Play Blackjack Switch
A round of Blackjack Switch starts when you place two equal size bets on the table. You can also place a wager, usually as low as a dollar, on the Super Match square. The dealer will then deal with you two hands, face up. It is important to remember that unlike Blackjack, most casinos do not want you to handle the cards during play. Blackjack Switch is based on conventional Blackjack rules with a few twists and exceptions. Two hands, instead of just a single one, are dealt to the player and the player is initially allowed to 'switch' the second cards dealt between the two hands. This option allows for the player to make more Blackjack hands than in the classical version.
Blackjack Switch Free play is a great way to get to grips with the different rules of these variants, which we’ve summarized for you below. Blackjack Switch Online – Read Review and Play! This exciting blackjack variant is played with two hands and is hugely popular with players for a number of reasons. For starters, as the game has been developed by Playtech, it boasts slick graphics and superb sound, as well as options to customise the layout to suit your personal taste.
Blackjack Switch was invented in 2009, and it is one of the lowest house edge Blackjack variants.
Blackjack has always been one of the most popular card games in the world. The game was first played back in the 17th century and since then it has become an inseparable part of every land based and online casino. This interesting game is played with one or more decks of 52 cards and the mission of the player is to beat the dealer’s hand. Just like every other popular game, blackjack has many unique variants which feature rule modifications that make every single game session special and interesting in its own way.
In 2009, Geoff Hall patented one of the most commonly played blackjack variants known as Blackjack Switch. This game is usually played with six or eight decks and it has one rule which makes it unique and, at the same time, favourable towards the players: players get two hands, instead of one, and they can switch the top cards of their hands if they wish to do so.
How to Play Blackjack Switch
Blackjack Switch is very similar to the classic blackjack game. Nevertheless, when playing this variant the player receives two hands which are separately played. After the player sees the first two cards of both his hands, the player can choose to switch the top cards; hence the name of the game. For example, if the player has Ace-4 and 7-10, he can switch the cards and end up with Ace-10 and 7-4.
Blackjack 21 Free
Once the player switched the cards or decided not to change anything, he can continue to separately play the hands by choosing to hit, double or stand. The point of the game is to score more points than the dealer and, at the best possible scenario, score a Blackjack.
- Player receives two face up cards
- Player switches the top cards or keeps them
- Players hits, stands, doubles or splits
- Dealer plays his hand
- Player wins or loses one or both hands
Multi-hand Mode
Blackjack Switch is played with two hands, so it is a multi-hand game right from the start. However, there are Multi-hand Blackjack Switch variants that allow players to play with more than two hands, usually up to five.
Free Blackjack Switch Game
Besides the real money playing mode, there are many online casinos that offer free Blackjack Switch game sessions. These demo or practice mode blackjack variants are played with points that have no real worth.
Depending on the casino, the bet limits can vary; however, usually the minimum bet is from $0.5 to $1 and the maximum bet is $50-100. The game rules are the same; free Blackjack Switch is played with six or eight decks of cards, Blackjack pays 1:1 and the dealer hits on soft 17.
The player uses the chips to place two equal bets and then uses the buttons hit, stand, double and switch to play his hands.
- Appendices
- Miscellaneous
- External Links
Introduction
Blackjack switch is a blackjack variant which allows the player to do what is normally considered a classic cheating manoeuver, trading cards between two hands. The player must make two bets of equal size and is allowed to switch the second card dealt to each hand. Of course, nothing good comes without a trade-off. In this case a dealer 22 results in a push against all non-busted hands and blackjacks pay even money.
The game goes by the name Blackjack Exchange at the Bregenz Casino in Austria.
Rules
- All rules are based on conventional blackjack unless otherwise noted.
- Six or eight decks are used.
- Dealer usually hits a soft 17. I hear in Ontario, Canada, the dealer stands on soft 17.
- The player must make two bets of equal size.
- Cards will be dealt face up.
- Dealer will peek for blackjack with an ace or ten up. If the dealer has a blackjack all player hands will immediately lose, except a player blackjack will push.
- The player may switch the second card dealt to each hand. For example, if one hand has 5,10 and the other has 10,6, the player may switch the 10 and 6 to have two hands of 11 and 20. The player may also switch cards to form a blackjack.
- If the player switches to a blackjack, it counts as 21 points.
- Player may double on any 2 cards.
- Player may double after a split.
- Player may resplit up to four hands.
- Winning player blackjacks pay even money.
- A dealer total of 22 will push against any player total of 21 or less. A player blackjack will still beat a dealer 22.
Russian Rules: Same as the rules above, except early surrender allowed (sometimes not against an ace), dealer does not take a hole card, and dealer stands on soft 17.
Playing Strategy
The following tables show the basic strategy under the 8-deck Las Vegas rules after the switch decision has been made. The reason for the differences compared to conventional blackjack strategy is the push on 22 rule.
If 6 decks are used the player should double 9 against a 5.
At this time I have not created a strategy for the Russian rules or Ontario rules.
Simple Switching Strategy
The following is the 'Cindy Liu Simple Switching Strategy,' appropriate under the Las Vegas rules. It is based on the following list of hands in order of strength:
- 21
- 20
- 19
- AA
- 11
- 10
- 9
- 18 or 8
- 8,8 with 2-8 up
Following is how to use it.
Against a dealer 7 or 8, balance the hands, by making the weaker hand as high as possible, using the above scale of hands, if you can.
Against any other dealer up card, maximize the strength of the higher hand, using the scale above, if you can.
If you can't achieve one of the desired hands in the list, then make the strongest hand possible from the following list, in order of strength:
- 7 or 17
- any hand that should be split
- any 12
- any 13
Exceptions:
- With A,A + 3,8 — keep the aces together.
- With A,A + 2,9 — keep the aces together if the dealer has 2-6
- With A,A + 2,8 — keep the aces together
The simple strategy, compared to optimal strategy, results in a cost of errors of 0.17%. It results in an error once every 18.6 hands, and an error with an expected value of more than 10% once every 82 hands.
Advanced Switching Strategy
The following is the 'Cindy Liu Advanced Switching Strategy,' appropriate under the Las Vegas rules. To use it, add up the points for each hand for both ways to play them, and play the one with the greater number of points. In the case of a tie, use the the simple strategy.
Let's look at an example. Suppose you have 8+4 and A+8 against a dealer 6, where the underlined card is the second one dealt. So you can play (1) 12 and soft 19, or (2) 8-8 and soft 15. Which pair of hands is better? According to the table, the 12 is worth 0 points and the soft 19 is worth 1, for a total of 1. For the alternative, 8-8 is worth 1 and the soft 15 is worth 1, also for a total of 2. So the odds favor switching to 8-8 and soft 15. Note that the simple strategy would incorrectly advise the player to not switch. My Blackjack Switch appendix 1 shows that the combined expected value of 12 + soft 19 is -0.2108+0.3634=0.1526, and 8-8 + soft 15 is higher at 0.1461+0.0365=0.1824.
The cost of mistakes in the advanced strategy, compared to optimal strategy, is 0.08% only. The player will make an incorrect decision once every 24.5 hands, and a mistake with an expected value over 10% once every 250 hands.
I also have a printer friendly version (PDF) of both switching strategies, as well as the basic strategy.
Arnold Snyder Switching Strategy
The Big Book of Blackjack by Arnold Synder contains an easy and intuitive switching strategy. Out of respect for copyright, I won't say more than that about how it works. According to Cindy Liu, the Sndyer strategy results in a cost of errors of about 0.2% compared to optimal strategy. Besides that, I highly recommend the book for breaking new ground in blackjack, which is not easy to do any more.
Switching Calculator
My Blackjack Switch calculator, courtesy of Jing Ding, will advise when to switch in any situation. The calculator is based on the Playtech rules and an infinite deck assumption.
House Edge
Under the standard Las Vegas rules, with six decks, the dealer hits a soft 17, and a switched blackjack counts as 21 points, the house edge is 0.58%, assuming optimal strategy. Follow are the effects on the house edge of some rule variations:
- Eight decks: +0.02%
- Switched blackjack automatically wins: -0.40%
- Blackjack automatic winner: -0.21%
- Dealer stands on soft 17: -0.30%
The house edge under the Russian rules is 0.20%, assuming early surrender against an ace is allowed.
Side Bet
There is also a Super Match side bet based on the player's initial four cards. The following table shows the paytable, probability, and return of each hand:
Super Match Side Bet
| Hand | Combinations | Probability | Pays | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pair | 136401408 | 0.352205 | 1 | 0.352205 |
| 3 of a kind | 7577856 | 0.019567 | 5 | 0.097835 |
| 2 pair | 5941728 | 0.015342 | 8 | 0.122738 |
| 4 of a kind | 138138 | 0.000357 | 40 | 0.014268 |
| Nothing | 237219840 | 0.612530 | -1 | -0.612530 |
| Total | 387278970 | 1 | -0.025485 |
The lower right cell shows a house edge on the side bet of 2.55%.
C4
The Casino Bregenz in Austria offers Blackjack Switch under the name Blackjack Exchange. They add a side bet called the C4, which is based on the poker value of the player's initial four cards. The table below shows a house edge of 14.32%, based on six decks.
C4 — Six Decks
| Event | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Four of a kind | 500 | 138,138 | 0.000337 | 0.168425 |
| Straight | 20 | 3,649,536 | 0.008899 | 0.177988 |
| Flush | 12 | 5,647,896 | 0.013772 | 0.165269 |
| Two pair | 10 | 5,871,528 | 0.014318 | 0.143177 |
| Three of a kind | 8 | 7,502,976 | 0.018296 | 0.146368 |
| All other | -1 | 387,278,420 | 0.944378 | -0.944378 |
| Total | 410,088,494 | 1.000000 | -0.143152 |
With four decks, the house edge of the C4 is 18.02%. With eight decks it is 12.40%.
Other Switch Pages
- Printer friendly basic and switching strategies (PDF).
- Appendix 1: Expected value table for each initial hand, for purposes of making accurate switching decisions.
Acknowledgements
My thanks to Cindy Liu for both her simple and advanced switching strategies, Jing Ding for his switching calculator, and to Gabor for his mathematical contributions.
External Links
- German translation of this article.
- Interview with the inventor of Blackjack Switch Geoff Hall