Pontoon: 21 Fun
Online blackjack is by far one of the most popular casino games online today. And rightly so, for aside from being one of the most easily accessible games for the widest audience, it is also fast paced and exciting. The online blackjack variations you can find on all your favorite casino sites is simply staggering. There is no doubt that one of these blackjack game variations will appeal to your personal tastes and inspire you to master your chosen version of online blackjack. Pontoon blackjack, developed in Britain and France, has been around for a very long time, and although it has many similarities to a traditional blackjack game, there are also some important differences that completely alter the strategy of play.Rules of Pontoon Online Blackjack
Just like in a standard blackjack game, the most fundamental goal of pontoon is to try to reach 21, or at least as close as possible, without going over. The game is played with 2 - 8 players, with the ideal being somewhere between 5 - 8 players. There is a rotating banker initially chosen by drawing for the high card. This banker is also the dealer for the specific hand. The blackjack game begins with the banker deals everyone, including himself, 1 card face down. Then all the players, except for the banker, look at their card and place their initial bets, at which point the dealer deals a second card also face down. All cards have the same values as standard blackjack. Now the players look at both their cards and can decide how to proceed. If the player has pontoon, a natural 21, with the two cards, as long as the banker doesn't have it as well, he gets paid a double stake plus his wager back. This is obviously the best hand in pontoon. The next best hand is a five card trick. With this hand, the player asks for an additional 3 cards and still does not reach 21. Interestingly, in pontoon, a five card trick beats a 3 or 4 card trick even if they total 21 and the five card doesn't. A five card trick also pays a double stake at the end of the hand.Pontoon Actions
There are few options in pontoon for how to proceed after the initial 2 cards are dealt and he is not dealt pontoon. He can say, "I'll buy one" and he pays an additional bet for another card. Alternatively, he can say, "Twist me one" and get another card for free. The player can continue with either option until he chooses to stick or busts out by going over 21. Lastly, the player can split if his first two cards are identical.How to Win in Pontoon Online Blackjack
After all the players have had their turns, the banker takes his. He flips over his two cards and decides if he wants more cards or not, trying to get as close to 21 without going over. If the banker busts, all players automatically get their winnings. If he doesn't bust, when the banker decides to stop adding more cares to his hand, everyone flips over their cards to see who has the higher hand, the players of the banker. If a player is dealt a pontoon that hand, he then becomes the next banker, otherwise, the deck moves to the left for the next hand.Blackjack News
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