Spanish Blackjack is an online blackjack variant offered by the leading gaming software provider Microgaming at its online casinos. The game derives its name from the fact that Spanish card decks are used. A Spanish deck contains 48 cards, with the four tens removed from the standard deck. In itself this increases odds in favor of the dealer. This is countered by tweaking some of the other rules in favor of the player and offering some bonuses. The exact rules will vary with software providers.

The rules for Microgaming Spanish Blackjack are as follows. The game is played with eight Spanish decks. The most important rule is that the dealer stands on soft 17. The doubling and splitting rules are somewhat different. Players can double after a split. Players can hit and double after splitting aces. Players can double on any number of cards. Players can re-split aces. The other rules include late surrender and also surrender after doubling down. There are some special win conditions in favor of the player. A player hand value of 21 beats the dealer hand value of 21 and player blackjack beats dealer blackjack.

Microgaming Spanish Blackjack offers some additional payouts apart from the usual 3 to 2 for blackjack and the even money for the regular win. A five-card 21 pays 3 to 2, a six-card 21 pays 2 to 1 and a seven or more card 21 pays 3 to 1. A 6-7-8 combination or a 7-7-7 combination of mixed suits pays 3 to 2, of the same suit pays 2 to 1 and of spades pays 3 to 1. A suited 7-7-7 when the dealer has a seven face up pays at 50 to 1.

The game play in Microgaming Spanish Blackjack is exactly the same as in normal online blackjack variants. The player places the ante wager. Two cards are dealt to the player face up and two cards are dealt to the dealer, one face up and the other face down. If the dealer face up card is an ace or a ten value card the dealer checks for blackjack. If he has blackjack the game is over with the player losing. The only exception is that if the player also has a blackjack then the player wins. Then the player plays out his hand till he stands or busts and the dealer plays out his hand. In the end the win and bonus payouts are made as required.

Microgaming Spanish Blackjack requires aggressive play. The house edge is only about 0.5% but in order to realize this house edge the player needs to get the bonuses from time to time. Therefore he has to take risks. If he is in line for a six-card 21 then he will have to risk busting but hit with a high hand value. As in other online blackjack variants the strategy cannot be figured out during play. It is quite complicated and therefore difficult to memorize. While playing Microgaming Spanish Blackjack players have to use the strategy card if they want to succeed. The strategy card for Microgaming Spanish Blackjack is formatted in the usual manner. The columns display the values of the dealer face up card. The player’s hand values are represented by the rows and are divided into three sections. The first section deals with hard totals, the second section deals with soft totals and the third section deals with pairs. Microgaming Spanish Blackjack is live at online casinos like All Slots, Spin Palace and Gaming Club.