Blackjack at River Rock

Object of the Game

To beat the point value of the Dealer’s hand without going over 21.

How to Play

After the bets are placed, each Player receives two cards and the Dealer receives one card. All cards are dealt face up. If the initial two cards you are dealt total 21, you have a Blackjack, which pays 3 to 2 on your bet. If the Dealer also has a Blackjack, you would push (tie). If you do not have a Blackjack and feel the total of your first two cards can beat the Dealer’s total, you would “stand,” meaning you would not draw any additional cards. If you feel you need additional cards to beat the Dealer, you gesture for each new card (“hit”) with your hand until you are satisfied and decide to stand. Once all Players have played their hands, the Dealer will complete his or her hand. If the Dealer has a soft* 17 or less, he or she must draw additional cards until a hard** 17 or more is reached. If the Dealer exceeds 21, all Players who have 21 (or less) win. Otherwise the Dealer compares his or her point total to each Player’s. All winning bets are paid even money (one to one).

* A soft hand is a hand that includes an Ace and has two totals, neither of which exceeds 21.

** A hard hand is a hand in which there is no Ace or the Ace counts as one.

The Cards

Face cards (Kings, Queens, Jacks) have a value of 10. Numbered cards are worth their face value except Ace, which can count as 1 or 11.

Player Options

Doubling Down

Players may double down on the original two cards of a hand once. To double down a Player can wager up to the amount of their original wager. When doubling down the Player receives only one card.

Splitting Pairs

If you have two cards of equal value in one hand, you may split them into two separate hands. In order to split, simply place an additional bet, equal to your original bet. With split Aces, you receive only one additional card per hand. You may double down after splitting pairs (with the exception of Aces). You may re-split to a maximum of 4 hands with the exception of Aces (which can only be split once).

Surrender

You can surrender on any original two card hand, with the exception of when the Dealer has and Ace or a 10 value card, you may surrender if the Dealer does not have a Blackjack. When you surrender you receive half of your original wager back.

Insurance

If the Dealer’s first card is an Ace, Players are offered the option of insuring their bets against the possibility of the Dealer’s final hand being a Blackjack. Insurance bets are up to one half of your original bet. If the Dealer’s hand is not a Blackjack, the Player loses his or her insurance bet. If the Dealer’s hand is a Blackjack, the insurance bet is paid two times the amount paid for the insurance. When a Player has a Blackjack they may elect to take even money in lieu of making an insurance wager.

Double Deck

The same rules as basic Blackjack however the game is played with 2 decks of cards instead of eight and there is no surrender.

King’s Bounty Blackjack

Before each round of Blackjack play, you can place a King’s Bounty side bet on the designated spot on the table at the same time you make your regular bet. Once the first two cards have been dealt to each Player, the Dealer determines if any Players who made King’s Bounty wagers have two cards totalling 20. This occurs once the first two cards have been dealt and before you act on your hand. After the winners are paid out, the Blackjack game resumes as normal.

King’s Bounty Payable
Two Kings of Spades + Dealers Blackjack 1,000 to 1
Two Kings of Spades 100 to 1
Two Suited Kings 30 to 1
Two Suited 10s Jacks or Queens 20 to 1
Suited 20 9 to 1
Two Kings 6 to 1
Non-suited 20 4 to 1

 

Payout

All winning bets are paid even money except for Blackjack, which pays three to two. When a push (tie) occurs, the Player keeps the original bet. A Blackjack, two cards that equal 21, beats all other combinations of cards that equal 21. A two-card 21 on split hands is not a Blackjack.