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Already familiar with how to play Blackjack? Wonderful! You’ll find mastering Pontoon an absolute no brainer. In fact is, Pontoon’s another kind of Blackjack which – by the way – is also often called Twenty-One. Oh, and, the Australian equivalent of Pontoon is called Spanish twenty-one, mate.
Playing Pontoon is Easy
Playing pontoon could not be simpler. The goal is to get a hand that’s closest to twenty-one as possible, without going over twenty-one. Card values are just like Blackjack (Jacks, queens and kings count as ten, an ace counts as both 1 or 11). Eight card decks are used.
You commence with two cards, as does the house. The dealer, or house, checks his/her cards for the winning ‘Pontoon’ hand (A ‘Pontoon’ is an Ace and any 10-point card, along with after splitting), but otherwise they lie face-down. You have the choice of hitting, standing (only if your hand total is 15 or beyond), doubling or splitting (should both your cards match). Once you are happy with your hand, the dealer shows theirs and hits or stands depending, naturally, on the casino’s rules. In the case of a push, that is, a tie, the dealer, or house, wins. The house is required to hit on each soft seventeen.
What’s a Soft Seventeen, You Ask?
A ‘Soft 17′ represents a hand having at least one Ace and the total sum of the cards can be worth either 7 or seventeen. For instance a hand having an Ace, 3 and 3 is a Soft seventeen. A hand having an Ace, seven and 9 is a Hard seventeen because the ace can’t be worth 11. Otherwise it’s a bust. In the case of a tie – or ‘push’ – the house (House) wins.
Pontoon rules stipulate that any five-card hand or ‘Pontoon’ (similar to a Blackjack) pay 2 to 1, plus after splitting. However there’s no house up card and the dealer wins on a tie.
The Origin of Pontoon
Before the advent of blackjack, the French invented what they affectionately termed ‘Vingt et Un’ – or ‘Twenty-One’ as we English also like to call it. The game’s genesis can be traced to French casinos way, way back to the 18th Century. When Twenty-One first arrived on US shores, it failed to win much attention. Thus casinos commenced offering new forms of bonuses in their efforts to lure in more gamblers.
How Pontoon & Blackjack are different
Though subtle, the differences between Pontoon and Blackjack are as follows:
Pontoon rules are such that, two hands exist which trump a conventional 21: Pontoon, which comprises an Ace and a 10 or an jack, queen or king, and a 5-Card Trick, meaning a gambling enthusiast draws 5 cards without busting, regardless of what the total value of their hand is.
The casino’s cards are dealt face down and remain so until the bettor either stands or busts.
Players must hit with hands having a value of fifteen or less.
The dealer will check his or her/her cards immediately after they are dealt. If he/she has a Pontoon, the dealer, or house’s cards are turned face-up without delay and the bettor loses their gamble.
In cases of a push (tie), the dealer is declared the winner.
After doubling, a gambling enthusiast may draw as many cards as they wish.
Gambling enthusiasts may only split cards of equal rank. Suffice it to say, 2 sevens may be split, including jack, queen or king, which are all worth 10 points.
Nice article. I was wondering- do you know the origin of the word “Pontoon”? Where does it come form?
i hope this will help:
History of Pontoon Prior to the existence of Blackjack, the French invented what they referred to as ‘Vingt et Un’ – or ‘Twenty-One’ as we say in English. The game’s beginnings can be tracked to French casinos as early as the 18th Century. When Twenty-One first arrived on US shores, it failed to win much attention. Thus casinos commenced offering new forms of bonuses in their efforts to attract more players.