Introduction
Blackjack switch is a blackjack variant, which allows the player to do what is normally considered as a classic cheating manoeuver, trading cards between two hands. The player must make two bets of equal size and is allowed to switch the second card dealt to each hand. Of course nothing comes free, a dealer 22 results in a push and blackjacks pay even money. Currently the game is played at Playtech Internet casinos, it has had a run at the Taj Majal in Atlantic City, and other land based casinos have plans to offer the game in the near future inlucing the Four Queens in Las Vegas.
Rules
The following rules apply to the Playtech version. When the Taj Majal offered the game the game ties went to the dealer instead of a dealer 22 pushing. Other variants include the dealer standing on soft 17 and a player blackjack pushing to a dealer 22. So the following rules apply to Playtech only.
All rules are based on conventional blackjack unless otherwise noted.
The player must make two bets of equal size.
Cards will be dealt face up.
The player may switch the 2nd card Wild Casino Reviewdealt to each hand. For example if one hand has 5,10 and the other has 10,6 the player may switch the 10 and 6 to have two hands of 11 and 20.
Six decks are used.
Dealer hits a soft 17.
Player may double on any 2 cards.
Player may double after a split.
Player may not resplit.
Winning player blackjacks pay even money.
Full European no-peek rule. Player loses total amount bet against a dealer blackjack. A benefit of this rule is that the player can switch to a blackjack, even if the dealer has a blackjack.
A dealer total of 22 will push against any player total of 21 or less. A player blackjack will still beat a dealer 22.
Strategy
The following table shows the basic strategy after the switch decision has been made. The reason for the differences compared to conventional blackjack strategy is the push on 22 rule.
S
Stand
H
Hit
D
Double if allowed, otherwise hit (except stand on soft 18)
P
Split
The switch decision is more complicated. Most of the time it will be wild casino agobvious. The following table can be used to determine whether or not to switch in any situation. Listed in the table is the expected value of every possible initial hand. To use the table add the expected values by switching and not switching and play the pair of hands with the greater expected value. An example follows the table.
Blackjack Switch Basic Strategy
Player
Hand Dealer’s Up Card
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A
5 -0.2688 -0.1884 -0.1531 -0.1165 -0.087 -0.1571 -0.2232 -0.2992 -0.3965 -0.5188
6 -0.2821 -0.2007 -0.1647 -0.1275 -0.0989 -0.1882 -0.251 -0.3241 -0.4179 -0.5358
7 -0.2517 -0.1703 -0.1352 -0.0998 -0.0569 -0.1165 -0.2551 -0.326 -0.4091 -0.545
8 -0.1649 -0.0859 -0.0535 -0.0218 0.0288 0.0334 -0.1054 -0.2527 -0.3466 -0.4678
9 -0.0692 0.0072 0.0365 0.0654 0.143 0.122 0.0519 -0.0956 -0.2584 -0.3774
10 0.0561 0.2162 0.2716 0.3269 0.4016 0.2632 0.1661 0.0722 -0.0947 -0.2761
11 0.1678 0.3247 0.3767 0.4291 0.4934 0.3336 0.2301 0.1152 -0.0078 -0.2334
12 -0.3549 -0.3005 -0.2791 -0.2575 -0.2308 -0.2463 -0.3028 -0.3691 -0.4557 -0.5666
13 -0.4009 -0.3488 -0.3057 -0.26 -0.2407 -0.3001 -0.3526 -0.4142 -0.4946 -0.5976
14 -0.4437 -0.3488 -0.3057 -0.26 -0.2407 -0.3501 -0.3988 -0.456 -0.5307 -0.6263
15 -0.4442 -0.3488 -0.3057 -0.26 -0.2407 -0.3965 -0.4418 -0.4949 -0.5642 -0.653
16 -0.4442 -0.3488 -0.3057 -0.26 -0.2407 -0.4396 -0.4816 -0.531 -0.5953 -0.6778
17 -0.3044 -0.2138 -0.1752 -0.1378 -0.0753 -0.1714 -0.4422 -0.4794 -0.5166 -0.6701
18 -0.0297 0.0517 0.0812 0.1067 0.1964 0.3349 0.0457 -0.2394 -0.2938 -0.4085
19 0.2349 0.3078 0.3285 0.3467 0.409 0.5514 0.5336 0.2313 -0.0709 -0.1469
A,2 -0.0851 -0.0194 0.0106 0.0408 0.0757 0.0767 0.0114 -0.0763 -0.2095 -0.3689
A,3 -0.1199 -0.0429 -0.012 0.0193 0.0531 0.0355 -0.0278 -0.1123 -0.2402 -0.3934
A,4 -0.1432 -0.0648 -0.033 -0.0006 0.0321 -0.0053 -0.0666 -0.148 -0.2705 -0.4177
A,5 -0.1647 -0.0851 -0.0525 -0.0192 0.0126 -0.0456 -0.1048 -0.1831 -0.3004 -0.4416
A,6 -0.1447 -0.0653 -0.0333 -0.0014 0.0821 0.0029 -0.1204 -0.1932 -0.299 -0.4563
A,7 -0.0297 0.0517 0.0812 0.1096 0.2075 0.3349 0.0457 -0.1451 -0.2508 -0.3968
A,8 0.2349 0.3078 0.3285 0.3467 0.409 0.5514 0.5336 0.2313 -0.0709 -0.1469
A,9 0.4885 0.5537 0.5664 0.5775 0.6169 0.7086 0.7315 0.7021 0.3827 0.1147
A,10 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0.9231 0.6923
A,A 0.1678 0.3247 0.3767 0.4291 0.4934 0.3336 0.2301 0.1152 -0.0925 -0.3442
2,2 -0.2546 -0.1755 -0.1407 -0.0972 -0.0063 -0.1128 -0.1957 -0.2744 -0.3752 -0.5018
3,3 -0.2821 -0.2007 -0.1647 -0.1264 -0.0413 -0.1701 -0.251 -0.3241 -0.4179 -0.5358
4,4 -0.1649 -0.0859 -0.0535 -0.0218 0.0288 0.0334 -0.1054 -0.2527 -0.3466 -0.4678
5,5 0.0561 0.2162 0.2716 0.3269 0.4016 0.2632 0.1661 0.0722 -0.0947 -0.2761
6,6 -0.3549 -0.3005 -0.2791 -0.1879 -0.1013 -0.2463 -0.3028 -0.3691 -0.4557 -0.5666
7,7 -0.4437 -0.293 -0.2085 -0.1236 -0.0084 -0.1892 -0.3988 -0.456 -0.5307 -0.6263
8,8 -0.2968 -0.0992 -0.0211 0.0551 0.1806 0.1681 -0.1596 -0.5014 -0.5953 -0.6778
9,9 -0.0297 0.0517 0.1047 0.1723 0.2665 0.3349 0.1207 -0.1838 -0.2938 -0.4085
10,10 0.4885 0.5537 0.5664 0.5775 0.6169 0.7086 0.7315 0.7021 0.3827 0.1147
Example: Suppose the player has a 2,8 and 9,10 against a dealer 2. The question is what is better a 10 and 19, or an 11 and 18. The expected value of not switching is the sum of the 10 and 19 against a 2, which is .0561+.2349 = .2910. The expected value of switching is the sum of the 11 and 18, which is .1678-.0297=.1381. So in this case it is better to play the 10 and 19 and not switch.
House Edge
The house edge following optimal switching and playing strategy is a very low 0.05%.
Side Bet
There is also a Super Match side bet based on the player’s initial four cards. The following table shows the pay table, probability, and return of each hand.
Super Match Side Bet
Hand Combinations Probability Pays Return
Pair 136401408 0.352205 1 0.352205
3 of a kind 7577856 0.019567 5 0.097835
2 pair 5941728 0.015342 8 0.122738
4 of a kind 138138 0.000357 40 0.014268
Nothing 237219840 0.61253 -1 -0.61253
Total 387278970 1 0 -0.025485
The lower right cell shows a house edge on the side bet of 2.55%.
Methodology
The basic strategy and expected value tables were created by myself using an infinite deck assumption. There should be very few differences between 6-deck and infinite-deck strategy, and those few would be very marginal. The side bet calculations did assume 6 decks. The house edge of 0.05% was calculated by Karel Janecek, the original mathematician of the game.
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