American Blackjack Review – Game Overview
Written By Scott Lawson
Understanding this American Blackjack variant of the popular table game is a fairly simple undertaking as the rules and features are very similar to the standard version as known in both online and land-based casinos around the world. If those details are a mystery to you, never fear: the following American Blackjack review will cover the online game developed by Playtech, including all of its interesting perks and functions. This review will also provide a software analysis of the graphics, audio and playability. It is available to play at numerous different Playtech websites, however, I have also highlighted my recommended casino in the table below for you to consider.
The great news is that this version of the card game has been created by one of the industry’s leading developers, Playtech. The layout of the table is a familiar sight to anyone who has ever been in a land-based casino, as the American Blackjack online version replicates the real thing very well. However, it also provides you with the opportunity to switch from the standard green felt material to one of nine other colours. I find the blue rather dashing, personally.
American Blackjack Strategy Test
Even though the American Blackjack rules are fairly standard, there are often small nuances in each game, that will affect the way you play. That’s why it’s always a good idea to familiarise yourself with the game by playing for free before laying down any real money. There is no downside to trying out the free demo below, as it will make you more comfortable with the layout of the buttons, speed of gameplay and all the options before you make real money wagers. Give it a go!
–To really make sure you’ve wrapped your head around all of the aspects of the game, I’ve outlined some of the main points to understand in the rest of my American Blackjack review. It will help give you peace of mind that every move you make has some form of strategy, leaving only the truly uncontrollable aspects in the hands of fate.
Overview of Rules and Features
The American Blackjack rules state that the game is played with six decks that are reshuffled after each round is complete, though the graphics are misleading here, showing a stack of facedown cards in the shield. Of course, the digital decks don’t need to be shown physically returning to the shoes to be there. Blackjack is considered as any ace plus a ten-value card, regardless of which one. If those aren’t your cards, then the traditional objective applies here – you want your hand to add up to a number closer to 21 than the dealer’s hand. Though you can see one of the dealer’s cards, the other remains a mystery while hands are dealt. If your cards add up to 21 and the dealer gets blackjack, you will lose your wager. If the dealer’s face card is an Ace – and therefore blackjack is likely – you can put an insurance bet to protect your hand. Then, if the dealer does have the winning combination of an ace and a 10, you get your insurance back at 2:1 odds. If not, bye bye bet.
- RTP:99.53%
- Blackjack Pays:3:2
- Decks:6
- Multi-Hand:Yes
- Insurance:Yes
- Surrender:No
- Split:Yes
- Re-Split:No
- Hit Split Aces:No
- Double:Yes
- Double After Split:Yes
- Dealer Peek:No
- Dealer Hits Soft 17:No
- Side Bets:No
If you are in luck and find yourself the optimal combination, it will pay out at odds of 3:2, or one-and-a-half times your original bet. When adding up your cards, an ace can count as a one or an eleven, whichever you like. If you think an additional card would be beneficial, you can click hit and the dealer will obey. The dealer themselves must hit on anything below 16, and will stand on a soft or hard 17. This American Blackjack online version also offers a 10-card Charlie rule, which means that the player has a total of 10 cards in hand without going bust – this will be a winning hand regardless of the number total (unless the dealer has blackjack). The theoretical return to player (RTP) percentage is up there at 99.53%, so the odds are looking pretty good overall.
Play American Blackjack Online
This is about as classic as it gets for video table games, offering a recognisable layout, no fancy rules or confusing side bets to consider. If you’ve had a careful read of this American Blackjack review and a play of the demo above, you can click through the button below, which will take you to one of my top blackjack casinos – don’t forget to take advantage of the welcome bonus if you’re into that sort of thing, too.