21 Blackjack Rules: How To Play, Payouts, Tips

If you are a fan of card games or just want to delve into this entertainment a bit deeper, here is a game that will impress you both with its easy rules and engaging gameplay: so meet 21 blackjack! 

As you could hear about the classic blackjack, rest assured - these games are similar and you could already hear about the rules before. And if you haven’t yet, don't mind: here comes the guide on how to play this game and its history as well. So get ready!

The History of the Game

The first time people heard about this game was the 17th century and it took place in Spain, so that’s where this entertainment is coming from. In the 18th century, it rose in popularity in France, coming to Germany, Britain and America then. By the way, its name in these locations was «Vingt-Un». 

In fact, the game was developing, while its rules were changing in each country, so today it’s the whole family of games, including Blackjack and Pontoon. 

Interesting to know: Miguel de Cervantes, a great Spanish author who is famous for his «Don Quixote», was a fan of gambling and has described this game in «Rinconete y Cortadillo».

Twenty-One or Blackjack?

As the game comes from Spain and spreads all over the globe then, its rules change. Though sometimes the rules are similar, while the names are different. That’s just the case of 21/blackjack. So actually, when you see any of these games and don’t know what to choose, rest assured - mostly, it’s the same thing and your strategy will do.

Briefly About the Rules

All right, let’s take a look at blackjack 21 rules in general. So if you want to learn more about the game, read about blackjack and its features in detail.

So, this game is usually played with a standard 52-card pack (or 36 as well), though each casino has its own rules and sometimes there are several decks being shuffled together. And as soon as you start the game, your task is to beat the dealer.

How to do that? Well, you count the cards (their value) - 10 for faces cards and 1 or 11 for Aces (it’s always the value that helps the player to win). So blackjack top 3 combinations will be J♥, Q♥, K♥ (don’t care about the suit) + A♥. Though when it’s 10♥ + A♥, the result is the same, you can win even when having the first two cards only, doesn’t matter.

How to Play

First of all, you visit a real-life/Live casino and place a bet. Then you are dealt two cards face down (only you see the cards), while the dealer also has two cards - one is face up and one is face down. Then it’s up to you to make a decision on how to go on your game.

1. Split - when you have a pair and want to start playing for two hands.
2. Stand - you don’t take the additional cards and go on playing with your first two cards.
3. Hit - you go on playing and take an additional card (or several ones, but one at a time).
4. Double down - when the original cards have 9-11 total points (though some rules don’t require a certain number), players can place a bet that is equal to the original one and take only one card then.

Hit or Stand?

Don’t know when to stop and when to go on playing? Well, you can’t know exactly, but still it’s possible to come closer to the good outcome. You have to start from the cards you have already got. When they are of a low value like 2♥ and 4♥ (6), you should definitely hit, while when your cards are K♥ and 8♥ (18), you should better stand. 

Of course, it can be the situation when your opponent has K♥ and 8♥, but he hits and gets 2♥, so he wins. That’s why it’s always a risk and it’s impossible to say exactly what strategy will be good for you.

Besides, you should take into account soft and hard combinations (with Aces or without them), and you can learn more about them when getting acquainted with the tips of blackjack. 

Variations of the Game

One of the things that makes this game stand out is the range of its variations: they are 21 3 blackjack, cara bermain blackjack 21 and several other kinds we are going to describe. So let’s get going!

21 3 Blackjack

Perhaps, you wonder what is 21 3 blackjack? Well, it’s a kind of game that, in fact, has not a lot in common with the classic game. Moreover, it takes a lot from its «brother» - poker. So the rules are the following:

• you are dealt two cards first;
• the dealer also has two cards, but one of them is face up;
• your two cards and the dealer’s one are mixed together (only in mind) so that these 3 cards should make any poker combination.

Now let’s take a look at blackjack 21 3 payouts.

So when it comes to blackjack 21 3, top 3 combinations are Three of a Kind, Straight Flush and Suited Three of a Kind. 

Interesting to know: the games of this type are widely popular among two famous providers - PlayTech and Evolution Gaming, so you can launch these titles at any online casino that works with the following suppliers.

Perfect Pair Blackjack

This is another kind you can enjoy if you are a fan of the games with unusual rules. The game starts as a usual blackjack round, but all players need is to get a couple when getting the first two cards. The payouts are the following:

• 5:1 when the colours of these cards are different (like K♥ and K♣);
• 15:1 when the pair consists of the cards of the same colour (like Q♠ and Q♣);
• 25:1 when you get the matching cards (like A♥ and A♥).

Though this game is not very common, still you can meet it, especially when visiting online casinos.

Interesting Things About the Game

When you learn enough about the gameplay and the rules, take a look at several interesting facts about the game. And here they are!

• Napoleon Bonaparte was fond of playing this game, though he didn’t allow his soldiers to entertain this way.
• The name of the first professional blackjack player who managed to succeed in this game is Eleanore Dumont.
• Barona Resort and Casino is the place where the Blackjack Hall of Fame (yes, this place exists) is located. 
• The first shuffling machine was introduced in 2000. 
• 2,226ft long is the size the biggest 21 blackjack table can boast.
• In Malta, one of Guinness World Records took place - it’s about Stephen de Raffaele, the person who has been dealing cards for 51 hours. 

As for the benefits, this game can boast high RTP, easy rules and the gameplay that is so exciting and striking.

FAQ: Things to Know About 21 Blackjack

All right, now it’s time to sum up and get acquainted with the FAQ to make no more questions left. Here we go!

How to play 21 blackjack?

As well as with the usual blackjack, you play against the dealer. At first, you get two cards and look at their value. Then you think whether to hit or stand, so your goal is to get more points than the dealer does, but not over 21.

What is better: blackjack or 21?

There is no sense in comparing these two kinds, so both of them represent the same game in fact. The difference is just in the name and the history, so the game has been played in many countries, so its rules have also changed since then.

How to win at blackjack?

It’s impossible to use only one strategy to win, but you can count the cards and estimate the value of your cards as well. Moreover, you can learn tips about this game to understand it better.

What is blackjack 21 3 meaning?

It’s a kind of a game that is, in fact, a mixture of blackjack and poker. So you start playing a blackjack game and have to make up a poker combination out of your cards then.

What does the «bust» term mean?

It means that someone (the player or the dealer) gets over 21 points and loses to the opponent this way.