Double Attack Blackjack is one of the types of blackjack that you get to play at online casinos. This game is almost like the standard blackjack game, but with one major difference. The game is played using 8 Spanish decks: decks that do not have the 10 cards. That means you effectively play with 8 48-card decks. You have the option of placing a side bet – the Bust It side bet – when you are playing Double Attack Blackjack. Apart from this, all the other blackjack options are seen in this game.
The objective of playing Double Attack Blackjack is the same as the standard game of blackjack – get a hand of 21 or close to it without going bust. The advantage is that you get a shot at doubling the bet amount once you see the dealer’s face card. But to win, you still need to beat the dealer’s hand.
How to Play
You can play Double Attack Blackjack for fun or for real money. Whichever mode you play, bets need to be set before the dealer deals the cards. Players can choose the bet amount using the different chips available. You also have the option of placing a side bet before the cards are dealt. This bet is the Bust It side bet and is applicable only if the player features in the main game.
Once the bets are placed, the dealer deals the cards. You have the option of doubling your bet once the dealer’s face-up card is out. That is the whole concept behind the name: you get to double your bet at the beginning of each hand, once the dealer’s face-up card has been dealt.
Almost all the standard rules of blackjack apply in this game, with a few twists. The dealer stands on a soft 17 and can peek for blackjack. Once the player has passed the Double Attack bet phase – doubling your bet on seeing the dealer’s face-up card – the dealer deals two cards, both dealt face-up. Next, the dealer deals himself two cards, one face-up and the other hidden. The game then progresses like any other normal blackjack game: players can take a call on whether they want to hit, or stand.
Players have the option of doubling after a split. All other pairs can be re-split except for the Ace. How much a player can re-split a pair depends where he is playing. Some casinos allow re-splitting to 3 or 4 hands, while some do not. Players have the option of surrendering as well, even after they have hit multiple times. They can also surrender after doubling or splitting. Insurance bets in this game pay out 5:2. The insurance bet works like it does in the standard blackjack game. The player can place an insurance bet if he sees that the dealer’s face-up card is an Ace.
All player outcomes become null and void if the dealer scores a blackjack. In such a situation, player loses his initial bet and his double attack bet is returned. If both the dealer and the player, however, score 21, the player gets not only his double attack bet but also the initial amount wagered.
The Bust it side bet is an optional bet that a player can place along with the initial bet at the onset of a regular game. For a player to win with a Bust It bet, the dealer must bust with 3 cards. Players can win the Bust It side bet and still lose the main game. If the dealer’s hand has three suited 8s, the player wins big, at 200:1. Three colored 8s as the dealer’s hand translates to a 50:1 win for the player. The other options the player has are 15:1, 10:1, 8:1, 6:1, and 3:1, depending on what hand the dealer busts with.
The Dealer
- The minimum hand a dealer can stand on is a soft 17
- For any hand lower than 17, the dealer must draw
How to Win
A player can win by:
- Hitting a blackjack or scoring close to 21 with the initial cards
- Beating the dealer’s hand while ensuring he (the player) does not bust
- Winning the Bust It side bet if the dealer busts with 3 cards
The Game Rules
- The game is played using 8 Spanish decks (48-card decks that do not have the 10 cards)
- Cards are shuffled and dealt at the beginning of each hand
- Blackjack hands pay out at 1:1, which is basically even money.
How to Play And Some Basic Tips
Double Attack Blackjack is a great blackjack game for a simple reason: it may seem to favor the casino because of the 48-card decks used, but it has enough options built-in to ensure the house edge shifts back to help the player.
The best way of winning while playing Playtech’s Double Attack Blackjack is to use the Double Attack bet feature on offer. If you win the amount you win gets doubled, while if you lose the Double Attack bet amount gets returned. You also have the option of using the Bust It side bet to score a win if a dealer busts with 3 cards.
The maximum bet can be as high as 300, which means this is a game that gives you a shot at winning big. If you are a safe player, you can go with the minimum stake of 0.10. The side bet helps increase your winnings by as high as 200 (if you get the dealer to bust with three suited 8s), which makes this a game worth checking out with some high wagering as well.