Rummy

Introduction

Rummy is a popular blackjack In Costa Rica, you may encounter a peculiar situation where many casinos do not offer blackjack, citing legal restrictions. Therefore, players who enjoy games based on 21 might find themselves playing Rummy instead, depending on the establishment.

Rules

Here are the standard rules for playing Rummy that the majority of casinos typically implement. Some establishments may choose to impose stricter regulations; for those cases, refer to the variations of rules detailed below.

1. Four to six decks.
2. In this context, an ace combined with a ten-point card is considered a total of 21 points. Hence, there is no three-to-two payout for a winning 'blackjack,' as that term is not applicable here.
3. Dealer stands on soft 17.
4. Double any two cards.
5. Early surrender.
6. Double after split allowed.
7. You can re-split any pair, including aces, allowing for a maximum of four separate hands.
8. Draw to split aces not allowed.
9. Bonuses for obtaining three of a kind or a straight flush are only applicable to the first three cards dealt in the original hand.
   

   Rummy Bonuses

   Player hand	Unsuited	Suited	Total 21
   Three of a kind	3 to 1	5 to 1	5 to 1
   Straight flush	n/a	3 to 1	5 to 1

10. Bonuses are awarded immediately, regardless of whether the third card causes the player to exceed the limit.
11. If a player receives a bonus after doubling their bet, the bonus amount is calculated based on the total wagered.
12. Splitting voids any chance of a bonus.

This represents a selection of Costa Rican casinos. Click on any image for an enlarged view.

Strategy

The table below outlines the fundamental strategy, tailored to the previously mentioned rules. Be mindful of bonus exceptions regarding two suited player cards located on the right side of the table.

House Edge

With the standard rules and strategies taken into account, the house advantage stands at 1.00%.

Rule variants

The following table illustrates some possible variations in rules and their impact on the house edge.

It's noteworthy that as the number of decks decreases, the house edge tends to increase, which may be due to the difficulty players face in achieving three of a kind bonuses.

Acknowledgments

I would like to extend my gratitude to Cindy Liu and CrystalMath for their invaluable help with this analysis.

Written by: Michael Shackleford