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Spanish 21 - FAQ

According to your newsletter, the house edge in Spanish 21 is 0.34% if the dealer does not hit a soft 17. How significant is card counting in diminishing this edge and shifting the advantage to the player?

Rod from Newburgh, Indiana

That's a great inquiry. Indeed, this house edge is sufficiently low to make card counting a worthwhile strategy. Since many card counters tend to overlook Spanish 21, I think this game presents a valuable opportunity to capitalize on without much risk. However, using card counting in Spanish 21 might not be as effective as in traditional blackjack. A deck rich in high cards will be more beneficial for players, especially when making multiple 21s. To my knowledge, there aren't any established index numbers specific to Spanish 21, but someone should create them—perhaps I will.

Your basic strategy guide for Spanish 21 on your website shows conflicting charts regarding whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 21 when compared to the tables found in the September issue of Casino Player. The magazine provides one table for the dealer hitting soft 17 and another for standing. Which source is accurate? Also, with a hard 17 against a dealer's ace, does the guidance suggest surrendering with the first two cards, or should one hit instead?

Rod from Newburgh, USA

Casino Player mistakenly switched the charts in their presentation. I feel quite embarrassed about this oversight. Yes, if surrendering isn’t an option, you should indeed hit a hard 17 against an ace.

I’m aware of a casino located near Seattle that has a six-deck payout scheme for matching the dealer's bet in Spanish 21, while using an eight-deck shoe. How does this impact the house edge?

Chris from Seattle, Washington

This lowers the house edge from 3.06% to 1.42%.

You mention that the house edge in Spanish 21 is 0.34% using your basic strategy, with the dealer standing on soft 17. How is this percentage influenced by the super bonus? Specifically, what would the house edge be without the presence of the super bonus? Additionally, what are the odds of securing the super bonus with any hand?

Randy from Toledo, Ohio

In a six-deck variant, the chance of landing a super bonus is 1 in 668,382, while in an eight-deck game, it rises to 1 in 549,188. Without the super bonus, the house edge would be increased by 0.03% in either scenario.

Which is a better game for the player Spanish 21 or simply play standard blackjack in Atlantic City.

Michael from Philadelphia, USA

Spanish 21! In accordance with Atlantic City regulations, the house edge for blackjack stands at 0.43% compared to 0.40% for Spanish 21.

Where can I find the top casino in Las Vegas to play Spanish 21?

Michael from Philadelphia, USA

The Venetian. As far as I know, it is the only casino in Las Vegas that stands on a soft 17 in Spanish 21, which reduces the house edge from 0.76% to 0.40%.

Update: The Venetian has since changed its policy to hitting a soft 17. Currently (as of May 14, 2013), the best option for playing Spanish 21 can be found at the D, where re-doubling is permitted.

Where can I play Spanish 21 online, whether for entertainment or real money?

Reana from Fairport, U.S.

All Unified Gaming Both casinos and platforms like Global Player feature Spanish 21. Unified Gaming stands on soft 17, resulting in a lower house edge.

2013 Update: Unified Gaming software has disappeared since then. As far as I know, currently, no online platforms offer Spanish 21 any longer.

What are the options available for playing craps and Spanish 21 in Atlantic City? When you advise taking full odds while playing craps, do you suggest matching your bet with an equivalent odds bet, or should one make the maximum allowed odds bet along with their initial wager (for example, at a table offering 10x maximum odds, placing a $1 bet along with either a $1 or a $10 odds bet)? I'm a bit unclear on this point. I greatly appreciate your site and consider it a hidden gem among gambling resource websites. I prefer to understand the mathematical odds before risking my hard-earned money! Thank you for clarifying!

Dave from Roanoke, Virginia

Thank you for the kind words. The rules for Spanish 21 are consistent across Atlantic City. To my knowledge, there are only two casinos that feature this game, the Tropicana and the Claridge, though there might be others by now. If I remember correctly, the Sands offers the most favorable craps game, providing 5X odds. When I mention maximizing your odds, it means you should place the highest allowable bet on the odds. For example, you might place a $50 bet after a $10 line bet. Remember, betting the odds means you won't win additional money; it simply allows you to bet more without incurring greater losses over time.

I have recently started playing Spanish 21 due to the more favorable odds compared to Blackjack at my local Thunder Bay casino. The dealer stands on soft 17 but uses eight decks of cards. Does utilizing eight decks provide better or worse odds for the player compared to the 0.40% you calculated with six decks?

Raymond from Thunder Bay, Canada

I always found the name Thunder Bay appealing. I once worked at a summer camp not too far from there in Missanabie, Ontario. To address your question, six decks offer slightly better odds than eight. However, the variation in house edge is minor, approximately 0.03%.

Referring to the initial table in the Basic Strategy for Spanish 21, I have a few questions I would like you to clarify (standard game, dealer hits soft 17):

Q1. Concerning 17 vs A (your reference - Rh). If the player does not choose to surrender (or double down surrender), should they indeed hit? I'm uncertain because Scoblete’s book recommends standing on 17 vs A, and so does Norm Wattenberger’s strategy table in CVBJ3.

Q2. In relation to your comments about the 6-7-8 bonuses. Do all these references apply similarly to the 7-7-7 bonuses? For instance, does * mean 'Hit if any 6-7-8 [OR 7-7-7] bonus is possible'?

Q3. Page 20 of Scoblete’s Spanish 21 book advises hitting 9 vs 6 if a three-card 9 is held. Should I disregard this advice, along with the 'don’t double down rescue' strategy outlined in his book?

I apologize for bothering you with so many questions, but I have a Spanish 21 tournament approaching and could use as much guidance as possible. Thank you very much.

Alan from Sydney, Australia

  1. Yes, you should hit. I believe those who argue otherwise are mistaken.
  2. No, the 7-7-7 bonus can only be achieved with an initial pair of sevens. The right strategy is specified in that row.
  3. Yes, you should ignore this advice.

While you mention the remarkably low house edge in Spanish 21, I find it quite challenging to play the game, as I often receive verbal abuse for following your strategy. Not that I doubt any of your gambling advice, but you're definitely correct about hitting a 17 against an Ace. The most intense criticism I faced came from a person betting $400 on split 8s against a 3, managing to secure two 11s, doubled down, and achieved 19 on both. I, however, hit my 14 against a 3, busted with a ten, while the dealer had 13 and pulled an 8. Yet again, I stand by your insights, but the atmosphere turned tense enough for them to nearly involve security, which was quite frightful.

anonymous

I also encounter verbal harassment while playing Spanish 21. During my time in Baltimore, I frequently played it in Atlantic City due to the lower house edge compared to blackjack. Those who verbally abuse do not comprehend that the removal of tens from the decks reduces the risk of busting when hitting. There's no point in attempting to explain it; their comprehension isn't likely to improve. I used to tolerate such situations, but next time, my patience may be tested.

Are there any documented strategies for card counting in Spanish 21? If not, do you believe the rules of Spanish 21 are suitable for counting?

anonymous

A few years back, there discussions on this at www.bj21.com in the Green Chip area. As I recall, the general agreement was that counting isn’t as beneficial as it is in blackjack, but players can get away with more. I don’t have any known published materials on this topic.

At the Meskwaki In central Iowa, they pay 3 to 2 on an ace and a 10 after splitting aces in Spanish 21. What implications does this rule have?

Dave from Cedar Falls, Iowa

That lowers the house edge by 0.16%.

In Spanish 21 variations that permit redoubling, where the only allowed actions post-double are redouble or stand, what is the right approach if the strategy card indicates 'hit'?

Nick from London

Most scenarios suggesting redoubling typically advise you to double. Nevertheless, if facing a soft 15 to 17 against a 3, when the strategy suggests hitting, you should actually choose to redouble.

The Fun 21 version offered on Carnival cruise lines includes some surprisingly advantageous rules. They appear to be sufficiently favorable that they could offset the hit on soft 17 and even exceed it. I’m unable to identify a downside. Is there any chance that the odds are better than the standard blackjack games in major Las Vegas casinos, or even slightly in favor of players? Regardless of your response, I appreciate your site greatly.

Eric from Tallahassee

Thank you. This game is essentially a derivative of Spanish 21. Note that the bottom of the rules card indicates the removal of all queens.

What percentage advantage would a player have if all the 10s were retained in a Spanish 21 game using eight decks with the dealer standing on all 17s?

Kevin from Toronto

Keeping all of the tens in the deck provides a 1.89% advantage to the player. Normally, the house edge under those circumstances is 0.40%. Therefore, with all tens present in the deck, the player's edge would be 1.89% minus 0.40%, equating to 1.49%.

I understand that Spanish 21 rules specify the 'envy bonus' is permanently set at $50, while the super bonus is fixed at $1,000 for bets between $5 and $25, or $5,000 for bets higher than $25. I’m interested to know the implications of playing at an empty table or betting beyond $25 per hand on the house edge? Casinos provide standard blackjack options for high rollers without maximum payouts. Are you aware of any casinos offering favorable rules for high rollers in Spanish 21 (like a $500 envy bonus for a $50 bet)?

Dean from Toronto

I share your sentiment regarding games that offer worse odds for larger bettors. The value of these Super Bonuses is nearly negligible. The probability of hitting the Super Bonus is one in 549,000 with eight decks and one in 668,000 with six decks. Assuming six decks, the worth of the envy bonus amounts to 0.0015% per additional player, not counting yourself. Unfortunately, I am not aware of any casinos that enhance bonuses for larger wagers.

I truly appreciate your website and the valuable information it provides! Engaging with your content has helped me shed my bad habits and become a more skilled player, I'm convinced! Here's my question. I’ve read about some of the games you discuss and find several of them intriguing, such as the World Series of Poker (Final Table Bonus) video poker game.

I'm often at a loss for locating specific games outside of Nevada, so I tend to reach out directly to the game's manufacturer through their website for assistance. Unfortunately, I never receive a response! This not only illustrates poor customer service, but it also leaves me still searching for answers regarding the game's whereabouts. Is there a website or another method you’d recommend for identifying which games are available at which casinos? It would seem logical for game manufacturers to provide this information to help players in their search.

Larry S. from Columbus, OH

I appreciate your kind comments. I believe game manufacturers should consider this feedback seriously. I frequently receive requests from players seeking this kind of information, but it can be overwhelming for one individual to manage. A notable exception to this situation is Masque Publishing, the company behind Spanish 21, as they maintain an online resource listing the locations where the more favorable Spanish 21 rules can be accessed.

I came across a four-deck Spanish 21 game that offers a 3-2 payout on an ace paired with a ten after a split. How significant is the value of this specific rule?

anonymous

To keep things straightforward, let’s assume that players are not allowed to re-split aces. Additionally, remember that Spanish 21 utilizes a 48-card deck which doesn’t have any tens. It’s also important to note that achieving 21 points automatically secures a win in this variation of the game.

Regardless of whether that rule exists or not, players should always opt to split aces. In a game with four Spanish decks, the chances of being dealt a pair of aces is calculated as combin(16,2)/combin(192,2) = 120/18336 = 0.65%.

The likelihood of each ace being paired with a ten is calculated as (4*12)/(48*12-2) = 48/190 = 25.26%. Therefore, if a player has two aces, the expected number that will result in blackjacks is 2*48/190 = 96/190 = 0.5053.

Each blackjack earned will provide an additional half unit in value. Consequently, the worth of this rule translates to (120/18336)*(96/190)*(1/2) = 0.17%.

Even with this rule in play, players should refrain from splitting tens, eliminating that concern from our calculations. Therefore, this specific rule reduces the house edge by 0.17%.