Double Exposure Blackjack Strategy

Double Exposure Blackjack is a popular variant of traditional blackjack, where both of the dealer’s cards are exposed. This unique feature offers a significant advantage to players, as they can see the dealer’s total and make more informed decisions. The game, also known as Face-Up 21 or Dealer Disclosure Blackjack, has its origins in Richard A. Epstein’s concept of Zweikartenspiel, and was first introduced in Las Vegas casinos in the late 1970s. If you like different variations of Blackjack we recommend checking out stake.com review.

Double Exposure Blackjack | Rules, Gameplay

Rules

The rules in this version of blackjack are similar to standard blackjack with a few key changes. Both dealer cards are revealed, making the game more transparent but with a higher risk for players, as the dealer wins on all ties except in cases of a natural blackjack. Additionally, a player blackjack pays even money, and players are only permitted to split once per game.

Key Rule Variations:

  • The dealer may either hit or stand on a soft 17.
  • Blackjacks that result in ties may push or be awarded to the player.
  • After a split, players may or may not be allowed to double their bets.

Player Restrictions:

  • Doubling rules may vary, allowing doubles on either any first two cards or only specific card totals.
  • Players may be allowed multiple splits or just one, depending on the variation.
  • Some versions restrict players from splitting cards of differing 10-value face cards, such as a king and queen.

Impact on Expected Returns:

  • Having the dealer stand on soft 17 offers a 0.39% return boost.
  • Doubling after a split can increase returns by 0.32%.
  • Tied blackjacks counting as wins improves returns by 0.22%.
  • Limiting players to only one split can reduce returns by 0.71%.
  • Restricting doubles to 9–11 or 10–11 only lowers returns by 1.04% and 1.44%, respectively.

Double Exposure Blackjack Basic Strategy Overview

In Double Exposure Blackjack, players need to adjust strategies for hard totals, soft totals, and pair splits to maximize their winning potential. Here’s a breakdown of the key strategies.

Player Hard Totals

Hard Totals
  • Hard 5-7: Double down if allowed against dealer 14-16; otherwise, hit.
  • Hard 8: Double down against dealer 12-16; hit all others.
  • Hard 9: Double against dealer 5, 6, and 12-16; hit others.
  • Hard 10: Double against dealer 4-8 and 12-16; hit others.
  • Hard 11: Double against dealer 4-9 and soft 13-16; hit otherwise.
  • Hard 12-16: Stand against dealer 4-6, 12-16; hit otherwise.
  • Hard 17-20: Stand unless the dealer’s hand could beat yours; if holding 19, hit against a dealer showing 10, 9, Ace, or 8.

Player Soft Totals

Soft Totals
  • Soft 13: Double down if allowed against dealer 12-16; hit otherwise.
  • Soft 14-15: Double against dealer 6, 12-16; otherwise, hit.
  • Soft 16-17: Double if allowed against dealer 5, 6, and 12-16; hit otherwise.
  • Soft 18: Double against dealer 4, 5, and 13-16; stand against dealer 6 or 12; hit all others.
  • Soft 19: Double if allowed against dealer 12-16; stand otherwise.
  • Soft 20: Double against dealer 13-16; stand otherwise.

Splitting Pairs

Splits
  • Pairs of 2s and 3s: Split against dealer 4-6 and 12-17.
  • Pairs of 4s: Split against dealer 6 and 12-16.
  • Pairs of 5s: Split only if double down after split is permitted against dealer 16; otherwise, double against dealer 4-8 and 12-15.
  • Pairs of 6s: Split against dealer 4-6 and 12-17; stand against dealer 14-16.
  • Pairs of 7s: Split against dealer 4-6 and 12-17; stand against 11 and soft 12-16.
  • Pairs of 8s: Split against dealer 4-8 and 12-17; hit against dealer 19-20.
  • Pairs of 9s: Split against dealer 4-6, 8, 12-16, and soft 16-17; hit against 19-20.
  • Pairs of 10s: Split only against dealer 13-16; stand on others.
  • Pairs of Aces: Split against dealer 4-10, 12-16, and soft 12-17.
Your HandDealer’s Face-up Totals
4567891011121314151617181920A,AA,2A,3A,4A,5A,6
5HHHHHHHHHHDDDHHHHHHHHHH
6HHHHHHHHHHDDDHHHHHHHHHH
7HHHHHHHHHHDDDHHHHHHHHHH
8HHHHHHHHDDDDDHHHHHHHHHH
9HDDHHHHHDDDDDHHHHHHHHHH
10DDDDDHHHDDDDDHHHHHHDDDH
11DDDDDDHHDDDDDHHHHHDDDDH
12SSSHHHHHSSSSSHHHHHHSSSH
13SSSHHHHHSSSSSHHHHSSSSSH
14SSSHHHHSSSSSSHHHHSSSSSH
15SSSHHHSSSSSSSHHHHSSSSSH
16SSSHSSSSSSSSSHHHHSSSSSH
17SSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHSSSSSH
18SSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHSSSSSS
19SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHSSSSSS
20SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHSSSSSS
21SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
 4567891011121314151617181920A,AA,2A,3A,4A,5A,6
A,2HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
A,3HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
A,4HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
A,5HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
A,6HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
A,7SSSSHHHHSHHHHSHHHHHHHHS
A,8SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHSSSSSS
A,8SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHSSSSSS
A,10SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
 4567891011121314151617181920A,AA,2A,3A,4A,5A,6
2,2PPPHHHHHPPPPPPHHHHHHHHH
3,3PPPHHHHHPPPPPPHHHHHHHHH
4,4HHPHHHHHPPPPPHHHHHHHHHH
5,5DDDDDHHHDDDDPHHHHHHDDDH
6,6PPPHHHHHPPPPPPHHHHHSSSH
7,7PPPHHHHSPPPPPPHHHSSSSSH
8,8PPPPPSSSPPPPPPHHHSSSSPP
9,9PPPSPSSSPPPPPSPHHSSSPPS
10,10SSSSSSSSSPPPPSSSHSSSSSS
A,APPPPPPPHPPPPPHHHHPPPPPP
HHit
SStand
DDouble if Possible, Otherwise Hit
PSplit (Pair)

Conclusion

While this strategy may seem more intricate than the Blackjack Basic Strategy used in traditional blackjack, mastering it is achievable with a bit of practice. The additional scenarios, though they might appear daunting at first, become more manageable once players are familiar with the “ties lose” rule and prepared to handle situations like hitting on matching 17s, 18s, 19s, and 20s. Embracing these adjustments can enhance your readiness for the unique circumstances that arise in this game variation, ultimately improving your overall gameplay.

FAQ

What is the house edge in Face-Up 21?

The house edge is around 0.67%, which is low compared to other casino games. This means the Return to Player (RTP) is approximately 99.33%​​.

Can I play Double Exposure Blackjack online?

Yes, many online casinos offer the game , with variations from different software providers like Microgaming, Pragmatic Play, and Play’n GO​​.

What makes Blackjack Double Exposure different from other blackjack variants?

The key difference is that both dealer cards are exposed from the start, significantly impacting the strategy and decision-making process during the game​​.

What are the main advantages and disadvantages of playing Face-Up 21?

The main advantage is the visibility of the dealer’s cards, giving players more information to base their decisions on. However, the dealer winning all ties except for tied blackjacks is a significant disadvantage​​​​.