The Spanish 21 Game, Basic Rules and Tips

Card games have been around for a very long time and have gone through a lot of transformations. Over so many decades, a huge number of different games based on the classic ones have appeared. One of them is Spanish 21 – a modified blackjack. For those who are familiar with this old classic, it will not be so difficult to understand this new game. But those who are not very good at blackjack should read the rules below attentively.
In short, playing Spanish 21 you need, as in blackjack, to score 21 points. However, there are differences that are worth knowing before you sit down at the table. That’s why the information below will be useful for both beginners and blackjack experts.
The basic Rules of the Game
At this part spanish 21 is not very different, you also need to score 21 points or the closest number to it at the table. To do this, all players and the dealer are given two cards, and there are two options:
- One card goes face down and the other card goes face up for everyone;
- Both cards face up are dealing to the players, and one card goes face down for the dealer.
Well, the difference from the classic game will be that there is no 10 in the deck. This is why experienced blackjack players should always keep this in mind when making calculations. In addition it is worth knowing that the Ace can be equated to either 1 or 11, it all depends on what cards you have in your hand.
Steps after the Dealt
After you have familiarized yourself with the cards, you need to make a decision about what to do next. And before you make this choice, you need to check the dealer’s card, i.e. if you see a Jack, Queen, King or Ace, his chances of winning are quite high. Now, you have the following options:
- Pick up another card – this action is also called ” hitting”. Taking one is not a bad option if you have several low cards in your hand;
- Leave things as they are – if you have a nice combination on your hand, it is worth continuing the game;
- Fold – when the dealer has a high card in hand and you have a low one, it is better to fold – you will only lose one half of your bet;
- Double bet – if you hold 11 points, many people recommend doubling your bet, as the probability of winning in this case is quite high;
- Split – if you have a pair in hand, you may split it and bet on the second one;
- Get insurance – if the dealer has a good card, especially an ace, you can get insurance for half of your bet, and if the dealer has 21 points, the payout will be 2 to 1.
As you can see, there are a lot of possibilities, the main thing is to count cards correctly and calculate the chances of winning.
Read also about Caribbean Stud Poker.
Tips to Win in Spanish 21

In order to get victory in Spanish 21 you can not only learn calculation skills, but also study small and simple tips that can help you. It is important to keep them in mind especially for beginners. Some of these tips that can be mentioned include the following:
- You should always double your bet if you are holding cards worth 11 points;
- Stand on combinations worth 18 or more;
- Stand with a pair of tens – jacks, queens, kings;
- Split a pair of aces.
Some of these may seem obvious, but you need to keep them in mind at the most important moment.
What is the Winnings
If you do become the one who wins the round, you should know how much you will get for your prize. In spanish 21, the payouts are much wider than in regular blackjack, as this game has a number of combinations that will get you a win:
- 5-Card 21 – You will get 3 to 2;
- 6-Card 21 will give you 2 to 1;
- 7 and more Card 21 will bring 3 to 1;
- 6-7-8 mixed suits will give you a payout of 3 to 2;
- 6-7-8 single suits – 3 to 1;
- Four mixed 7 suits will bring 3 to 2;
- Four singles 7 – Will give you a 2 to 1 payout;
- Four Spades 7 will get you 3 to 1.
There is no such system in blackjack, so it’s worth memorizing it to know when you can get some money for a combination.
Important Features
Once you understand the rules and memorize the combinations, you can sit down at the table and try to score 21 points, but before that you need to know some things. Knowing them you can even more confidently sit down gambling:
- Even if the dealer and player have blackjack, the player always wins;
- You can surrender after doubling your bet, which means you only lose half of it;
- You can split the bet and then double it.
The game spanish 21 is gaining popularity among gamblers, it helps not only to bring variety to the world of blackjack, but also to earn on bets that do not exist in the classic version.