- It is played with a 48-card deck with the tens removed. An ace and a 10-point card as your first two cards is a Pontoon, paid 3 to 2 on the spot.
- A player 21 beats a dealer 21. The dealer’s second card is dealt last.
The same as Spanish 21: a player 21 beats a dealer 21, you may rescue after a double below 21, and the bonuses (21 with 5 or more cards, 6-7-8 and 7-7-7).
What differs:
- An ace and a 10-point card is a Pontoon, paid 3 to 2 at once. An ace and a 10-point card on a split hand is 21. A player 21 also beats a dealer Pontoon
- The dealer hits hard 16 and soft 17 (H17)
- Double on the first two cards only (split hands too, except split aces). An ace in your first two cards counts 1 once you double
- Surrender only when the dealer’s upcard is J, Q, K or A. If the dealer makes Pontoon, the surrender is void and the whole bet is lost
- When the dealer makes Pontoon, a doubled hand loses only the original bet; each split hand loses its bet
- Split up to 4 hands. Aces only once, one card each
- Insurance is offered when the dealer’s upcard is an ace (pays 2 to 1). 10-point cards are about 25% of the deck. A hand with Pontoon cannot take it (it is paid at once)
Example: bet 10 on A 7 against a dealer 6. If you double, the ace counts 1, so you draw one card to 8. Even a 3 makes only 11, not 21.
Example: split 8 8 (10 each) against a dealer ace and make 18 on both. If the dealer makes Pontoon, you lose 20.
Some tables let you double on any number of cards.
The fixed-amount Super Bonus (suited 7-7-7 with a dealer 7 up) is small against the bet.