Double Down Madness Blackjack
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How To Play
Object of the Game
Folks that play Blackjack really love the game! Many claim that Classic Blackjack is the best (or one of the best) games in a casino from a Player perspective because the House Edge is one of the slimmest of all games of chance.
What I personally find amazing is just how many variations of the game there are! This variant was added in response to an overwhelming number of requests. Though not typically a Blackjack fan, I have to admit the game is a lot of fun and I am looking forward to finding it in "Live Play" very soon!
Like Classic Blackjack, in this game, the Player and the Dealer will each use two or more cards to achieve a greater point value than has their opponent without exceeding 21. If a hand exceeds 21, it is considered "busted" and becomes invalid to win the round. The best possible hand is a Blackjack which is a 10 value card with an Ace.
For those already familiar with Blackjack, the key differences between Classic Blackjack and Double Down Madness Blackjack are:
- After each card, the Player decides to Hit or to Double Down until the hand busts or the Player opts to Stand.
- When the Player's initial card is an Ace, he may only Hit or Double Down once; for a total of two cards.
- The game does not support "Splits".
- If the Dealer busts with 22, the hands are considered a "Push".
- The Dealer will draw/hit on Soft 17s.
- A Player Blackjack is paid at different odds depending on whether the two cards are suited or unsuited. Refer to the Pay Table for specifics.
Cards are assigned point values in the following manner:
- Aces: 1 point or 11 points
- 10s, Jacks, Queens, Kings: 10 points
- All other cards: face value
A calculated hand value that uses an Ace as 11 points is referred to as "soft". For example, 11 + 6 = 17. This is called a "Soft 17".
Starting the Hand
The hand starts when the Player places a wager between the minimum $5 and the maximum of $500 and presses the Deal button. The Player is initially dealt a single card face up while the Dealer receives one card that is face up and another card that is face down (the Dealer "Hole Card"). Special actions are taken if the Dealer's upcard is either an Ace or a card value of 10.
After the initial cards are dealt, if the Dealer's upcard is an Ace or a value of 10, the Dealer will check to see if he has a Blackjack. If the Dealer upcard is a 10 and it turns out that the Dealer has a Blackjack, the hand ends and the Player's wager is forfeit.
Insurance
In cases where the Dealer's initial upcard is an Ace, the Player will be provided the opportunity to purchase "Blackjack Insurance". Insurance costs one-half the amount of the initial wager and is a special wager that pays 2:1 if the Dealer does have a Blackjack. In essence, Insurance provides the Player with the opportunity to break even because the initial wager will be forfeit, but he will be paid twice as much as the insurance payment.
If, after Insurance has been purchased or declined, the Dealer does not have a Blackjack, normal play continues and any insurance wager is forfeit.
If the Dealer has a Blackjack, the hand ends and the Player wager is forfeit unless insurance was purchased.
Player Decisions
If the Dealer does not have a Blackjack after the intial deal, the Player is the first to act. Double Down Madness differs from other Blackjack variants in that the Player starts with a single card and, after that card and each subsequent card, can make one of three decisions:
● HIT: So long as the hand has not busted, the Player may "Hit"; meaning draw an additional card in an attempt to reach 21 points.-
● DOUBLE DOWN: The player may place a wager that matches the current total wager on the table to receive an additional card."NOTE: In "Live Play", the Dealer will deal a Double Down card sideways on the table to show it was a Double Down card. To simplify things in Riverboat Gambler, Double Down cards are displayed with a green border. ● STAND: If the Player does not wish to take an additional card, a "Stand" is made. This ends play for the Player and action turns to the Dealer's hand.
Automatic Wins
Aboard Riverboat Gambler, if the Player takes 8 cards and has not busted the hand, the hand automatically wins. Please refer to the Payout Table for the odds that are paid for this hand.
Ending the Hand
After the Player acts it is the Dealer's turn to act. Dealer decisions relative to drawing additional cards are guided by two simple rules:
- If there are any Player hands that did not bust and were not Blackjack, the Dealer must draw cards until his total is greater than or equal to 17 points.
- The Dealer must draw on "Soft 17s".
If the Dealer busts with 22 points, the Player hand is considered a Push. For any Dealer busts above 22, the Player wins and is paid his wagers.
If the Dealer does not bust:
- Player hands with greater point values than has the Dealer win the round and are paid their wagers.
- Player hands with lower point values than has the Dealer lose the round and forfeit their wagers.
- Player hands with the same number of points as has the Dealer are deemed a Push and the wagers are refunded.
Push 22 Bonus Wager
This optional bonus is paid in cases when the Dealer busts with a point value of 22 and the hands are declared a Push. The wager may be between $5 and $100 and pays 11:1 for a win.
Quick Replay
After the hand has ended, if the Player presses the Deal button, the same wagers will be placed and new cards will be dealt. If the Player does not want to repeat the last wagers, play will resume after new wagers have been made and the Deal button has been pressed.
Pay Table
Standard Hand | |
| Beat the Dealer | 1 to 1 |
| Unsuited Blackjack | 3 to 2 |
| Suited Blackjack | 2 to 1 |
| Insurance | 2 to 1 |
Premium Payouts | |
(Automatic Win) | |
| 8 Cards Under 22 | 100 to 1 |
Push 22 Bonus | |
| Dealer Busts with 22 | 11 to 1 |