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Today, multi deck blackjack has become a staple in the gambling world. If you want to play the game, you should know its rules and inner workings. Besides explaining how the game works, the following guide provides helpful advice and tricks to boost the winning odds.
Multi Deck Blackjack Rules
If you have any experience with blackjack, you know that the rules are nearly the same as in the single-deck version. The dealer gives you two cards — one is the upcard, and the other is called the hole card (turned face down). The goal is to have a total of 21 to beat the dealer.
That said, several elements might vary depending on the number of decks in the game. Remember that the rules can also differ from one game provider or casino to another.
Here’s an overview of the rules for classic blackjack played with four, six, and eight decks:
Four-deck blackjack:
- The player cannot double down or surrender after splitting.
- The hand can be re-split up to three times.
- The dealer doesn’t have to hit on a soft 17.
Six-deck blackjack:
- Players can’t re-split or surrender in this variation.
- Players can double down after the first split.
- The dealer isn’t required to hit on a soft 17.
Eight-deck blackjack
- Players can split up to three times.
- Doubling down is possible on any two cards.
- Once again, the dealer doesn’t have to hit on a soft 17.
However, other multi-deck blackjack versions enforce different rules. For instance, Spanish 21 uses eight decks and requires dealers to hit on a soft 17. At the same time, you cannot re-split the hand, making it more challenging to reach a blackjack.
How to Play Multi-Deck Blackjack: Tips and Tricks
The first thing to do before playing multi-deck blackjack (or any other version) is to create an effective strategy. If you’re a beginner, you might want to check out the strategy charts that predict the best move for each hand. You can apply the charts to your hand’s total and the dealer’s up card, creating more winning options.
As you gain more experience, you won’t rely on charts much, so you can implement your own strategy. Here are some tips to help guide you in the right direction:
Never bet more than you can afford to lose.
Always split aces and eights.
Never split tens and fives.
Double on a hard ten if a dealer shows an ace or a ten.
Always hit on a hard 11.
Double on a soft 15 or 16 if the dealer’s upcard is a four, five, or six.
Card counting is more difficult with multiple decks, so do it only if you’re confident you can follow through.
Should You Play Multi-Deck Blackjack
Multi-deck blackjack has become a more popular variant than its single-deck counterpart. You can easily find multi-deck variations in many brick-and-mortar and online casinos. However, you should remember that the house edge grows as you add more decks to the game, meaning the winning odds go down.
As you can see, multi-hand blackjack is better for players with more experience. It also has advantages, like doubling down on any two cards or surrendering in different instances. Therefore, playing multi-deck blackjack has its perks. You must know the game and rules inside out to maximize the winning potential.
Multi Deck Blackjack Strategy Charts
Multi vs. Single Deck Blackjack
Single-deck blackjack is often referred to as the holy grail of blackjack because of its favorable odds and low house edge (0.15%). As soon as you add another deck, it becomes multi-deck blackjack, and the house edge changes, going up to 0.65% or higher, depending on the variant.
However, the insurance bet has a higher house edge in single-deck blackjack (5.9% compared to 5.8% in multi-deck blackjack).
Single-deck blackjack gives players more opportunities to double down, as there are fewer cards with a value of 10. In the multi-deck version, it’s better to hit if the dealer hits his blackjack and the hand is tied.
Lastly, card counting is more challenging in multi-deck variants due to the number of cards in play. If you’re playing multi-deck blackjack online, forget about counting cards. Many game providers use software that shuffles cards after each hand is dealt.
Conclusion
Although multi-deck blackjack is more popular than the single-deck variant, it creates a more complex gambling environment. Single-deck blackjack is more advantageous for players, but playing blackjack with more decks provides more betting options and adds new layers of excitement.
We’d suggest practicing on single-deck blackjack and adding decks as you gain more experience and create your own strategy.
Worry not — you’ll have plenty of options, whether you play in a land-based or online casino.
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