Sports

The Most Popular Blackjack Variations to Play

Published

8 months ago

July 28, 2022

Harry Miller

Blackjack is one of the most popular card games you can play. It comes in various forms, and its origins are still under debate. It’s most likely derived from a French game called Vingt-et-Un (21 in French). Over the course of several decades, it evolved to become the game we know today, and people who play casino games love it!

Such a rich history implies the formation of multiple variations across countries and cultures, and some people, like Edward O. Thorp, even managed to “beat blackjack.”

So if you’re feeling lucky or if you want to find out if you have an incredible gift like Rain Man, you’ll first need to learn more about the game and its rules.

In this article, we’ll explore the rules of blackjack and present you with the most popular variations, so you can find your way around when you play casino games.

Understanding the Rules of Blackjack

Before jumping into the game variations, it only feels appropriate to go for a quick reminder of the general blackjack rules. It’s an accessible casino game. However, it’s never a bad thing to freshen up your memory.

The Principle

Blackjack is played with several standard 52-card decks. Usually, six are dealt from a shoe. Players don’t compete against each other but against the dealer. The goal of the game is to reach a total score of 21 (the blackjack) or as close as possible without going over.

Card Values

Face cards (J, Q, and K) are worth 10 points, and every other card is worth its original value. When an Ace is dealt, the player can choose if it’s worth one or 11.

Bets

Players place their bets before the hand begins. However, if the game offers side bets, depending on the nature of the wager, it can be set later on.

European Blackjack

In this version of blackjack, the dealer gives two cards to the player and one to themselves facing up. Once the player has played his hand, the dealer receives another card. Unless the player has a blackjack, then the player wins. If the player has less than 21, here are the options they have:

Hit: If you ask to hit, you get another card.

Double Down: You get another card, double your bet, and you have to stand afterwards.

Stand: You decide to keep your current hand. This ends your turn.

Split: When you have two cards with the same value, you can split your hand into two. You’ll play each hand separately with a bet attached to it.

When it’s time for the dealer to play, the player can win if the dealer busts (goes over 21). In this case, the player gets even money. Hands can be compared at the end of the dealer’s turn. The highest score wins if he decides to stand. In the eventuality that both hands have the same value, the game is pushed, meaning the player gets his money back. Moreover, the dealer always stands on a soft 17.

American Blackjack

American blackjack is more popular because it’s the game typically played in Las Vegas. Some even refer to it as “classic blackjack.” There are a few key differences that may seem like nothing but really impact the way you approach the game.

When the game starts, the dealer immediately receives two cards, with one facing up and the other facing down. If the dealer wants, they can peek at this second hidden card and end the turn if it’s a face card or a 10. If the dealer does, then every player loses their initial wager. However, it makes them lose less money in the long run because they don’t have time to place extra bets or double down.

When the dealer’s visible card is an Ace, players can place an insurance bet. This bet is won if the dealer hits a blackjack. Moreover, you can double down after a split, which isn’t allowed in the European variant. You can also split up to six hands, except for Aces. Aces are split once, and you’ll only receive a single card before having to stand.

Blackjack Switch

Blackjack Switch is a variant of American blackjack invented in 2009. The significant difference is that players start with two hands instead of one. After the bets are settled, the dealer will ask if they want to switch the top cards of each hand. Then the game proceeds with the same rules.

Blackjack Perfect Pairs

Perfect Pairs blackjack adds a side bet to the game. If the first hand dealt to you is a pair, you win this bet. The highest win is with perfect pairs (same suit and value). You can also get paid if you have two cards with similar value and colour but a different suit or the same value with a different colour.

Blackjack, Popular & Timeless

American blackjack has dominated the world of casinos for decades and spawned prevalent variations. Still, European blackjack attracts experienced players looking for a challenge. It’s a simple game anyone can understand and play with a few hands, which makes it a timeless classic.

Sports

Washington Wizards vs. Toronto Raptors Live Score and Stats – March 26, 2023 Gametracker – CBS Sports

Published

36 mins ago

March 27, 2023

Harry Miller

TORONTO (AP) O.G. Anunoby scored 29 points, Fred VanVleet had 28 and the Toronto Raptors never trailed in a 114-104 win over Washington Wizards on Sunday.

Pascal Siakam had 19 points and 11 rebounds and Jakob Poeltl had 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Anunoby had 11 made baskets, two shy of his career-high. All four of his 3-pointers came in the first quarter.

“O.G. obviously had it going tonight,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said.

Ninth-place Toronto clinched the three-game season series with the Wizards and maintained a three-game lead over 11th-place Washington in the Eastern Conference standings. Both teams have seven games remaining.

Toronto and Atlanta have identical 37-38 records, but the Hawks won two of three against the Raptors this season to clinch the tiebreaker.

Scottie Barnes scored 13 points in his return to the starting lineup after missing two games because of a sore left wrist as the Raptors won for the ninth time in 10 home games.

Kristaps Porzingis scored 26 points and Corey Kispert had 19 for the Wizards, who have lost eight of 10.

Washington made 18 turnovers, leading to 25 points for Toronto, and was outscored 27-11 in second-chance points.

“Our ball security wasn’t where it should be,” Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. “Obviously they thrive in that area. We allowed their strengths to beat us.”

Deni Avdija and Johnny Davis each scored 15 points for Washington and Daniel Gafford had 10.

The short-handed Wizards played without guard Bradley Beal (left knee) for the third straight game, while forward Kyle Kuzma (right ankle) sat for the fourth straight game. Washington was also without guard Monte Morris (left groin).

“Right now, those guys are a level higher,” Porzingis said of Toronto. “ Us without our main guys, it’s a difficult task.”

Anunoby almost single-handedly outscored the Wizards with a career-high 18 points in the first quarter as Toronto led 37-21 after one. Anunoby shot 7 for 10 in the first, making 4 of 6 from long range.

“He got hot,” Porzingis said. “He was hitting 3’s, he was hitting some post-up shots. He was hitting everything else.”

Held scoreless in the opening quarter, Siakam scored 11 points in the second to give the Raptors a 63-46 halftime lead.

Porzingis scored 12 points in the third as Washington outscored Toronto 38-24. The Wizards closed to within a point, 80-79, on a 3 by Davis with 2:16 left in the quarter, but were unable to take the lead. Toronto took an 87-84 lead to the fourth.

Anunoby scored five points as the Raptors opened the fourth with a 13-3 run to restore their double-digit lead.

TIP-INS

Wizards: Shot 1 for 8 from 3-point range in the first quarter, but went 15 for 28 over the final three quarters. Washington shot 8 for 12 from long range in the third. … Former Raptor Delon Wright shot 2 for 9 and scored five points. Wright had eight assists and seven rebounds. … Lost their fourth straight road game. … Avdija had nine rebounds and seven assists.

Raptors: F Precious Achiuwa also returned after missing two games because of a sore right hamstring. … G Gary Trent Jr. (right elbow) sat for the third straight game. … G Will Barton left in the first quarter because of a sprained left ankle and did not return.

SPIN TO WIN

Barnes forced a steal and finished with a 360-degree dunk for his first basket of the game.

“I thought it was great,” Anunoby said.

MAGIC TOUCH

Toronto has won or tied the past 12 season series with Washington. The Raptors lost three of four to the Wizards in 2007-08.

WIRE-TO-WIRE WINS

The Raptors won without trailing for the fifth time. They also did it Dec. 7 against the Lakers, Jan. 12 against Charlotte, Jan. 28 at Portland, and March 14 against Denver.

UP NEXT

Wizards: Host Boston on Tuesday.

Raptors: Host Miami on Tuesday. —

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports

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Maple Leafs @ Predators 3/26 | NHL Highlights 2023 – NHL

Published

2 hours ago

March 27, 2023

Harry Miller

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Switzerland win LGT World Women’s Curling Championship 2023

Published

13 hours ago

March 26, 2023

Harry Miller

Defending champions Switzerland beat Norway by 6-3 in Sunday afternoon’s gold medal final at the LGT World Women’s Curling Championship 2023.

This was a fourth successive world title for skip Silvana Tirinzoni, fourth player Alina Paetz and second Carole Howald. For Paetz and Howald it is a sixth world women’s championship title.

After blanking the first end, Switzerland’s fourth player Alina Paetz opened the scoring with a single point in the second end when she played a raise take-out.

The Swiss still led by 1-0 in the fourth end when Norway’s fourth player Kristin Skaslien had a complete miss on an attempt to blank the end and gave up a steal of one point to double Switzerland’s lead to 2-0.

In the fifth end, Skaslien made amends with a draw to put two points on the board for Norway, that levelled the score at 2-2.

After another blank end in the sixth, Switzerland took the lead again in the seventh end when Paetz brought her last stone draw inside three Norwegian stones to score one (3-2).

Norway levelled again at 3-3, in the eighth end when Skaslien played a hit to promote one of her own stones into scoring position.

In the ninth end, Switzerland’s Paetz played her final draw precisely onto the button and inside three Norwegian stones, to score one and nudge her team into a 4-3 lead.

In the tenth end, Norway’s Skaslien had a draw to tie the game and force an extra end, but her shot came up short to hand Switzerland a steal of two points and a 6-3 win.

Swiss celebration after the final © WCF / Jeffrey Au

The gold medal winning Swiss team are: skip and third player Silvana Tirinzoni, fourth Alina Paetz, second Carole Howald and lead Briar Schwaller-Huerlimann, supported by their coach Pierre Charette.

The silver medal winning Norwegian team are: skip Marianne Roervik, fourth Kristin Skaslien, second Mille Haslev Nordbye, lead Martine Roenning and alternate Maia Ramsfjell, supported by their coach Rune Steen Hansen.

Gold medal game result

Norway-Switzerland: 3-6

Engage with the World Curling Federation about the LGT World Women’s Curling Championship 2023 on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Weibo and be searching the hashtags #WWCC2023 #curling