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European Blackjack: Complete Guide | LeoVegas

European Blackjack Guide

European Blackjack is one of the oldest incarnations of the popular game, where you need to get as close as you can to a hand value of 21 without going bust.

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So, what exactly does the European version of the game have to offer? Read our full guide below to find out.

Play European Blackjack

European Blackjack Rules and Gameplay

The European variant of blackjack is an incredibly popular and more traditional version of the game. It’s also known as 21 and has been enjoyed by players at casinos across the globe for centuries. The card game itself’s roots are heavily embedded in European gambling practices and European Blackjack offers a fast-paced and exciting experience.

The main goal is pretty straightforward. Your hand’s value will need to beat the dealer without ever going over a total of 21. You won’t need to worry about the cards in other players' hands, as every player competes individually with the dealer. This variant is played with standard decks of 52 cards and you can have up to eight decks in play.

The deck is traditionally shuffled before every single round to make sure you get a fair and even distribution of cards. When it comes to card values, the numbered cards, that’s two to 10, are worth their face value, but on the other hand, jacks, queens and kings are all worth 10 points. Aces are the trickiest cards, as they can have a value of one or 11, depending on your preference and the rest of the cards in your hand.

You’ll need to place your bet before the hands are dealt. The casino sets its minimum and maximum restrictions and if you play online, this will vary from one game to another. After placing the initial bet, the dealer gives two face-up cards to you and every other player. They also draw two cards for themselves, one face-up and one face-down. You want to get a combined hand value of as close as possible to 21, beating the dealer to get your payout.

Should your initial hand be made up of an ace and a 10-value card, you get an immediate 21 and hit blackjack. Blackjack pays out 3:2, but if the dealer also has a blackjack, the hand is then considered a push. When this happens, you don’t get a payout, but your initial bet is returned. Should you manage to with other hands, you typically get an even money payout.

The dealer’s role is crucial to European Blackjack tables as they represent the house and effectively lead the game. They follow a predetermined set of rules and will generally hit until their hand has a value of 17 or higher. Should the dealer go over 21, they bust and any remaining players with active hands win the round. Otherwise, the dealer compares their hand to every player’s hand on the table, pays out the ones that beat them and collects bets from the ones who lost.

You get a few options to consider when playing. These are immediately available when the initial hand is drawn:

  • Hit – You ask for another card to increase the total value of your hand.
  • Stand – You decide to stick to your current hand and not add more cards for the rest of the round.
  • Double Down – Double the initial bet in return for one additional card.
  • Split – If you have two identical cards, then you can split them into two separate hands, with their separate bets.

You’ll need to strategize to make the most out of the hand you’ve been dealt and reference the dealer’s visible card to potentially maximize your chances of success.

European Blackjack Card Values and Hand Rankings

Understanding card values and hand rankings in European Blackjack is essential to making informed decisions in the game. Every card in the deck comes with a specific value:

  • Numbered Cards – Cards two to 10 all award their face value.
  • Face Cards – Jacks, queens and kings are all worth 10 points.
  • Aces – Can count as one or 11 points, depending on which value will benefit your hand most without ever going above 21.

Two hand rankings can lead you to beat the dealer. They are the key winning hands in European Blackjack.

  • Blackjack – The best outcome possible. This is achieved by getting an ace and a 10-value card (either a 10, jack, queen or king) in your initial hand. This gives you an immediate total of 21 points. You get a payout of 3:2 when you score blackjack unless the dealer also has one, in which case you get a push and have your initial bet returned.
  • Total Hand Value Closer to 21 Than Dealer – A hand with any combination of values that come closer to 21 than the dealer does without exceeding it wins. Here, you get paid even money, equal to your initial bet.

Mastering these basic rules of card values and hand rankings is the first step to more effective strategies that can potentially lead to a win.

European Blackjack Strategy

There’s a lot in European Blackjack that depends on luck. But that’s not to say that you have to leave everything up to chance. There are several strategies that you can apply to make better decisions and potentially beat the dealer’s hand.

You can look at basic strategy, which involves making mathematically optimal decisions that are specific to every possible combination of both your hand, as well as the dealer’s up-card. The aim here is to minimize the casino’s house edge and boost your chances of success. The charts that basic strategy provides guide you on when to hit, stand, double down or even split your hand based on the combinations that present themselves.

Whenever you’re dealt two identical cards (two sevens or jacks), you’re given the chance to split your hand into two separate ones. This is called splitting pairs and it effectively doubles your initial bet while also doubling your chances of beating the dealer’s hand. When following basic strategy, it’s best to split pairs like aces and eights, but not other numbers like 10s and fives. This is ultimately informed by the dealer’s up-card as well.

After having set your initial bet, you may get the chance to double down on that wager, depending on the cards you’ve been dealt. You receive a single card (and cannot hit for more) and double your bet. Doubling down makes perfect sense when your hand’s total value is nine, 10 or 11 and the dealer has a weak up-card with anything between two to six. You can also refer to basic strategy charts to check out specific scenarios where doubling down is recommended.

Although it isn’t always available, some versions of European Blackjack give you the surrender option. This lets you forfeit your hand and get back half the value of the initial bet. Consider surrendering when your chances of winning are significantly low, particularly when the dealer has a strong up-card like a 10 or an ace and you have a weak hand, totalling 15 or 16. This can be an effective way to minimize your losses.

Whenever the dealer’s up-card is an ace (which means they can score a blackjack), you get the chance to place an insurance bet. It’s a side bet on whether or not the dealer has a blackjack. Should the dealer have a blackjack, the insurance bet pays out at 2:1, which offsets the potential loss of your initial bet. However, most strategies advise against the insurance bet as it will cost you quite a bit in the long run.

Advantages and Disadvantages of European Blackjack

The pros of playing European Blackjack include:

  • Favourable Rules – You get more favourable rules from playing European Blackjack when compared to other variants, such as American Blackjack.
  • Lower House Edge – Because you have fewer decks in play and more restrictions on doubling down and splitting, European Blackjack has a lower house edge than other blackjack variants, which increases your chances of success.

The cons that this variant brings to the table are:

  • Limited Doubling and Splitting – Although it also lowers the house edge, European Blackjack variations that restrict doubling down and splitting pairs ultimately limit your options and the potential to strategize and score more wins.
  • No Hole Card – Because the dealer only receives one initial up-card, the game can be even slower and comes with increased uncertainty regarding the dealer’s hand.

European Blackjack FAQs

What Is the Origin of European Blackjack?

The origins of European Blackjack are unclear, but the game seems to have derived from 17th and 18th-century games in France, Spain and Italy, such as Vingt-Un, Trente-et-Une and Seven and a Half.

How Does it Differ from American Blackjack?

European and American blackjack games have many things in common. European Blackjack uses one to eight decks and here the dealer cannot peak. There is also no hole card and doubling down and splitting options are limited.

Can I Count Cards in European Blackjack?

You can count cards in European Blackjack but casinos don’t look favourably on the practice.

Are there Different Versions of Blackjack?

You get loads of different blackjack variations including popular ones like American Blackjack, European Blackjack and Vegas Strip Blackjack.

What Is Blackjack Called in the UK?

In the UK blackjack is also known as Switch.

What Are the Payouts in European Blackjack?

You can win 3:2 for a blackjack, 2:1 on your insurance bet and 1:1 for other wins other than blackjack.

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