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All About the Game Spanish 21

 

Blackjack is one of the games that is treated best in an online casino environment. That is because there are so many great variations to choose from. One of the variations that add a lot of spice to the game is Spanish 21, which is available at many casinos and associated with the larger casino software developers. Spanish 21 works a little like conventional blackjack except that there are a few rules differences and a lot of bonus payouts. By and large, you get something and you give a little back, which is the case with many of these blackjack variations.

A nice feature of Spanish 21 is that you will always beat a dealer's blackjack with your own blackjack, and you will always win a tie with your own 21 against a dealer's 21. You can also get something called "Double Down Rescue," where you can take back half you bet if you are not satisfied with the result after you have doubled and you have not busted yet. Surrender is offered, and pairs that are of equal value can be split up to four times.

There are a number of different bonus payouts that you can take advantage of. A five-card 21 will pay off at 3-to-2. A six-card 21 yields 2-to-1 odds. If you get a seven-card 21 (admittedly a rare occurrence) you will be paid at a rate of 7-to-1. You can get paid on mini-straights too; a 6-7-8 of mixed suits pays 3-to-2. When the 6-7-8 is suited it pays double, and the spaded 6-7-8 combination pays triple (3-to-1). The same dynamic applies to three sevens (7-7-7).

There is a "Match the Dealer" option as well. You can make a side wager that either or both of the cards you are dealt are going to match the dealer's upcard. There is a specially-designated place on the table to make this bet. The payoffs are as follows:

  • One Non-Suited Match: 3-1
  • Two Non-Suited Matches: 6-1
  • One Suited Match: 12-1
  • One Non-Suited and One Suited Match: 15-1
  • Two Suited Matches: 24-1

One thing you will have to keep in mind about Spanish 21 is that all of the tens (10's) have been removed, and that means there are four cards out of the deck that you could use to your advantage. You will have less opportunity to win on doubling or splits, for example.

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