About Blackjack Perfect Pairs

Blackjack Perfect Pairs is a popular variation of blackjack that adds a side betting feature. The main game is a straight forward “21” blackjack game, but if you place a Perfect Pairs side bet at the start of the round that your first two cards will be the same rank, you win a huge additional bonus.

How to Play Blackjack Perfect Pairs

The object of the Blackjack Perfect Pairs game is to achieve a hand value that is closer to 21 than that of the dealer’s without going over 21, or a hand that is a Perfect Pairs bonus winner.

Point Values

• 2 through 10 are worth their face value.
• Jacks, Queens and Kings are worth 10 points each.
• Aces are worth 1 point or 11 points, whichever makes a better hand.

Player’s Turn

In Blackjack Perfect Pairs, start by selecting the amount you want to bet for this round of play. If you want to play the side bet, click in the Perfect Pairs betting circle, then make your wager. Click Deal to start the round. You are dealt two cards face up and the dealer is dealt two cards, one face down and one face up.

Click Hit to be dealt another card. Click Stand to stick with cards in your hand and end your turn. Click Double if you want to double your bet and receive one more card in your hand. If you haven’t already won by placing the side bet and were dealt a Pair, clicking Split will double your bet and turn your hand into two hands. You are automatically dealt the additional cards and play each hand separately.

Dealer’s Turn

• The Dealer must hit on any hard or soft total of 16 or less.
• The Dealer must hit on a soft total of 17 or less.
• The Dealer must stand on a hard total of 17 or more.
• The Dealer must stand on any total of 18 or more.

You Win When

• You get Blackjack.
• Your hand is closer to 21 than the Dealer’s hand and doesn’t go over 21.
• The Dealer’s hand busts, while your hand stays within 21 points.

Game Features and Bonus Rounds

The objective of the Perfect Pairs side bet is to achieve a pair from the first two cards dealt. If you decide to make a Perfect Pairs bet, you must do so at the onset of play before clicking Deal. A winning Perfect Pairs hand is not affected by the dealer’s hand.

To win the Perfect Pairs side bet, your hand must meet one of the following conditions:

• The first two cards you are dealt are a mixed pair, for example an Ace of Hearts and an Ace of Spades.
• The first two cards you are dealt are a colored pair, for example a Ten of Hearts and a Ten of Diamonds.
• The first two cards you are dealt are a perfect pair, for example Three of Clubs and another Three of Clubs.

Additional Rules

• Cards are dealt from six standard 52-card decks.
• Cards are re-shuffled after each hand.
• Blackjack wins automatically, unless you and the Dealer receive Blackjack at the same time. It is then considered a draw and you push.

Strategy/Tips

There are lots of charts available online and printed materials with information on when to hit, stand, double, or split, but it really is a luck of the draw regardless of the point vale of your hand. More importantly, watch the Dealer’s up card. Always assume the hole card is a ten and then make your decision accordingly.

Perfect Pairs Blackjack side bets, while risky, can pay out big, but as with every big payout option, the odds are fairly low. The lowest payout rewards you with a 6:1 payout for simply being dealt a mixed pair. This actually happens quite frequently, so if you’re prepared to bet a small amount on the side, it can positively pay off, especially on those rare occasions when you get colored or suited pairs.

History

Even though the origin of Blackjack is rather unclear, the earliest evidence of the game was found in 17th Century France, under the name Vingt-et-Un (French for 21). An Italian game, Seven and a Half, also contributed to the rules of modern day Blackjack. Even closer versions of the game started to appear in North America by the middle of the 19th Century.

Glossary

Bet: The amount of money you wager during a round of play.

Blackjack: A hand that totals 21 points with the first two cards you are dealt. A hand equal to 21 points with three or more cards is not considered Blackjack.

Colored Pair: Two cards of the same rank with matching color suits, i.e., Hearts and Diamonds is a red colored pair and Spades and Clubs is a black colored pair.

Double: Doubles your bet and adds one more card to your hand.

Hit: Adds another card to your hand.

Mixed Pair: Any two cards of the same rank regardless of the suit.

Perfect Pair: The exact same card (in rank and suit) from two of the six decks used in the game.

Side Bet: An optional wager independent of the main game. In Blackjack Perfect Pairs, the Perfect Pairs Bonus is the side bet.

Splitting: You can split the first two cards dealt if they are of equal point value. When you split, you must place an additional bet that is equal to your initial bet. You will now have two hands. You can continue to hit for each hand, unless the split was made for a pair of Aces, in which case you can only hit once for each hand.

Stand: Stick with the cards already in your hand, stops your turn and ends your part of the game.

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