2 Deck Blackjack is also known as double deck blackjack. Many would simply refer to this as multi-deck blackjack, but you will find some rules differ with 2 deck.
These rules make the game interesting in a whole new way, without changing the aspects of the game.
1. Game rules
Double deck blackjack follows standard blackjack rules for the most part. Players and dealer are still required to reach a hand total as close to 21 are possible without exceeding 21.
Only two major differences occur with double deck blackjack, which includes double down only on hand total of 10 or 11 and the dealer stands on a soft 17.
2. Game strategy
There are many different blackjack strategies that have been developed by different players.
As a blackjack player you will choose one of the following strategies after the initial deal, these include stand, hit, doubling down, pair splitting, even money or surrendering.
Choosing Hit, you will request another card, show your intention by using your finger or tap on the table top behind your existing card pile, but be careful as if the additional card pushes your total above 21, you lose your wager and are out of the game for the round.
If your decision is to stand, either turn your card pile sideways or wave your hand above your card pile to indicate no additional cards is needed.
Pair splitting is only an option when the initial hand you are dealt turns out to be a pair, this allows you to decide whether you want to split the cards, by dividing them into two hands of one card each.
If you split the pair, it will require an additional bet, which will need to be the same amount as your original bet.
In traditional or classic blackjack you are allowed to only split identical face values, for example, two jacks and are only allowed to split once per round.
Other versions are more lenient and permit pairs that have the same point value to be split, but this is generally not advisable.
In some games, re-splitting is freely allowed or up to a certain number of times. It is important to find out which version you are playing.
Doubling down is when you decide to double your initial wager after viewing your first 2 cards. If you have a strong hand this is a desirable strategy.
Place an additional chip next to your original wager to show your intention. When taking this action, you are permitted to draw one additional card.
Some casinos only allow doubling down if the player’s cards total 10 or 11 points. If you decide not to continue the round with the cards that you have been dealt it is called surrendering.
In surrendering you, forfeit half of the wager placed and once your card is removed you will sit out for the remainder of that round.
3. What does dealer stands on soft 17 mean?
Standard blackjack rules state that the dealer has to hit on a soft 17, which consists of a hand total of 17 involving an ace.
For example, if the dealer has an ace with a six, he would have to draw another card with the standard blackjack rules. However, with a double deck the dealer has the ability to stand on a soft 17.
This increases the house edge by just a little as we all know how often the dealer would bust are a soft 17 in the standard game.
4. Game Odds
Players will find the double deck variation of the game offers much better odds than the single deck option.
Playing single deck blackjack these days could offer payouts of 6:5, which makes the game a lot more risky for the player because your payouts on lower why your risk remains the same.
With double deck or multi-hand blackjack your payouts usually consists of 3:2, which gives you a much bigger edge and payouts with every hand you win.
The ability to count cards is decreased by a massive amount when playing a multi-hand, but unless you are a professional card counter, I wouldn’t depend on the strategy to make a massive difference in your game.
5. Watch Table Rules
Since there are so many different casinos and variations of blackjack, players might find the different payouts and game rules are used for the exact same game.
It’s very important for players to read the print on the table itself before of playing the game. These rules will provide the payouts, which should consist of 3:2.
You will also find a dealer rules are printed on the table as well. This will explain when the dealer needs to hit or stand on a soft 17, which could change your edge completely.
6. Game Tips
Free variations of blackjack are available online, making it the perfect to try out your strategies. However, in some cases, the different result are presented when playing in the land based casino or with life dealers.
Live dealers offer a greater betting variation, allowing you to practice your strategy without spending a huge amount of cash.
Once you find a strategy that works for you, stick to it and simply increase your bet level to your preferred amount.
Personally, I recommend that you hit when your hand total is anything below 10 and double up on a hand total of 10 for 11.
A hand total above 12 and below 17 really depends on the dealers face up card. If your total is 13 to 16 stand if the dealer has a face-up card ranging from 2 to 6, but hit if the dealer has anything above seven.
Always be sure to keep a close eye on your bank balance and their play with funds but you can't afford to lose.
While playing the game do not make any major differences to your strategy from hand to hand.
You will never be able to see the strong and weak points of your strategy. Not all strategies may work for you with every hand, but you will see the weak points in each of them.
