Blackjack Strategies

Open Face Blackjack

Since we're discussing blackjack and since this pertains to that game, it is only light that I address this subject, even though the popularity of this spin off game has not materialized as much as was the intent when it hit the scene. It is called Open Face Blackjack.

The title explains the purpose. Instead of the dealer getting an up card and a down card, both cards are shown face up, allowing the player to see exactly what the dealer's first two cards are. This is a big plus but there are also drawbacks, which may be the reason that the game never really took off with the playing public. Here are some of the changes:

1.    Reducing the paying of blackjack from 3 2 to even money
2.    Restricting which cards can be doubled, rather than a wide open forum
3.    Restricting which cards can be split, again, cutting the chances of the player to go after the       dealer
4.    Casino winning all tie hands

As I said, there are great points to this game, one being the fact that you can see both cards of the dealer. There are so many times when we have a breaking hand of say Queen 4 and are facing the dealer's up card of King, or any power card. Naturally we have to hit our breaking hand of hard 14 vs. that power card, and most times end up breaking.

Then the dealer turns over the down card and it is a 6, meaning the dealer was also in a breaking position. But we have to make our decisions first and are long since gone when we find out that the dealer was in just as much trouble. With this game, we don't have that worry because there is her two cards right open for us.

The restricting of which cards we can double and split hurts because it cuts down our chances of getting extra money against that dealer when she is in trouble. You are aware that I would never double a 10 or 11 vs. the dealer's power card, with the fear that the down card could also be a biggie, meaning I'd be risking double my bet and unknowingly fighting a powerhouse that I can't see.

With this game, being able to see both cards, a 10 and 11 would quickly be doubled because I would see that the dealer was in a rotten position and forced to hit her breaking hand. But the casinos that restrict what hands can be doubled or split have taken that into consideration and vetoed our chances of doing it.

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