European Blackjack is a double deck blackjack game, meaning only 2 decks are used to deal the cards - this results in a great player advantage as you have the ability to take notes and "count the cards" as you play online. There are no time limits and nobody looking over your shoulder! The dealer stands at soft 17, meaning it does not take any more cards when its hand totals 17, this also gives the player an advantage and allows you to play perfect strategy. Basically, when you play European Blackjack, you can play exactly folllowing a blackjack strategy chart. This is a guide to play perfect strategy and not changing your play "as you feel it" Of Course it is recommended that you play as you feel, but only after you under stand basic strategy.
The basics of blackjack are as follows:
- Hit: Another card from the dealer.
- Stand: Take no more cards from the dealer.
- Double down (This varies from casino to casino and the type of blackjack variation you play. Visit an online blackjack site to see all the different types of software and blackjack variations of the game that are availible to play.):
- The player is allowed to increase the initial bet by up to 100% in exchange for committing to stand usually after receiving one more card. Some blackjack games do not permit the player to increase the bet by amounts other than 100%.
- Split (only available on first cards dealt): If the first two cards have the same value, the player can split them into two hands. The dealer will then separate the two cards and draws a further card on each. The player then plays out the two separate hands in turn, posibbly with some restrictions, depending on the type of blackjack variation you are playing. Doubling and further splitting of post-split hands may be restricted, and blackjacks after a split are counted as non-blackjack 21 when comparing against the dealer's hand.
- Surrender (only availible on the first 2 cards dealt) Some games offer the option to "surrender", usually in hole card games and after the dealer has a natural blackjack. When the player surrenders, the house takes half the player's bet and returns the other half.
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