Blackjack Switch
Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games, both in online and in land based casinos. There have been numerous variations to the original Blackjack game over the years to attract more people to casino tables. Blackjack Switch is one such variation developed by Geoff Hall. Like most of the newer versions of the game, blackjack switch also has certain features which are in favor of the players and to compensate for them there are certain changes made to keep the balance. This is a new variation and popular mostly in online casinos, but land-based casinos are also beginning to adopt it. Some casinos that offer this variant of Blackjack are:
PAYOUT PERCENTAGE 97.8%
Casino Titan
Casino Titan is.. well, a titan in the world of blackjack and casinos. Players who visit this establishment will be pleased with the stand up support staff and the sheer excellence and variety of their blackjack games!
PAYOUT PERCENTAGE 98.3%
High Noon
Players passing through the High Noon saloon swinging doors will be faced with an incredibly fun and enjoyable themed blackjack casino, and support staff who are as friendly and accommodating as they come!
PAYOUT PERCENTAGE 99.3%
Online Vegas Casino
Bring Vegas into your home by playing blackjack at Online Vegas Casino! These guys are running blackjack tournaments nearly every single day, prospective players should prepare to be impressed!
Rules
Since it is derived from Blackjack, most of the rules are the same with a few minor changes. Six or eight decks of cards are used and the dealer hits on a soft 17 – a hand of 17 with an ace in it. But there is one change that overshadows all others and also gives the name ‘Switch’ to this variation. In traditional Blackjack if you had two hands, and decided to switch cards between them, it would be termed as cheating. But this is what the Switch version is all about. Firstly, you have to make two equal bets. You are dealt with two hands. If you are not satisfied with the combination that you have, you can switch the second card dealt of one hand with the second card of the other hand.
This simple difference tilts the game highly in favor of the player. Suppose you have a hand of 5 and 8 and another hand of an ace and a 4. Both are highly unfavorable hands in Blackjack. But while playing Switch you can simply swap the 8 and the 4 cards and you now have two highly favorable hands of 19 and 9. Also, adding to player advantage is the fact that they are allowed to double down on any two cards even after a split.
To compensate for this advantage gained by the player, certain changes have been made to bring balance to the game. In the traditional version, you win 3:2 for a natural 21 or a Blackjack, but in this version, the payout is only 1:1 for a Blackjack. Also, the dealer does not go bust with a hand of 22. Rather, a dealer hand of 22 ends up in pushing all the active hands except a blackjack hand.
If the face up card for the dealer is a 10 or an ace, then he is allowed a peek for the second card. If the dealer has a Blackjack, then all hands will lose except a Blackjack hand, which will be pushed. Unlike the traditional version, a player is not allowed to re-split his hand. Apart from the rule of hitting on a soft 17, all of these rules are same everywhere.
Strategy
The variation of rules greatly changes the strategy for Blackjack Switch when compared to traditional Blackjack. There are however a few basic tips which will ensure that you have a better chance at winning.
If the dealer has a hand of a 7 or an 8, you should always try to make your weaker hand as high as possible. If the dealer up-card is anything other than a seven or an eight, you should always try to maximize your stronger hand. This is a tip that will help you in the beginning, but if you want to hone your skills even more, than you should try going for the advanced switching strategy.
For example if you had two hands, one of 8 and 4, and the other of an ace and an 8, then the simple strategy would advice you not to switch. But the advanced switching strategy will tell you that you should switch to have a hand of hard 16 and soft 15. Though the advanced strategy is a lot more difficult to learn, it is lot more rewarding as well. If you are playing online and do not want to get into the hassle of learning strategies, then there are online calculators available which when given the input of all the hands, tell you whether you should switch or not.
Side-Bet: Super-Match
Like in the traditional version, a side-bet is available in Blackjack Switch as well. This side-bet is called super-match and is based upon the values of the initial four cards of the hand. You can decide to go for this side-bet before you are dealt with your cards and it is separate from your main bet. If you have a pair in your 4 cards then you get even money. If you have three of a kind then you get a payout of 5:1 and if you are lucky enough to get four of a kind then the payout is 40:1. It is generally advised to refrain from this bet as the house edge is very high.