In European Blackjack there is no Surrender option and you can only double down on 9,10 or 11.
Though there’s something quite essentially American about the game of blackjack, its roots come from the Old World. After all, Blackjack is merely a variant of the centuries-old game of Twenty-One. Still, the casino market adapted with time, and the result is a variant of the game called European Blackjack.
European blackjack is a very common set of blackjack rules used throughout the world. The ruleset is common among online blackjack games, making it a popular choice for online gamblers.
The term is most often used as a contrast to American Blackjack. As such, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the rules of American Blackjack before reading any further. That way, you can focus on what makes the two versions different and which parts are the same.
European blackjack is very similar to almost all other types of the game. The overall flow of the game – the dealing, hitting, doubling, etc. – is entirely identical. The difference lies in the details, such as how many times you can split in European blackjack. You can find a complete list of these a bit further below.
It’s important to understand that these rules are by no means universal. For better or worse, many online European Blackjack games have minor differences compared to the basic formula. This is quite common practice in the world of online blackjack. On one hand, this can be tedious to keep up with. On the other, it means it’s possible to find the “perfect” set of rules which you enjoy the most.
The reason we’re telling you is that the best piece of advice for European blackjack we can give you is to read the rules. And no, we don’t mean just to know the basics. Every time you sit down to play European Blackjack online, read the rules for that specific title. Pay attention to the details especially – these can be key in figuring out a blackjack strategy.
Even though most individual titles differ from the core ruleset, some characteristics mark a blackjack game as European. Let’s take a look at them.
The nice thing about these rules is that a Blackjack is pretty much an instant win. However, the fact that the dealer doesn’t peek for blackjack can be dangerous. For instance, this often punishes players who play aggressively or overextend their hand. Doubling and splitting is much riskier than in American blackjack, even if they can’t be used as often.
Essentially, you can’t just double and split without thinking if you play European blackjack games online. These moves need to be carefully considered if you want to avoid losing to a dealer blackjack.
The 2-deck rule is especially attractive for blackjack card counting, though it’s become exceptionally rare these days.
There are dozens of European Blackjack casino sites online, so you most definitely can. It’s one of the most popular variants out there, especially for players who enjoy a slow-paced, strategic approach.
One possibility is to play live European blackjack. Live casino games offer the experience of a real casino, delivered straight to your computer screen.
Alternatively, you can stick to RNG blackjack games and go for a regular online blackjack game. There are dozens of examples, some of which you can find reviewed on BlackjackGala. You can play European Blackjack free here – it’s a solid all-around option by Microgaming and it will provide plenty of practice for those of you who are not yet ready to hit the real money European Roulette tables.
If you don’t know where to play European Blackjack online, we can also offer you some suggestions with top online casinos.
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European Blackjack – Rules & Tips
