Blackjack is an enormously popular card game, with millions of fans playing it online across the globe. One of the main reasons for its popularity is that blackjack is that it’s so simple to play. This is how you can learn how to play online blackjack in just seven steps: Step 1: place your bet. Make a bet from $1 to all-in. Step 2: receive. Free Single Hand Pontoon Blackjack Game Overview: Pontoon originates in Britain but can be found in casinos all over the world. It is very similar to regular Blackjack with just a few changes to the rules of play.A 'pontoon' is an Ace and any 10-point card. Our game of Pontoon is played with 6 decks and dealer must hit on soft 17s. Introduction There are two completely different blackjack variants known as Pontoon. One is played at Internet casinos using Real Time Gaming software, and is described in my page on RTG Pontoon. The other is played in Australia, and is very similar to what is called Spanish 21 in North America.

Introduction

Pontoon is sometimes said to be an early version of blackjack. Today Pontoon is offered by Real Time Gaming, Playtech, Microgaming, Betsoft, Galewind Software, Nucleus and Cryptologic Internet casinos. In Pontoon, any five-card hand or a pontoon (same thing as a blackjack) pay 2 to 1, including after splitting. However there is no dealer up card and the dealer wins on ties. There are several other rule changes from blackjack so read carefully before playing.

Australian Pontoon, which is what Americans call Spanish 21, is a completely separate game, and is addressed on my page on Australian Pontoon.

Rules

Following are the usual rules.

Pontoon Vs Blackjack

1. The game is played with eight 52-card decks, or two decks at Bovada.
2. All cards have the same value as in blackjack.
3. The ranking value of hands in pontoon is as follows:
   1. A pontoon, which is defined as an ace and any 10-point card, including after splitting
   2. A five-card trick, which is defined as any 5-card hand that has not busted. All five-card tricks are of the same value, the point total does not matter.
   3. A non-busted hand of 21 points of less with 4 or less cards. Hands will be ranked within this group according to the total number of points.
   4. A busted hand of 22 points or more.
4. The dealer will deal each player two cards face up and two cards face down to the dealer.
5. The dealer will peek at his cards for a pontoon. If the dealer has a pontoon he will immediately turn it over and collect all wagers and cards.
6. The player may stand on any total greater or equal to 15, or on any 5-card hand.
7. The player may hit at any point, including after doubling.
8. The player may double on 2 to 4 cards, but only once per hand. The option includes after splitting, and once for each split hand.
9. The player may split two cards of equal rank. The player may resplit once, up to a total of three hands, including aces. When the player splits the first card dealt to each hand shall be automatic.
10. Player may draw and double after splitting aces.
11. The 2-card 21 after splitting aces counts as a pontoon.
12. If the player busts he immediately loses and forfeits his cards and total wager.
13. After all players have played out their hands the dealer shall expose his two cards. Then the dealer shall continue to draw cards until he has a total of 17 points or more, except the dealer shall hit a soft 17. The dealer will also stop with any five-card hand.
14. The dealer shall compare his hand to each player hand. A winning player pontoon or five-card hand shall pay 2 to 1. All other player wins shall pay 1 to 1 (even money).
15. Ties lose.

Strategy

The following tables show the basic strategy for Pontoon under RTG, Playtech, Galewind, Betsoft and Cryptologic rules. Betsoft does not state the number of decks used, but they use six in all their standard blackjack games.

To use the strategy look up the player's hand along the left and across the number of cards along the top. The top of the strategy is for hard totals and the bottom for soft hands. The player should always split eights. The player should split aces under the liberal ace splitting rules above, but not under the Microgaming rules, or hypothetically if an ace and 10 after splitting aces was not a pontoon.

The first chart is appropriate for Real Time Gaming, Playtech, Galewind Software, and Cryptologic rules.

The next table shows the strategy under Microgaming rules.

The house edge is 0.38% under the default rules listed above. These rules are followed by Real Time Gaming, Playtech, Galewind Software, and Cryptologic.

At Microgaming casinos the rules are the same except split aces get one card each and the dealer stands on soft 17, in which case the house edge is 0.39%.

Rule Variations

Following are some alternative rules and the effect on the house edge.

• Aces and 10 after splitting aces is 21 points (not a pontoon): House edge increased by 0.49%.
• No draw to split aces (split aces get one card each): House edge increased by 0.49%.
• Dealer stands on soft 17: House edge lowered by 0.47%.
• Two decks (as opposed to eight): House edge increased by 0.35%. That is not a mistake. In Pontoon the more the decks the lower the house edge. I believe this is because it is easier to make 5-card tricks with more decks.

It is not a coincidence that both restrictions on split aces increase the house edge by the same amount, because if either rule is in effect the player should hit a soft 12.

Playtech

Click on image for larger version

I would like to thank Microgaming and Yechezkel Zilber for their contributions to this analysis.

Written by:Michael Shackleford

Blackjack card game has a lot of variations all over the world, and this fact makes it even more interesting and attractive for gamblers as they can choose one perfect blackjack variation for themselves to play. Among all these blackjack variations, Pontoon takes the special place because it is the most popular European blackjack game.

Pontoon has many features in common with a traditional American blackjack though it can show you some specific rules and conditions to gamble it of course: today Pontoon can be easily found in all online casinos, and the object of this blackjack variation stays the same: to beat a dealer without exceeding 21 points.

Terms

Due to the fact Pontoon is the British card game its players should know British English names of terms a bit in order to play Pontoon confidently and without any problems. Some blackjack terms sound differently if you play Pontoon and it would be not out of place to learn them in order to understand this game properly. So.

• Pontoon = Blackjack
• Twist = Hit
• Stick = Stand
• Buy = Double Down

Pontoon Blackjack Strategy

Pontoon Rules

Actually, there are not many differences between traditional blackjack's rules and Pontoon's once: card values are the same for both games, the object of the game is also the same. So, what makes Pontoon being so specific for gamblers to play? The list of rules differences are shown below.

1. Pontoon is played with 8 decks of 52 cards; 5-8 players take part in the game.

2. Every player can actually be a dealer when plays Pontoon: initially, the dealer is a gambler whose up card is the highest; as for minimum and maximum bets, players determine them themselves.

3. Pontoon strategy differs a bit from the one of conventional blackjack.

4. Two cards of a dealer are usually dealt faced down while a player's two cards are always faced up.

5. A dealer will always be a winner until the time s/he BUST: a dealer has a right to take additional cards till the time s/he reaches 21 points or bust.

6. Pontoon offers three special rules which can not be met at conventional blackjack: Pontoon, 3-4 Cards of 21 Points and Five Cards Trick.

Pontoon Blackjack Crossword Clue

7. Payouts for Pontoon and Five Cards Trick are 2:1; all other card combinations are paid as 1:1.

Pontoon Blackjack Strategy

Special Card Combinations of Pontoon

What Is Pontoon Blackjack

Pontoon: the combination of 2 cards, the same with Blackjack - an Ace + a Face card or 10's = 21 points = Pontoon.

3-4 Cards of 21 Points: if your 3 or 4 cards give you exactly 21 points, you will beat all other card combinations except Pontoon and Five Cards Trick.

Five Cards Trick: if your hand of 5 cards does not exceed 21 points, it will beat all hands except Pontoon.