Play Super 21

How to play

In this classic casino game, the player makes the first move.

Valuation of Super 21 Hands: The valuation of Super 21 cards is the same as Blackjack. The cards 2 to 10 are worth their face value, face cards (Kings, Queens, and Jacks) are worth ten, and Aces are worth 1 or 11, whichever makes a better hand.

To calculate the score for each hand, add the values of all the cards in the hand. If two cards make up the sum 21, the hand is called a Blackjack. The best hand is a Diamond Blackjack which gives special payouts. There are also special payouts for a five-card 21, a 6-card 21, and a 6-card hand of 20 points or less.

Bet: Click on the chip rack to select and place a bet. You can place a minimum bet of $5 and a maximum of $250.

Deal: Click on deal after you have placed your bet. Two cards will be dealt to both you and the dealer. Both your cards will be face up. One of the Dealer cards will be face up and the other will be face down.

The Player’s Turn

Once you are dealt your cards, determine whether you have a good hand or not.

Stand: If the value of your hand is close to 21 – say 19 or 20, you don’t need to take another card because there are chances to go Bust. Click on the Stand button end your turn.

Hit: If however, you feel that you need to add more points to your hand, press the Hit button. You will be dealt another card. You can keep hitting till your hand stands closer to 21 or you go bust.

Double: If you feel that you have a very good hand, consider doubling your bet. Press the Double button to double (2X) your initial bet. The bet is doubled only once in a game. For instance, if you have a hand that adds up to 10, 11 or 12, hitting the next card can take you to 21 or near it. You can safely presume that you will win the hand especially if the Dealer’s up cards are anywhere from 2 to 8. You can double on two cards or hard totals of 9, 10 or 11.

It’s important to judge your cards carefully before you double your bet because if you lose, you will lose all of it. For instance, if you have a 2, 5 hand, the next card that you might be 3. Your total will be ten and you are likely to lose. Also, if you have a 7, 8 hand, the next hit might give you a 10 and then you will go bust losing your double bet.

Split: If you are dealt with two cards of the same value, you can split them. If you are dealt two 9, your total is 18. You can however, chose to split those two cards into two bets of 9 each. You can then press hit for one and take it to a point where you win or go bust. You then move on to your second bet. With the second bet too you press hit till you win or go bust.

You will have to place an equal wager on the second hand if you choose to split your cards. You need to hit at least once on each hand. However, if you choose to split on two aces, you can only hit once on each hand.

For e.g.: If you hold a value of 21 in one hand and 20 on the other and the Dealer has 18, or goes bust, you win both hands. If you had wagered $5 on each of your two hands, you will win $10.

The Ace split is a little different from the normal one. Both your hands will have Ace as the first card. You are allowed to hit only once. If you hit a face card or a ten, you have a blackjack. However, if you hit another Ace, you have to opt for a hard Ace and hold a hand of 12.

The Dealer’s Turn

Once you have played your cards, the Dealers cards are revealed. The Dealer will hit if the hand is less than 16, however, if the hand is more than 16, the dealer has to stand.

If the Dealers hand and your hand comes to the same total, the game is tied and it’s called a Push.

You Win When:

• You get a Blackjack.
• Your hand is less than 21 but more than the Dealer’s.
• If the Dealer busts and you do not.

Additional Rules:

• The house offers Insurance if the Dealer’s face up card is an Ace. Insurance pays 2 to 1.
• Player Blackjack always wins.
• The Double option can be used only once.
• A Blackjack can never happen on split Aces.
• You can surrender anytime. By surrendering, you only lose half of your bet.
• Special payouts hands do not apply while doubling.

If you do not go busted when you hit your sixth card, you win instantly.

Strategy

Introduction While the basic strategy discussed on the Super 21 Blackjack Tips page helps you play the game effectively, a betting strategy will help you bet appropriately. If you know when to increase or decrease your bet, you can win more. (Or lose less!) On this page, you will learn to use the Labouchere betting system.

The Labouchere System Also known as “Crossout,” “Cancellation,” and “Labby,” the Labouchere system supports increasing the bet after every lost hand. It is called a negative progression system.

To begin, you create a series of numbers. A series can contain numbers in any order. It does not have to be in a sequence. For example, series like 1-2-3-4-5-6, 1-1-2-2-3-4-5, or 3-4-5-5-4-3 are all valid.

To place your bet, you add the first and the last number of the series. If you win, you strike those numbers off the series. That leaves you with a fresh series. Add the first and the last numbers and place your next bet.

If you lose a bet, append the number on which you lost the bet at the end of the series. That would in turn give you a new series. To continue playing, calculate your wager by adding the first and the last numbers in the series.

Example Let’s say you create a series like 1-2-3-4-5-6. Your first bet should be a combination of 1 (the first number) and 6 (the last number). That adds up to 7. Place a bet of $7. If you win, cross the first and last number that are 1 and 7 in our series. That would trim the series to 2-3-4-5. Place your next bet of $7. If you win, you win $7 and alter the series so that it looks like this: 3-4. But, if you lose, you append the number that cost you a hand to the series. In that case, our series would look like 2-3-4-5-7. If you continue your next bet would be $9 (negative progression).

Other Betting Systems There are other betting systems available as well. There are betting systems that advocate increasing your bet every time you win. Parlay System, Paroli System, and 1-3-2-6 System fall under this category. Some betting systems suggest that you double or increase your bet every time you lose. The Martingale System and Labouchere System are negative progression systems. You can read more about these systems in other strategies and tips for “21” games at this very site of CoolCat Casino.

By using the Labouchere betting system, you will always turn in a profit when you finally finish cycling through your entire betting series.

Tips

Even though Super 21 is a relatively simple game. There are only 16 cards with the value of 10 in a single deck, however, casinos prefer to use multiple decks and reshuffle after every card is dealt just to prevent card counting.

A simple super 21 blackjack strategy is to weigh the odds of winning and know when to hit, stand, split or double. Here is a key to help you understand.

Basic Strategy for 2 Card Hard Hand

Player	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
4	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
5	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
6	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
7	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
8	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
9	D	D	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
10	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
11	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
12	H	H	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
13	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
14	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
15	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	R
16	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	R	R
17	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	R
18	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
19	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
20	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S

Basic Strategy for 2 Card Soft Hand

Player	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
13	H	H	H	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
14	H	H	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
15	H	H	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
16	H	H	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
17	D	D	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
18	S	D	D	D	D	S	S	H	H	H
19	S	S	S	S	D	S	S	S	S	S
20	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
21	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S

Basic Strategy for 2 Card Splits

Player	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
A,A	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
2,2	P	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H
3,3	P	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H
4,4	H	H	H	P	P	H	H	H	H	H
5,5	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
6,6	P	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H
7,7	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	H	R	R
8,8	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
9,9	P	P	P	P	P	S	P	P	S	P
10,10	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S

Legend:
H: Hit
S: Stand
D: Double
P: Split
R: Surrender

History

Glossary

Action: The amount of money that’s been bet.

Advantage: Statistical edge that one side has over the other. It is usually expressed as a percentage of the wager.

Bankroll: Amount of funds available in player’s online casino account.

Basic strategy: Playing strategy for blackjack when not counting.

Bet spread: The amount of the maximum and minimum bets a player is making in one session.

Black chip: Black casino chip worth $100.

Blackjack: A natural total of 21 on the first two cards. A blackjack always consists of an ace and a face card or a ten. A blackjack is also called a “natural”.

Burn card: The first card of a new deck after the shuffle and cut. The card is discarded and placed on the bottom of the deck.

Bust: To get a total greater than 21. It’s an automatic loss.

Card counting: strategy to get the edge at Blackjack by tracking the cards that have already been played.

Double deck: A card game played out of two decks which are shuffled together.

Draw: Same as hit.

Edge: The percentage advantage of player or casino in a given situation.

Even money: A 1:1 payout.

Face cards: The jack, queen, and king.

Flat betting: To bet the same amount on every hand.

Hard hand: Any hand without an ace.

Hard total: The total of a hard hand.

High roller: Someone who bets a lot of money.

Hit: To take another card.

Hole card: The dealer’s face down card.

House edge: The house advantage.

Insurance: When the dealer has an Ace, the player is offered insurance on half the amount of the bet. Insurance is almost always a negative expectation bet.

Multiple deck: Using more than one deck in a game of blackjack.

Natural: A blackjack.

Push: A tie situation when the player and the dealer have the same hand or the same total.

Red chip: $5 red colored chip.

Session: A period of time spent gambling.

Soft hand: A hand in which an ace can be counted as an 11 or as a 1 without the hand being considered a bust.

Stand: To decline additional cards and keep your existing total.

Surrender: Deciding not to play the hand you’ve been dealt. You get to keep half your bet.

Up card: The dealer’s card that is played face up.