American and European Blackjack: What are the Major Differences?

Blackjack is a card game where players only compete against the dealer and not against other players. The game is primarily played in casinos.

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The history of blackjack is not well known, but the game is believed to have originated in France. In the 17th century, the game was known as Vingt-en-Un, meaning twenty-one, and in the 18th century, the French colonists brought the game to North America. It gained popularity in the 20th century in America, where different versions of the game were created, including Spanish 21, Vegas Strip Blackjack, Atlantic City Blackjack, Vegas Downtown Blackjack, and many others.

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Rules of the Game

Each casino game has peculiar rules that guide gameplay. For blackjack, these are the rules guiding its play.

1. When the dealer and the player have the same total point, it is called a blackjack tie or a blackjack push.
2. The dealer can lose to a particular player and win against the remaining players.
3. Each player plays against the dealer who has one to eight decks.
4. A player can only win when his number of cards is more than the cards with the dealer, but must not exceed 21.
5. When a hand equals any value greater than 21, it’s called a busted hand, and the player with such a hand loses.
6. Each face card counts ten while Aces count as one or eleven. An Ace card with the king, queen, 10, or jack is known as the blackjack and other cards from two to ten count as their face value.

Players can get extra cards as the case may be so long they are yet to lose.

There are gestures to make during the game. When asking for a card, you can make a gentle tap on the table with your finger, or beckon with your hands. This is known as the Hit. If you don’t want another card, you can stand. You do this by waving your hand in a back and forth motion.

Significant Differences Between American and European Blackjack

Here are the major differences between American and European Blackjack.

1.     The Dealer Can Peek at the Second Card in American Blackjack

In the American version of blackjack, one of the dealer’s two cards is placed face down. If the card placed face up is an Ace card, the dealer can take a peek at the second card placed face down.

However, this is not the case for European blackjack. The dealer does not check the second card placed down until each player plays their turns.

2.     Late Surrender Rule 

During the hand in American blackjack, players are allowed to surrender. If the chances of winning are very slim, a player can surrender and lose just 50% instead of the total bet. In contrast, this is not allowed in European blackjack.

3.     Doubling Down Rules

In the American version, players can double down on any card value, but for the European version, players can only double down when they have nine, ten, or eleven points. The doubling down rules of American blackjack give players added advantage and a higher possibility of winning.

4.     Split Options Rules

Players are allowed to split more than once, even up to three times, and both cards do not necessarily have to be the same. The only cards a player can’t split in American blackjack are the ace cards.

On the other hand, European blackjack allows players to split their cards just once, and these must be face cards, i.e., the 10 value cards that have the same face.

Final Notes

The American and European versions are the most popular types of blackjack. While each of these two variants has its distinct rules, American blackjack rules are more lenient when compared with European blackjack, and in most cases, favors the player.