Switch Blackjack

Striving for Better Hands with Switch Blackjack

Blackjack is a casino game enjoyed by many players because it allows them to combine skill with luck, ultimately influencing the game’s house edge. With so many people favouring blackjack for its low house advantage, it is only natural that casinos have developed variations of the game that nudge the edge back in their favour. That said, adding extra rules to blackjack can be intriguing, as higher risk often promises bigger rewards.

One popular variation of the card game is Switch Blackjack, which can be found at some land-based casinos as well as at numerous online casinos. If you have found yourself in a situation where you believe you will have better winning chances with the hand of the player sitting next to you, Switch Blackjack may be the right game for you. By adding a new feature to the gameplay, this blackjack variation has become popular with many players, especially after they realized that its house edge is also quite low.

Patented in 2009, Switch Blackjack was invented by Geoff Hall. Hall came up with the idea after playing a session of blackjack in which he was dealt two weak hands. He thought that if he could switch the top two cards, he would improve his hands. In October 2000, Hall unveiled his idea at the G2E conference in Las Vegas. In 2003, he added the “Push on 22” rule, as most of the existing rules were in the players’ favour.

Slowly but surely, casinos began embracing the game in an effort to attract more blackjack enthusiasts. The first casino to offer Switch Blackjack was Harvey’s Casino in Iowa. Today, the game is available at many online casinos powered by Playtech.

Rules

Gameplay

Side Bet

Considerations

Blackjack Switch Rules

Since Blackjack Switch is a variation of blackjack, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that its basic rules are largely the same. In this game, your aim is to form a stronger hand than the dealer’s without exceeding twenty-one. In general, the higher the total value of your hand, the better your chances of winning. However, if you surpass twenty-one you lose automatically; this outcome is known among blackjack players as busting.

Card values are also unchanged—the ace can be counted as either eleven or one, and all face cards are worth ten. The value of the remaining cards matches the number printed on them.

What sets this variation apart from the classic game and other offshoots is the fact that you have two separate hands whose top cards can be exchanged. If you attempted such a move in the standard game, it would be considered cheating and you would almost certainly be ejected from the casino. This unique twist lets you experience your favourite casino game in a completely different way.

Being able to switch the top cards of the two hands makes it far easier to improve them. Another major difference is the blackjack payout: for this winning combination you receive even money, rather than the standard 3:2.

In this variation, you can place an insurance bet that pays 2:1, provided the dealer’s upcard is an ace. Also, if the dealer’s total is twenty-two, the result is a push unless you have a natural blackjack. Unfortunately, this rule doesn’t apply to players—if your hand totals twenty-two, you still bust. The rule is exclusive to this version and works entirely in the casino’s favour.

The dealer hitting on soft 17 and peeking for blackjack are among the enforced rules in Switch Blackjack. The dealer will check for blackjack whenever their upcard is an ace or a ten. Doubling down after splitting is permitted, and you can perform this move on any two initial cards. You are also allowed to re-split up to four hands, although this rule can vary from casino to casino.

Blackjack Switch Gameplay

At the beginning of the game, you must place two initial bets of equal value. Once your wagers are placed, you will receive two face-up cards for each hand, placed in the designated areas on the table. The dealer receives one face-up card and one face-down card.

At this point, you may switch either of the top cards between your hands to create a better total. For instance, if one hand consists of a two and an eight, while the other contains an ace and a four, you can swap the eight and the four. This switch gives you a strong hand totalling nineteen (an ace and an eight). After deciding whether to switch cards, you must choose one of the standard blackjack moves—hit, stand, double down, or split if you have a pair.

Screenshot of Blackjack Switch Gameplay

Switch Blackjack Strategy: A Step-by-Step Guide for Smarter Play

Switch Blackjack introduces a twist to traditional blackjack, giving players the unique ability to swap cards between two hands. When executed with skill, this move can significantly influence the outcome, reducing the house edge. Here is a concise guide to mastering Switch Blackjack:

1. Understanding the Basics: Your primary goal remains to beat the dealer’s hand without exceeding 21. However, the unique switch option lets you exchange the top cards of your two hands to improve your chances.
2. Evaluating Your Hands: Start by assessing the strength of your hands in relation to the dealer’s upcard. The main purpose of switching cards is to enhance the strength of your two hands.
3. Dealer’s Position: Check the dealer’s upcard to evaluate their position. A 7, 8, 9, 10, or Ace signifies a strong position, prompting you to optimise your hand accordingly. Conversely, if the dealer’s upcard is between 3 and 6, they are in a weaker spot, and you should adjust your strategy accordingly.
4. The Push on 22 Rule: Unique to Blackjack Switch, this rule makes a dealer upcard of 2 less threatening than it is in classic blackjack.
5. Cindy Liu’s Switching Strategy: This strategy categorizes hands by strength (from 21 down to 8-8) and focuses on improving weaker player hands when the dealer shows a 7 or 8. If the dealer has any other upcards, the player should aim to enhance the stronger hand into a top-tier hand.
6. Hand Improvement Priorities: If you can’t form a top-tier hand, aim to upgrade the stronger hand into a viable alternative (7, 17, splittable hands, 12, or 13).
7. Ace Management: Always keep aces together if your second hand is weak (3-8 or 2-8) or if the dealer’s upcard ranges from 2 to 6, as doing so will help you maximise your advantage.

The Side Bet Super Match

Another reason Blackjack Switch is so entertaining is that it offers players the chance to take advantage of Super Match, a side bet that makes the game even more exciting. As its name suggests, this bet wins when you have at least one matching pair in your hands. If you decide to give it a try, you must place the wager at the beginning of the game, before any cards are dealt.

• If you have 2 cards of the same rank, you will receive a payout of 1:1
• Provided that you happen to have 3 cards of the same rank on the initial deal, then you will boost your bankroll with a payout of 5:1
• For two pairs, the payout is 8:1
• Assuming that you are dealt 4 cards of the same rank, you will receive a payout of 40:1

Payouts for the side bet may vary depending on the casino and the number of decks in use. Even though the returns look tempting, most side bets work in favour of the casino and are not beneficial for players. It has been calculated that Super Match increases the house edge to 2.55%. By contrast, the house edge in the base game of Switch Blackjack—using six decks, with the dealer hitting on soft 17, a switched blackjack counting as 21, and the player following basic strategy—is just 0.58%.

Playing Strategy for Switch Blackjack

Blackjack fans know that they can reduce the house edge by applying basic strategy. However, basic strategy is not static—it changes with each variation of the game. When it comes to Switch Blackjack, you must first decide whether to switch the top cards of your hands. In some situations the answer is obvious, because your goal is to improve your hand so that it is stronger than the dealer’s upcard.

For instance, if you hold 10-2 and 3-King, it is obvious that you should swap the top cards to form a strong hand consisting of a 10 and a King. However, things are not always that simple. Eventually, you will need a strategy to determine the best option. First, decide whether the dealer is in a strong position. If their upcard is 7, 8, 9, 10, or an ace, the dealer is considered strong. Conversely, if the exposed card is 3 through 6, the dealer is in a weak position.

You may have noticed that we have not said anything about an upcard of 2. This is because of the special “Push on 22” rule. The dealer’s likelihood of busting is considered low when their upcard is a 2. With that in mind, let us briefly discuss one of the most popular switching strategies.

One such strategy, proposed by Cindy Liu, takes into account the strength of the player’s hands. The hands are ranked in the following order: 21, 20, 19, A-A, 11, 10, 9, 18 or 8, and 8-8. According to the strategy, players should improve the weaker hand to any of the aforementioned totals when the dealer shows a 7 or 8. If the dealer’s upcard is anything else, players are advised to try to improve the stronger hand to one of the top-tier hands listed above. If that is not possible, they should aim to improve the stronger hand to one of the following: 7 or 17, a splittable pair, 12, or 13.

It is also worth noting that players should always keep aces together when their other hand totals 3-8 or 2-8, or when the dealer shows 2 through 6.

Blackjack Switch Strategy Chart

Rules:

• Dealer 22 results in a push against all non-blackjack hands.
• Blackjack pays 1:1.
• Dealer hits soft 17.
• 6 decks (Note: With 8 decks, do not double on 9 vs 5).

Legend:

• H: Hit
• S: Stand
• D: Double if possible; otherwise, hit
• Ds: Double if possible; otherwise, stand
• P: Split (Pair)

Conclusion

Switch Blackjack is one of the most challenging and entertaining blackjack variations, and it is played by hundreds of players worldwide. Its rules are straightforward and easy to learn, which makes it suitable for all types of players. It is undoubtedly one of the most interesting versions thanks to its many extraordinary features.

In this version you play two hands and have the opportunity to switch cards between them, which significantly increases your chances of forming a winning hand. Even though it includes some additional rules that work entirely in the casino’s favour, Switch Blackjack remains one of the blackjack variants with the lowest house edge.

FAQ: Blackjack Switch