A Beginners Guide to Play Blackjack Switch

Are you tired of playing classic Blackjack?

Do you yearn for a Blackjack variant with something different?

If you answered yes to these questions, the beginners guide to play Blackjack Switch is for you. While admittedly, Blackjack Switch offers similar rules as a classic table game that popular in trusted online casino Singapore, there are still some differences that should pique your interest. This post lets you in on how this Blackjack variant is played in an online casino, including useful switching strategies to enhance your gameplay and help you make a profit.

What’s the difference between Blackjack Switch and Classic Blackjack?

Blackjack Switch is a variant of the classic table game that punters can play online. It is typically played with either 6 or 8 decks of cards. The Switch game cards are usually dealt face up, while the House edge for a 6 deck game is around 0.58%. The dealer in a game ‘Hits’ on a soft 17, although there are a few exceptions to this rule.

This game starts you off with a minimum of two player hands instead of one hand, which is synonymous with a classic game. Also, you can switch any two cards from one hand to any couple of cards in your other hand. For example, if you have an Ace and 5 in one hand and a 10 and 5 on the other hand. You can switch the 10 in your second hand for the 5 in your first hand. It leaves you with a Blackjack (Ace plus 10) hand while your other hand has two 5s.

The dealer has a hand with card values adding up to 22. There will be no bust like in a typical classic Blackjack. In this scenario, the dealer’s 22 hand will tie with the hand of every player of the game. The exception to this rule is if a player has a hand with a natural Blackjack. Another difference lies in the payout ratio. With a classic game, the payout ratio is 3 to 2 (3:2), while in a typical Blackjack Switch game, the payout is 1 to 1 (1:1). 

Where did the Blackjack Switch Game Originate from? 

It may interest you to know that Blackjack Switch is not a new variant of Blackjack. This game has been around for about two decades now. The originator of this game is Geoff Hall, a well-known card counter and professional player.

Over the years and after an infinite number of games later, Mr Hall was fed up with playing the single-hand system of a classic game. His main concern was the lack of options for improving a weak hand. He then decided to reinvent the classic game by introducing Blackjack Switch. 

Blackjack Switch would make a debut in Las Vegas during the G2E conference at the turn of the millennium. However, it didn’t take long before the public could enjoy playing this new version of Blackjack. By 2001, punters in Iowa would first play Blackjack Switch when it was introduced to the brick and mortar casino known as Harvey’s Casino. 

Geoff Hall himself will modify the game, and by 2003 he included a new rule known as – ‘push on 22’. This exciting new rule would be patented by Mr Hall six years after he introduced it. Today Blackjack Switch is played by novice and experienced players in both online and land-based casinos.     

Learn the Rules of Blackjack Switch

As mentioned earlier, the rules of Blackjack Switch are similar to any standard table game. However, you must know how different the gameplay is compared to a regular game before playing with real money. 

Here are some rules worth noting:

Player Rules:

• As a player, you have to place a wager on each of your two hands. You cannot simply wager; on the one hand, you must place the same betting sum on both hands. For example, if you place a USD 20 bet on the first hand, you must also place a USD 20 bet on your second hand. 

• As a player, you can split as many as four hands. Splitting is a rule in a typical classic game, but there are some variants where this rule is non-existent. Nevertheless, with Blackjack Switch, you can Split your two hands into four hands. 

• After you have switched cards, you are allowed to double your wager if you want. You can also Double on any one of the two hands available to you. 

• Note that after you switch cards and earn a Blackjack, the game you make is not a natural game and therefore, it is simply counted as a value of 21. 

• A natural Blackjack will defeat a 21 in a Switch game.

• You will earn an even money payout of ratio 1 to 1 (1:1) with a Blackjack that wins a round.  

Dealer Rules:

A dealer with a combined card value of 22 will not bust, but instead, the 22 will push against a player’s 21 hand or less. You can defeat a dealer in this scenario with a natural Blackjack.

• A dealer with a 10 or ace as an up card can apply the peek rule. The dealer will peek at the hole card. With a natural Blackjack, the dealer will win the round. However, if you have a natural Blackjack, the game will end up in a push. It will result in you getting back your wagered sum.

How to use Blackjack Switch Strategy in Gameplay?

As a novice of Blackjack Switch, it is not uncommon to switch cards between hands to make up a 21, resulting in a push, and you get your betting sum back. It is not a bad strategy to adopt, especially as an upstart. However, where you have a natural 21 in one hand but your other hand is weak, the optimal strategy here could be to switch between hands. But note that your decision to split a natural 21 will depend on the dealer’s up card.

If you have a hand with a soft 14, you can improve this hand when you draw a new card. Also, if you draw a 6, you will improve your hand, which becomes 20 and can stand firmly against the dealer if the dealer’s up card is between 6 and 9.  

In Conclusion

As a beginner, you can start playing Blackjack Switch as the rules are simple and easy to understand. Also, it offers a low house edge of 0.58%, which motivates many punters to play this Blackjack variant. However, note that in Blackjack Switch, the House edge will increase if you decide to play side bets, so you can mould your basic strategy such as blackjack card counting and the switch decision accordingly.