blackjack. 21st Century BlackJack offers all the same thrills as a traditional game of Blackjack while offering a few additional twists.
The Object of 21st Century Blackjack
Just as with the traditional game of Blackjack, the goal in 21st Century Blackjack is to get hand that is higher than the dealer’s hand. Unlike traditional Black Jack, however, you have to concern yourself with the “Natural” hand in 21st Century Black Jack. You don’t want to go over a Natural, which is a hand that consists of either a Joker and Joker or a Joker and an Ace. If you get a Natural, your hand beats all other hands and it pays out 2 to 1. The next best hand below the Natural is a hand of 21.
Playing 21st Century Black Jack
Playing 21st Century Blackjack is actually quite simple. First, every player at the table receives two face up cards. The dealer, however, gets one face up card and one face down card.
After the initial deal, all players have the option of taking on additional cards. After the dealer draws, he has to act on his hand. If the dealer has a Hard 17 or More, he must stand. If he had a Soft 17 or Les, on the other hand, he must hit. The second card, which is the face down card, is the one that determines what is referred to as the “Action” spot. This is also where payouts to the players begin. If this second card is an Ace, for example, the Action goes to the seat that is directly to the dealer’s left side. The Action then moves clockwise around the table. If the second card is a 2, on the other hand, the Acton goes to the second seat to the left of the dealer.
Card Values
Valuing the cards in 21st Century Blackjack is quite simple because all of the cards are worth their face value. All face cards are worth 10 and the ace is worth either 1 or 11.
The joker, on the other hand, is considered a “Wild” card, which means it can be any value the player chooses it to be. Eight standard fifty-two card decks are used to play the game, with each deck having one joker.
Winning 21st Century Blackjack
There are many ways for players to win 21st Century Black Jack or to get back their bet. Getting a Natural or less is a win for a player if the dealer has more than a Natural. At the same time, the dealer wins if the player has more than a Natural and the dealer has a Natural or less. If the player and the dealer both have more than a Natural, there are several potential outcomes. If the dealer’s total is closer to the Natural, he wins the hand. If the player’s gets a score that is closer to a Natural, on the other hand, it results in a push. If the player and dealer tie with a score that is higher than a Natural, the dealer wins.
If both the player and dealer have a total that is less than a Natural, the winner is the hand that is closest to the Natural. If the player and the dealer both have less than a Natural and have a tied score, it results in a push. If the dealer’s face up card is a joker, on the other hand, the game is a draw.
Read about a variety of blackjack games and know the rules when you play at your local casino or when you play online blackjack.