Fun 21 Blackjack Is Fun

Blackjack fans who like playing with many rules that favour them and without too many restrictions should definitely try Fun 21 Blackjack. This game can be played with one, two or six decks of cards and gives the player almost a total freedom of deciding their next step. Double after split, late surrender, as well as hit and double split Aces are some of the rules which make this game so special and attractive to the players. Even though the house edge is relatively higher than the house edge of other blackjack variations, a good strategy can put the player in a very good position when playing this variation.

Rules and Special Features

Besides the possibility to play the game with one, two or six decks of 52 cards, all the other game rules match. Usually, the dealer hits on soft 17 and peeks for a blackjack. The player can double after a split and can resplit up to four hands, Aces included. The player can double on any number of cards and can take a late surrender as well. A player blackjack pays 1:1, while a player blackjack in diamonds has a 2:1 payout. Another combination that pays 2:1 is a five card (or more) hand totalling 21 points. If the player has a hand of 20 points or less consisting of at least six cards, he will automatically win the game. One of the rules in favour of the player is the fact that a player blackjack beats a dealer blackjack.

What makes Fun21 Blackjack a unique blackjack variation is the Super Fun side bet with pays 300x the bet amount. Since the bet amount is set at £1, if the player hits the Diamond blackjack with the first two cards he will receive a £300 prize. The Super Fun bet has to be placed before any cards are dealt. Furthermore, this game accepts insurance bets after the player and the dealer receive the first two cards. Of course, the ultimate objective for the player is to beat the dealer by scoring 21 points or any amount which is higher than the dealer’s hand.

A Not so Fun House Edge

Fun 21 Blackjack can be categorised as a blackjack variation with a relatively high house edge compared to other blackjack games. If played with only one deck of cards and the dealer hits on soft 17, the house edge is 0.94%. Adding one or five more decks only increases the favourability towards the house. Nevertheless, the late surrender, resplitting up to four hands and doubling on any two cards are rules that are good for the player. Furthermore, the player can resplit and draw cards to split Aces. Another favourable rule towards the player is the winning player blackjack over a dealer blackjack.

Super Fun and Other Side Bets

As the traditional blackjack accepts insurance bets, players of Fun21 Blackjack can also place insurance bets with 2:1 payout after the first two cards are dealt. However, this game wouldn’t be so fun without the Super Fun Bonus side bet which offers an amazing payout of 300:1. The Super Fun bet can be placed only before the game session starts and the betting amount is fixed at £1. Whether the player has won or lost is known right after he receives the first two cards; a blackjack in Diamonds is what makes the player a winner, whereas any other card combination is considered as a losing combination.

A good strategy

This is the optimal strategy for playing one deck Fun 21 Blackjack. The player should hit on hard 4-16, soft 3-8 and pairs of twos, threes, fours and sixes, regardless the dealer’s face up card. Of course, there are some exceptions that will be further explained.

If the player has three cards with the amount of hard 15 across a dealer’s Ace, the player should surrender. The same goes if the dealer shows 9, 10 or Ace when the player has a three card hard 16. Surrendering on hard 17 is also advisable if the dealer holds an Ace. A pair of sevens is the last surrender sign if the dealer has 10 or Ace. The player should always stand on hard 17+ and soft 9 or 10, no matter the dealer’s card. Additionally, if the player has hard 12-16 and the dealer shows 2-6, to stand is a good option. Finally, the player is advised to stand on soft 8 if the dealer’s card is 2, 7 or 8.

When it comes to splitting pairs, the player should split 8-8, 9-9 and a pair of Aces right away. Two sevens should be split when the dealer receives a card from 2 to 8, while 2-2, 3-3 and 6-6 should be split if the dealer has a card from 2 to 6. A pair of fours should be split only if the dealer has 5 or 6, whereas the player should always double on 5-5. Another good situation for doubling is a hard three card 10 or 11; same goes for a hard three card 9 when the dealer shows 2, 4, 5 or 6. Lastly, the player should consider doubling if the dealer has 5 or 6 and he has soft two card 3, three card 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 and four card 9.

Summary

Fun 21 Blackjack has a lot to offer to its players. Besides the liberal game rules which give the players freedom of planning their next move, the game has various bonuses and unique rule modifications that make it a better option than the traditional blackjack. The blackjack payout of 1:1 is maybe not that good and the high house edge can seem like a reason to avoid this game; nevertheless, those who do not want to have so many restrictions when playing, want to have the option to surrender, double after split and be awarded for certain winning combinations should give that game a try.