Play Blackjack Switch Online for Real Money or in Demo Mode!

Invented by Geoff Hall and patented in 2009, Blackjack Switch is one of the most innovative blackjack variations. On the Internet, it is offered exclusively by the software provider Playtech, so you can enjoy this fantastic game only at casinos powered by the famous game developer. In the UK, the best casino site for playing Blackjack Switch is Ladbrokes where you will be welcomed with a generous welcome bonus up to £50 which you can use on any of the dozen blackjack variations offered by the operator.

Many players choose Blackjack Switch over the other available online blackjack variants because of its low house edge and uniqueness, even though its rules make it slightly more complicated than most other casino games. There are some rules that are in favour of the players and some that favour the dealer. However, the most interesting part is dealing two hands instead of one to a single player. The game is played with 6 decks of cards and the dealer must hit on soft 17. Read the rest of this review for more details.

Blackjack Switch Free Play

Since Blackjack Switch is so much different than most other blackjack variations, it’s recommended that you try the game for free before you start placing real money bets. Increase your odds of winning when you start playing for real by getting to know the game in demo mode using the embedded game below:

Instant play

How to Play – Rules of the Game

The main difference between the classic blackjack games and the Switch version is the fact that instead of one hand per player, Blackjack Switch is played with two hands. Players have two betting boxes and the game is played with 6 standard decks of cards. Otherwise, the playing layout is relatively similar to the other blackjack games. Since there are two hands and two betting options there are also two bets placed per gaming round. The bets are doubled independently during the game. The game starts with the dealer dealing one card to each player and one face-up card to himself. Then another round of cards is dealt and players can choose to place side bets.

Having seen their two hands, players can decide to switch the top cards of each hand. For example, after being dealt 10-8 and 3-10, by switching the top cards the player will continue the game with 10-10 and 3-8 combinations. As the name suggest, what makes Blackjack Switch unique is the rule that allows players to switch the top cards of their two hands.

Each hand is played separately and the player can hit, stand or double. After the dealer plays his hand, the value of 22 is considered a push against all other values except for a player blackjack. If the player’s hand exceeds 21, it is considered a bust. The blackjack payout is 1:1, while the normal payout is 3:2, and the dealer hits on soft 17. It must be noted that if the player switches to a blackjack, it is counted as 21 and a dealer blackjack will win the game.

House Edge & Winning Odds

When using the optimal playing strategy, Blackjack Switch has a house edge of 0.17% which is one of the lowest among all online blackjack games. It is true that the game features two of the most devastating rules for the player, i.e. that the dealer 22 is a push and that blackjack pays 1:1, but things are more than evened up by the fact that the players can switch cards between their two hands. In fact, when playing with the optimal strategy and with the right blackjack bonus, Blackjack Switch offers great odds for winning to the players, in fact, way better odds than most other blackjack variations.

Switch and Other Side Bets

Blackjack Switch is one of the game variations that provide the possibility of placing side bets. Even though the side bets usually increase the house edge, they can be a good option when the players want to try something different. The side bet in this particular game is also known as Super Match. It can be placed before the cards are dealt and will reward you if you have a pair among your four cards. The Super Match side bet has the following payouts: 1:1 for a pair, 5:1 for three of a kind, 8:1 for two pairs and 40:1 for four of a kind.

The Winning Strategy

Since the rules of Blackjack Switch are quite different than the standard blackjack variation, the basic strategy for the game is different as well. For hard hands it is relatively simple – if your hand totals 5 to 12, it’s usually best to hit, with some exceptions – stand only if you have 12 and the dealer’s face-up card is 5 or 6 and double if you have 10 or 11 against a dealer total lower than 10. With hands scoring between 13 and 16, it’s best to stand if the dealer has 6 or lower and to hit if the dealer has 7 or more. If you have 17 or more, it’s alway best to stand.

For soft hands, the general rule is: if you have a soft 17 or lower it’s best to hit while if you have a soft 18 or higher it’s best to stand. The only exception is to double if you have A-5 against a dealer 6 or if you have A-6 or A-7 against a dealer 5 or 6. Also, if you have A7 against a dealer 10 or ace, it’s best to hit.

As far as playing pairs, things are a little bit more complicated. In general, you should hit if you have 2-2, 3-3 or 4-4 with the exception of 2-2 and 3-3 against a dealer 5, 6 or 7, in which case you should split. With a hand of two fives, you should double if the dealer has 8 or lower, otherwise simply hit. With sixes, it’s always better to hit, unless the dealer has 4, 5 or 6, in which case you should split. Stand with sevens against a 2, split them if the dealer has anywhere between 3 and 7 and simply hit if the dealer’s up-card is 8 or higher. Split eights against a dealer card lower than 10, otherwise hit. Nines should be split against a dealer 4, 5, 6, 8 or 9, while in all other cases the best move is to stand. Always stand if you have two tens and always split a pair of aces.

Blackjack Switch Overview

Played with the optimal strategy, Blackjack Switch has a very good house edge and it is a better option than many other blackjack games. Furthermore, this game offers a unique blackjack experience that can have many positive outcomes for the players. If you like this variant, then you will also enjoy Pontoon by Playtech – a card game based on blackjack that also features some interesting rules and different payouts.