21 Duel Blackjack: Try It Here
21 Duel is a blackjack variant that’s played with six decks. Like classic versions of blackjack, the aim of the game is to amass a point total higher than that of the dealer, but lower or equal to 21. Unlike classic blackjack, however, all hands with a total of 21 are tied in this game.
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On this page we’ll present you with a quick how-to-play guide to 21 Duel Blackjack and some useful tips and hints to win. There’s also a free trial version of the game, as you’ve already noticed, in addition to our top online casino tips. Jump right in and give it a few rounds for play money to learn the ropes!
How to Play 21 Duel Blackjack
The card values in 21 Duel remain the same: aces count for one or eleven, number cards count at face value, and picture cards are worth ten points. Players are first dealt three cards; one facing up and the other two facing down. The dealer is dealt two cards facing down and two cards are dealt into the middle of the table. These are communal cards. To start a round, you play your up-facing card and one of the two communal cards. If you decide to play on using a communal card, your bet is doubled. If you think you have a strong hand, you stand. If not, then you hit and your down-facing card is turned over.
| Game Rules: | Special Features: | Dealers and Betting: |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-Hand: Yes | Re-Split: No | Blackjack Pays: 1 to 1 |
| Insurance: No | Hit Split Aces: No | Side Bets: Yes |
| Surrender: No | Double: No | Dealer Peek: No |
| Split: No | Double After Split: No | Dealer Hits Soft 17: No |
It’s then the dealer’s turn to flip one of his or her cards over and pick a communal card to start their hand. If they draw 17 or more then the dealer will stand. If not, they’ll hit and take another down card. The player wins 1:1 on their first bet and pushes on a second bet. If the dealer has a hand higher than 12 and higher than the player’s, the dealer wins both bets. If the player wins both bets, then the player wins on both bets. Hands totaling 21 are equal, so there’s no blackjack and the player and dealer draw. At the end of each round, the cards of a hand are returned to the deck. 21 Duel Blackjack rules are much the same as the rules in classic blackjack. If you’re looking for more traditional iterations of blackjack, why not check out our blackjack games page here.
Tips for A Winning 21 Duel Blackjack Strategy
Below we’ve collected a couple of our best tips to put together a good 21 Duel Blackjack strategy. These tips can’t be guaranteed to win you a game, but they’ll certainly improve your chances. To start with, it’s not necessarily the best idea to pick the highest value communal card. If your hand has a value of eleven points, stick with the communal card you originally choose, even if the other card would bring nearer to 18 or 19. You should do this because your down card might be of a high value and unless you’re careful, you’ll exceed 21.
21 Duel Strategy Table
| 1st Player Card | Communal Cards | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | A/5-8 | A/10 | 10/5-6 | |
| 3 | A/9 | A/10 | 10/4-5 | |
| 4 | A/8-10 | 10/3 | 10/4 | |
| 5 | A/7-10 | 10/2 | 10/7-10 | |
| 6 | A/8 | 10/6-10 | ||
| 7 | 10/5-7 | |||
| A | A | |||
| 1. | 21 | 8. | Soft 16 | 15. | Hard 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2. | 20 | 9. | 9 | 16. | Hard 13 |
| 3. | 11 | 10. | Soft 15 | 17. | Hard 14 |
| 4. | 19 | 11. | Soft 14 | 18. | Hard 15 |
| 5. | 10 | 12. | Soft 13 | 19. | Hard 16 |
| 6. | 18 | 13. | Soft 12 | 20. | 7 to 4 |
| 7. | 17 | 14. | 8 |
- = At 16 or less
- = At 17 or more
- = At soft 17 if one of the communal cards is an ace
Above, you can see the general strategy chart for the various hands you might be dealt in a game of 21 Duel Blackjack. As with classic blackjack, there are certain cut-off values for hitting or standing. With a hand of 16 or less, players should choose to hit. If you’ve a hand of 17 or more, then the best bet is definitely to stand. The most important exception to this general rule is a soft 17. Looking to play at a land-based casino as well? Then get familiar with the go-to blackjack terms and jargon and keep up with the pros!
Blackjack 21 Duel: For Die-Hard Fans of the Classic
All in all, 21 Duel Blackjack is a tricky game to learn, but definitely worth it in the end. Though players new to online casino games and blackjack would be wise to try out the original first, there’s plenty here for more experienced players to enjoy and will mix things up a bit from the usual blackjack fare. If you want to give it a go, why not play our free trial version above and see what all the fuss is about. If you’re really itching to play 21 Duel for real money check out the link to our recommended online casino below and play 21 Duel! For more real money casino resources, check out our top listing of the best gambling sites in the UK!