How to Play Blackjack European Style? Rules and Strategy

How to play Blackjack in Europe? As a variant of the classic Blackjack game, European Blackjack presents a unique allure. Considered the origin of Blackjack games, it has profound influences on the standard Blackjack games played globally today.

With slight differences in basic rules compared to standard Blackjack, European Blackjack offers a distinctive and exciting gaming experience. In this piece, not only will we reveal how to play Blackjack with the correct rules of European Blackjack, we'll also uncover blackjack strategy and blackjack tips, so players, let's dive in together!

How to Play Blackjack With European Rules

European Blackjack follows the same basic structure as other standard Blackjack games.

• The game is played between the dealer and the players.
• 2-8 decks of playing cards are used per game, excluding jokers.
• The goal is to achieve a hand with a point value of 21 or as close as possible without exceeding it to win the game.
• Cards 2 to 9 are valued according to their face value.
• Cards 10 to A are each valued at 10 points.
• Aces can be counted as either 1 or 11 points.

Gameplay on How to Play Blackjack European Style?

What's the gameplay on how to play Blackjack in European style? Once the cards are dealt in European Blackjack, players can take action to try and win the round.

European Blackjack Gameplay Process

• If a player has a hand with 21 points (a 10-point card and an Ace), they win immediately.
• If the dealer also has this hand, the game enters a tie mode.
• Exceeding 21 points in hand results in an instant loss for both players and the dealer.
• If a player's hand is below 21, they can choose to: Hit, Stand, Double Down, Split, or Surrender.

Explanation of European Blackjack Actions

• Hit: The player requests an additional card to increase the point total of their hand.
• Stand: The player keeps their original hand without taking additional cards.
• Double Down: The player doubles the original bet and receives one more card; after receiving this card, they must stand.
• Split: If a player has two cards of the same rank, they can split the hand into two separate hands, each with an independent bet, and play them separately.
• Surrender: After receiving the initial cards, a player can give up and retain half of the original bet.

Differences in European Blackjack from Standard Blackjack Games

In European Blackjack, there are some differences in the dealing structure at its core. The dealer gets their second card after players complete their hands, affecting many aspects of the game.

• If the dealer's first card is an Ace or a 10-value card, they cannot check for a Blackjack.
• Players cannot know whether the dealer has a Blackjack until the dealer's hand is completed.
• In standard Blackjack versions, players only lose the initial bet based on the dealer's hand, but in European Blackjack, they might lose more.
• If a player's strategy involves doubling down or splitting, they may lose additional bets placed on those hands.

European Blackjack Strategy and Techniques

In European Blackjack, played with 4 to 8 decks, the dealer's advantage is approximately 0.42%. The rule variations require players to adjust their strategies for this Blackjack variant, making players often lean towards adopting more conservative strategies.

This is especially true when the dealer's first card is an Ace or a 10-value card. Since players cannot know the dealer's hand before completing their own, it increases the riskiness of moves like splitting or doubling down, particularly considering the dealer's 21 points might outscore the player's 21 points.

Therefore, players should adhere to the following blackjack strategy:

• Double down only on hands with point values from 9 to 11.
• Do not double down on hands with a point value of 11 when the dealer's face-up card is a 10.
• Due to rules related to splitting, opportunities for splitting 4s, 5s, or non-matching 10-point cards are reduced.