Face Up 21
Face Up 21 is a blackjack variation spread on Real Time Gaming online casino platforms. All Real Time Gaming sites offer Face Up 21. The minimum bet is usually $1, while the max is $200. Face Up 21 uses eight decks and like most online blackjack games, it reshuffles after every hand.
Face Up 21 is a great game for players just learning blackjack. The strategy makes sense from a beginner’s point of view and it teaches players all of the rules of a normal blackjack game without having to make complex decisions. The house edge is relatively low compared to other blackjack variants.
Face Up 21 starts out just like any other online blackjack game. Players place a wager and click the deal button. The player and dealer are both dealt two cards. The difference between Face Up 21 and traditional blackjack is that both of the dealer’s hole cards are exposed. This is why the game is often called Double Exposure Blackjack in live casinos.
Number cards are worth face value. Aces count as 1 or 11, depending on which value is more beneficial to the hand. Jacks, queens and kings are worth 10 points.
The ability to see both of the dealer’s cards is a huge player advantage. There are some rules that offset this.
A natural blackjack is paid just even money. It always wins, even if the dealer is also dealt a blackjack.
The house wins all ties that are not blackjacks. If the dealer is showing a 17 or higher, the player must hit until he can beat the dealer or the hand busts. A player that stands on 17 or higher when the dealer has a better hand will automatically lose so there is no other choice but try to hit that little card hoping it does not bust over 21.
The dealer hits soft 17. Players may only double down on 9, 10 and 11. Double down after splitting is not allowed. Pairs may only be split once. Split aces receive just one card. Surrender is not available.
Strategy Changes for Face Up 21 versus Standard Blackjack
There are several strategy deviations from normal blackjack that go beyond trying to beat a made hand. These all apply to dealer hands that need to draw to make a hand of 17 or higher. All of the dealer hands below refer to hard hands, meaning the dealer is not showing an ace as one or both of its two cards.
- Double 5, 6, and 7 when the dealer is showing a 14, 15, or 16
- Double 8, 9, 10, and 11 when the dealer is showing 12-16
- Double 9 against a dealer 5 or 6
- Double 10 against 4-8
- Double 11 against 4-9
- Split all pairs except 5’s against 12-16, except for 10’s against 12
- Don’t split aces against 11
- Split all pairs except 4’s, 5’s and 10’s against 4, 5, and 6
Real Time Gaming Face Up 21 has a house edge of .98%.