Spanish 21 is very fast-paced. The game operates under the same basic rules as blackjack, but Spanish 21 entices the player with a few rule changes that appear to make the game easier to beat. As we mentioned above, there are no ten-valued cards in the game of Spanish 21. All 10’s, J’s, Q’s, and K’s are removed from the deck. In Spanish 21 usually a side bet known as Match the Dealer is offered. The point of this bet is the player’s cards to match the dealer’s face up card. For example, if the dealer’s card is 9 of spades, the player should have 9 of spades, 9 of any kind or a total card amount of 9 in order to win the side bet. Spanish 21, or as our friends down under like to call it – Pontoon; is a version of Blackjack that is not only fun to play, but one of the best bets in a casino. If you are lucky enough to find the game that is. Spanish Blackjack isn’t spread as often as other Blackjack games due to the low house edge. As a rule of thumb, if you have the option to play Spanish 21, play it!

The strategy for such blackjack variation as Spanish 21 was developed by many different blackjack experts, including Arnold Snyder and John Grochowski: actually, these two blackjack authors were the most successful ones who perfectly described Spanish 21 Strategy in a way understandable for average players.

These two authors - Arnold Snyder and John Grochowski are considered to be the masters of the game, so follow their recommendation to succeed at the game. The strategy for Spanish 21 has the same principles with other blackjack strategies: it means that all options to do were organized and introduced with the help of special strategy charts which described the steps to follow. Due to the fact Spanish 21 is played with a deck of cards where 10's are absent, the strategy to win this game has some extra features of course; frankly speaking, this strategy is rather complicated and difficult to understand if you are just a newcomer to this game.

Anyway, here you will find 2 strategies for Spanish 21; they were facilitated by gambling specialists for you to understand and remember them properly.

Arnold Snyder's Strategy

What Is Spanish 21 Card Game Games

Spanish 21 Card Game

The basic Spanish 21 strategy was described by Mr. Snyder in his book (The Big Book of Blackjack); he had made an attempt to explain its main aspects for average players to understand it and introduced 15 basic steps to do during the game.

• Do not take insurance.
• Double down if you have a hand of 11.
• Double down if you have a hand of Ace + 5,6,7.
• Double down if you have a hand of 20 and a dealer has 2-8.
• Hit if you have a hard hand of 12-13.
• Hit if you have a soft hand except of the following soft hands: Ace + 5,6,7.
• Hit if you have a hard hand of 14-15 and it consists of 5 or more cards.
• Hit if you have a soft hand of 17-18 and it consists of 5 or more cards.
• Stand if you have a hard of soft hand of 18.
• Stand if you have a hand of 14-16 and a dealer has 2-6. Hit this hand if a dealer has 7-Ace.
• Split if you have a hand of Aces or 8's.
• Split every hand of pairs, except 4's, 5's and 10's.
• Surrender if you have a hard hand of 16-17.
• Surrender if you have a hand of 12-16 after doubling when a dealer has 8-Ace.
• Never split 4's, 5's and 10's.

Free Spanish 21 Card Game

John Grochowski's Strategy

Mr. Grochowski is the gambling specialist who described the strategies of various casino games in his books; as for Spanish 21, his strategy introduces 3 main rules for gamblers to follow: a rule for hard hands, a rule for soft hands and a rule for splitting pairs. As far as we know, all blackjack strategies created in this way. So:

• Hard hands: stand if you have 18 or more; hit if you have 8 or less.
• Soft hands: always stand on 19-21.
• Splitting pairs: split Aces; never split 4's, 5's and 10's.