Spanish Blackjack Review – An Interesting Blackjack Variant from Microgaming
Spanish Blackjack is a unique blackjack variation developed by Microgaming that is available as a standard single-hand game, in which you can play up to 5 hands per round. The interesting thing about the game is that you have 8 decks from which all 10 cards have been removed, so each deck is 48 cards. There is also a special set of Bonus 21 hands that pay extra, in addition to surrender and double down rescue options. Interested to learn more about Spanish Blackjack? If so, keep on reading for more details.
- Low House Edge
- Special Rules & Bonuses
- Sleek Graphics
- Licensed by:
- UK Gambling Commission
- #39372
- Accepted Payment Methods:
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Paypal
- Skrill
- Paysafecard
- Neteller
In this review, we’ll explain to you the essential rules of Spanish Blackjack and will provide you with a demo version of the game so that you can test it by yourself. We’ll also talk about the game special features, side bets and house edge. Then, we’ll discuss the winning strategies for the game and will make a final overview.
A Closer Look at the Rules
Spanish Blackjack is played with 8 unique decks of 48 cards from which the 10 cards are taken away. Bets are in the range of £1 and £200 and are placed in single hand mode only. The aim of the game is to beat the dealer’s hand by getting a higher value hand, without exceeding 21, or by the dealer’s hand going bust, which means that his hand exceeds a total value of 21. The dealer is dealt two cards, one face-up and one face-down. The dealer peeks for blackjack when dealt an Ace or a card with a value of 10 and hits on soft 17. The game allows the player’s blackjack to defeat the 21 of the dealer.
Another thing in which this game differs is the opportunity to double down the wager after the split. The player can double the stake on any quantity of cards. You can repeat doubling down only for one time and can split your hand three times. The player can split different ten-valued cards. Several cards can be added to the split Aces. The player can take the Insurance when the upcard of the dealer is the Ace.
The payouts in Spanish Blackjack are similar to the standard blackjack game, but certain hand combinations can give high payoffs. Exactly the many bonuses make the game so unique and thrilling. For example, three sevens of the same suit when the dealer has a seven face-up pays 50:1, while 5-card 21 pays 3:2 and six, seven and eight of a mixed suits pays 3:2. For detailed information on all payouts visit the game rule section in the upper left corner of the screen.
Some of the most advantageous rules in Spanish Blackjack are that a player 21 always wins and player blackjack beats dealer blackjack. Another advantage is that Spanish Blackjack has a lower house edge than blackjack. Also, the game offers beneficial options for the player to escape or reduce the risk of poor hand situations by using the surrender or the double down rescue options. The few drawbacks are the missing 10s and the lack of multi-hand bets.
The House Edge and the Side Bets
In Spanish Blackjack by Microgaming with eight decks and the dealer standing on soft 17, the house edge is 0.38%. Hitting on soft 17 increases the house edge to 0.80. This blackjack variation allows the player to surrender.
The game offers a side bet known as Match the Dealer. The idea is the player’s cards to match the dealer’s face-up card. For example, if the dealer has a 9 of diamond, the player should also have 9 of diamond, 9 of any kind or a total card amount of 9 to win the side bet. The payout is 3:1. Besides, a perfect match or rank pays 9:1/12:1. Furthermore, if the player has 9 of diamonds and 9 of spades, he will get two bonuses.
The Winning Strategy
Insurance is not recommended in Spanish Blackjack. The strategy shown in the below chart will help you lower the house edge to 0.38% or even a bit less with card counting. This strategy was developed by Jeff Wu, who is a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology (ISyE) and the Coca-Cola chair in Engineering Statistics. According to this strategy, you must hit when you have 16 or 17 with three or more cards against the dealer’s Ace, which may look a little strange to you. However, the strategy is correct, and you need to completely follow it if you want to have the best odds. The optimal strategy in Spanish Blackjack is strongly affected by the lack of 10s and the special rules and bonuses. For that reason, a standard blackjack basic strategy chart would not be effective for a game of Spanish Blackjack.
Take in mind, however, that strategy charts can only help you. Depending on the luck of the draw, sometimes you may be dealt with a series of losing hands. So, it is crucial to play responsibly and ensure that you manage your bankroll effectively.
Try Spanish Blackjack for Real Money
To sum up, Spanish Blackjack by Microgaming is a fascinating blackjack variation. The game has a low house edge compared to other blackjack games. The unique options and bonus payouts, in addition to the Match the Dealer side bet, make the game very interesting and challenging for the players. For those who have never played blackjack before, probably it would be better to try first the standard blackjack game. Trying to understand all the special rules and take advantage of them can make the game more complicated. It would be better to learn the correct strategies for traditional blackjack first before moving to any of its variations. However, if you are intrigued by the game and want to play for real money, visit Ladbrokes Casino, our top recommendation to play Spanish Blackjack.