Blackjack 5-Card Rule Guide
Of all of the ways to beat the dealer in blackjack, the five-card rule is one of the most tantalizing. You don’t need to get blackjack or even beat the dealer’s hand to win!
Table of Content:
- Understanding the 5-Card Rule
- The Mechanics of the 5-Card Rule
- Blackjack Strategy Implications of the 5-Card Rule
- Blackjack 5 Card Rules FAQ
The blackjack five-card rule, also known as a five-card trick or five-card Charlie rule, comes into play when you draw to a five-card hand without going bust. It’s a popular rule among players, but not so much with casinos anymore. Here’s what you need to know about the blackjack five-card rule, when it comes into play, and how strategies can adjust to it.
Understanding the 5-Card Rule
To understand the five-card rule, it’s best to see how a standard round works. First, you’re dealt two cards. You then have the choice to stand or hit, as well as double down, split, take insurance, and the like, depending on your specific cards. When you hit, you add another card. If you haven’t gone bust, you can do that again. This way, you can get five cards in your hand, triggering the five-card Charlie rule.
What is the 5-Card Rule?
The five-card rule in blackjack reads that if a player draws five cards in their hand without going over 21 (or bust), they automatically win the round. The only way a five-card trick would lose is if the dealer has blackjack.
Why is the 5-Card Rule Significant?
The five-card rule is significant because it offers a unique path to victory in blackjack. Players can win the round by drawing five cards without exceeding 21, regardless of the dealer's hand, except when the dealer has blackjack. This can reduce the house edge of everyday blackjack players from around 3-4% down to 1%, due to the number of low-value cards in the deck that can make this happen.
How the 5-Card Rule Came into Play
The blackjack five-card rule was once commonplace and well-known to be a standard rule at all blackjack tables. Now however, with casinos running math to counter blackjack strategies, five-card Charlie is far less common.
The Mechanics of the 5-Card Rule
If the five-card rule is permitted at your table, it will automatically be called once you amass five cards in your hand. Of course, you’ll have to find one of those tables first.
How the 5-Card Rule Applies
The five-card blackjack rule applies once you’ve drawn three more cards. This will give you five cards in your hand, thus triggering the five-card trick rule if the table allows it.
How the 5-Card Rule Differs Between Blackjack Variants
The five-card rule used to be prevalent across blackjack table games. Now, it’s a kind of additional rule that can make for a variant – almost in the same way that a selection of side bets, like in Classic Blackjack Poker Side Bets, can make the variant distinct.
Blackjack Strategy Implications of the 5-Card Rule
If the five-card rule is in play at your table, be it a live casino game or a felt-and-wood table, you should always keep it in mind. It has significant implications for your strategy as it’s a different path to victory that doesn’t depend on the dealer’s up-card.
How the 5-Card Rule Impacts Player Decisions
With blackjack basic strategy, your decision to hit or stand draws from information in the dealer’s up-card. With the five-card rule, you could be persuaded to continue to hit beyond what basic strategy would recommend.
For example, when the dealer hits soft 17 in four, six, or eight-deck games, you would usually be told to stand on a dealer’s up-card of six if your value is a hard 12. However, if you have three 2s and a 6, and the five-card Charlie rule is active, you would only need a nine or lower to get a win.
Adjusting Gameplay to the 5-Card Rule
While online casinos are flush with blackjack games, few of the games offer the five-card trick rule in blackjack. Still, if it is a rule, you should adjust your gameplay. This will mean hitting more if your hand accumulates cards in the one to five range after the first and second hit, as well as sometimes overlooking basic strategy.
Blackjack 5 Card Rules FAQ
What is the rule of 5 in blackjack?
The rule of five in blackjack states that if a player collects five cards in their hand without going bust, they automatically win the round. The only exception is if the dealer has a blackjack, in which case the player does not win.
So, a hand reading 2, 3, 3, 4, 2 for a total of 14 would win regardless of the dealer’s hand. Many casinos and blackjack tables stopped using this rule because of how much it cuts the house edge.
What is a 5-Card Trick in blackjack?
A five-card trick in blackjack is when you draw five cards and have a hand that doesn’t go bust. Under the classic rules of the game, you’d win that round even if the dealer has a better hand.
However, if the dealer gets blackjack, they usually win unless the five-card hand matches 21. In that case, it's a push.
Do you automatically win in blackjack if you get 5 cards?
You used to automatically win in blackjack if you got five cards in your hand without going bust. Nowadays, it’s a less common rule found across blackjack variants.
What is the 5-Card Charlie rule in blackjack?
The five-card Charlie rule in blackjack is another way to say five-card trick. It’s a rule in blackjack that lets you win your hand if you get five cards without going bust. This applies regardless of whether the dealer has a better hand, except if the dealer gets blackjack. In that case, the dealer’s blackjack beats a five-card Charlie valued under 21.
Learn about other blackjack strategies in our guides: