Adding some extra luxury and glamour to their European and other Blackjack releases, Microgaming has decided to refresh their offer with the Gold series. The structure of the game remains unchanged and in accordance with the rules employed in Europe, but with a slightly different and somewhat embellished table layout, featuring a gold deck and 1K value chips.
In Microgaming online version, the players may split their cards once – in case of split aces, the combinations with 10 value cards will not be considered as a Blackjack. Only the same cards can be divided into separate hands. The option will not be available for different face cards, although they have the same value. Bet doubling is possible but only if the hand has a total of 9, 10 or 11. Forfeiting a hand is not an option in European blackjack, but the insurance is. Once the dealer draws an Ace, the player can submit an additional stake, placing an insurance bet in case the dealer has blackjack. Additional features incorporated in the game are Extra Mode and AutoPlay, where you can predefine your moves.
The stakes with European Gold Blackjack come with the lower limit of $1 and are capped at $1,000. The payment ratio is equal to the standard payout table: 1:1 investment return for an ordinary hand, 3:2 for a blackjack and 2:1 on the insurance stake. In terms of money, a $1 bet will amount to 2x your stake for an insurance win or 1.5x your stake for a blackjack win. The overall expected return percentage is calculated at 99.6%.
The most commonly used strategy is to keep a close watch on the dealer's hand, as it will determine your next move. A lot of players are often caught up in their own hand, without actually considering the dealer's upcard. For instance, if the dealer has a 10, your best course would be to draw, increasing the dealer's chance to bust. The nature of your hand will also affect your moves. Most players will decide to stand on hard 17 and hit with a soft one.
A truly great addition to Microgaming collection of Blackjack releases, European Blackjack Gold presents us with some supreme graphics and truly captures an elegant casino atmosphere. Players are bound to have a lot of fun, devising their own strategies and enjoying a casino experience enhanced with the authentic audio.
Make sure to try out these game versions for European Blackjack too:
European Blackjack (Regular Version)