Pontoon is a blackjack variant that is only available at online casinos. It is distributed by RealTime Gaming. This online casino group accepts US players. Playtech and Betsoft also spread the game.
If you get to 15 points or higher, but less than 21 you can tell the banker “stick” and they will know that you do not want any more cards. The final way to play is if you receive two cards of the same suit, you can split the cards, meaning you flip them face up and place an additional bet that is equal to your initial bet. How to Play Pontoon. 09:02 Jul 14th, 2018 Games Land Based, Online Gambling. Pontoon is a card game that was made popular in the UK and is now making its way to the U.S. It is a variant of the American game Blackjack and was originally based on the French card game Vingt-et-un. Announce a Pontoon, if you have an ace and a ten point card, declare your pontoon by placing your ten point card face-down and your ace face-up on top of it. Split your cards, if you have two cards of equal rank you can split them. In doing so, separate each card into two hands, put them face-up, and place an equal bet to your initial bet. Unlike most blackjack variations, Pontoon requires the player to hit on 14 – there will be no option to stand on hands under 15 and hitting is limited to five times for both the player and the dealer. The player can also double down and split the same cards, playing.
Microgaming has Pontoon, too. However, split aces only receive one card. To offset this, the dealer stands on soft 17. This version is less favorable to players, so we suggest playing at one of the other sites for this reason.
Pontoon uses a standard 52-card deck. Players are forced to hit any hand 14 and under. There is a separate value hand just below a blackjack which is called “pontoon” in this game. It is a five-card trick.
In the game of Pontoon, just like in classic blackjack, your goal is to have a hand that totals 21 or at least one that’s higher than the dealer’s. All cards count as their natural numbers and aces count as 1 or 11. A hand consisting of an ace and a ten-valued card is the highest hand, called Pontoon, and it pays 2:1.
There are many strategy changes due to the unusual rules. Make sure to learn the basic strategy for Pontoon before playing. We go over it and the differences in Pontoon below.
Differences Between Pontoon and Traditional Blackjack
There are several differences between Pontoon and traditional blackjack.
A blackjack hand, called pontoon, pays 2-1. A two-card 21 after a split counts as a pontoon. A five-card hand that does not bust and wins has the same payout. The dealer can tie on these. The house wins all ties.
Both dealer hole cards are face down. This makes the strategy easy to learn, as you don’t have to take a dealer’s exposed card into account.
Players may double down at any time. However, an ace always counts as one when doubling. Players can hit after a double down and must if the hand is not 15 or higher. Split aces may be hit, doubled, and re-split.
The first step in playing Pontoon is choosing the denomination of chips that you would like to use. The next step is to click the betting circle until the wager equals what you want it to be.
After that, click deal, and you will receive two cards. You may bet up to three hands at the same time.
If the player has a pontoon, which is the same as a blackjack in a normal game, the hand ends. The dealer will then check to see if it also has it. If the player has it alone, the hand pays 2-1. If the dealer also has it, the house wins.
If the player or dealer do not have pontoon, the hand continues as normal. The dealer does not check for pontoon until the end of the hand.All bets made through the duration of the hand will lose if the dealer has pontoon.
If nobody has pontoon, players are given the following options.
- Hit
- Stand
- Double down
- Surrender
- Split (if dealt a pair)
As Pontoon is only spread at online casinos, each action the player has available has a button on the screen. Touch it or click it with your mouse to hit, stand, double down, and split.
Hit is when a player would like to draw a card. You may hit until you bust or make a five-card hand.
Stand means the player does not want any more cards. This is not available until the player has 15, or has five cards.
Double down involves the player doubling the original bet and receiving one more card. A player with a pair has the option to split.
A player that makes a five-card hand without busting stands. The only way this hand loses is if the dealer also makes a five-card hand.
The dealer draws to hands up to 16 and soft 17. If the dealer has a hard 17 or any hand of 18 and higher, it stands. It also stops drawing if it makes five cards without busting. The house automatically wins here.
Once the player and dealer have completed the hand, they are compared to each other.
If the dealer has the same point total or higher than the player, the house wins all bets.
If the player makes a five-card hand and the dealer does not, or if the player’s hand is higher than the dealer’s hand, it wins.
After the hand, click the deal button for a new one. To leave, click the menu button on the table.
The strategy for Pontoon is substantially different from a traditional game of blackjack. One reason is that the dealer’s cards are placed face down. Another is the five-card trick paying 2-1. Players may not stand until the hand is at least 15.
Hard Hands
A hard hand does not include an ace, or it has one and can bust.
- 4 through 7: Always hit
- 8: Hit on 2 or 3 cards; double down on 4
- 9: Hit on 2 cards; double down on 3 or 4
- 10 and 11: Always double down
- 12 through 14: Hit on 2 or 3 cards; double down on 4
- 15 and 16: Stand on 2 or 3 cards; double down on 4
- 17: Stand on 2 or 3 cards; double down on 4
- 18 and higher: Always stand
A soft hand includes an ace and cannot bust.
- Soft 13: Always hit
- Soft 14 through 18: Hit on 2 or 3 cards; double down on 4
- Soft 19 and 20: Stand on 2 cards; double down on 3 or 4
The only pairs that should be split are eights and aces.
Please refer to the chart below for a visual summary of Pontoon strategy.
Pontoon is spread at most online casinos. RealTime Gaming, Playtech, Betsoft, and Microgaming all spread it.
This blackjack variant is not available at live casinos. The game by the same name in Australia is more like Spanish 21 and does not resemble this Pontoon at all.
Our Pick
For US players, we recommend RealTime Gaming casinos over Betsoft. It is a personal preference of software.
Players outside the US should head to Playtech casinos. The rules are more player-friendly than the ones at Microgaming.
How Do You Play Pontoon Cards Price Guide
Pontoon has a house edge of 0.38% at sites with the most generous rules. This makes it one of the better blackjack games at online casinos. It is often better than traditional games.
The strategy for Pontoon is easy to learn as there is no thought about the dealer’s door card as there is not one. We recommend playing it, especially if you need a change from traditional blackjack.
How to Play Pontoon
Pontoon is a British card game that is very similar to conventional American blackjack where players are trying to get closest to 21, without going over. The game is originally derived from the French card game Vingt-et-un.
This game can be played with two or more players, but 5-8 players are generally recommended for premium play. The game uses a standard 52 card deck of playing cards (using 2 decks is recommended for games with more than 8 players). Players will also need either money or chips, to place their wagers.
How to Deal Pontoon
Before the game begins, one player is chosen to be the banker. The banker has an advantage in Pontoon so the first banker is usually chosen by having all players cut for a high card. The player with the highest card becomes the initial banker. The minimum and maximum bets are usually also decided before the game begins.
To begin the game, the banker deals one card face down to each player. The banker should start by dealing to the player to the left of the dealer and should end on the dealer. All players, besides the banker, can look at their card.
Starting with the player to the left of the dealer and going around the table clockwise, each player (other than the banker) places their initial bets within the agreed upon betting limits. After all bets have been placed, the dealer will deal each player a second face down card, which all players can look at. Each player should now have two face down cards.
How to Score Pontoon
The scoring of Pontoon is almost identical to the game of blackjack. All numbered cards are worth their face value in points. For example, the 6 of diamonds is worth 6 points. All paint cards (Jacks, Queens, and Kings) are worth 10 points each. The final card, the Ace, is worth either 1 point or 11 points, at the decision of the card holder.
Pontoon is scored by adding up your total points and trying to reach 21, without going over. If you achieve more than 21 points, you have busted and lose the hand. For example, if you were dealt a Jack and a 4, you'd have a total of 14 points. The game is won by reaching a total higher than the banker, without going over 21. If a player and the banker have equal points at the end of the hand, the banker always wins.
Pontoon Card Game
There are a few special card combinations in Pontoon that should be mentioned. The two important combinations are Pontoons and Five Card Tricks. Aside from these special combinations mentioned below, every other hand in the game is simply scored at its numerical value.
How Many Cards For Pontoon
Pontoon
Pontoon is when a player is dealt two initial cards that toal 21 points, similar to blackjack. This is the best hand in the game and can only be achieved by receiving both an Ace and a 10 point card (10, Jack, Queen, or King). Pontoon hands receive a double stake at the end of the hand. If you wagered $5 and got a Pontoon, you'd be paid $10 on top of your $5 wager.
Five Card Trick
The second best hand in this game is called a Five Card Trick. A player has a Five Card Trick when they end up with 5 cards, without going over 21 points. A Pontoon beats a Five Card Trick. A Five Card Trick beats a three or four card 21, even if the Five Card Trick is less than 21. Five Card Tricks are also paid double stake when the hand is over.
Three or Four Card 21's
The third best hand in Pontoon are hands with 3 or 4 cards, that total 21. They beat all natural totals of less than 21 but do not beat Pontoons or Five Card Tricks. The next best hand would be 20, then 19, then 18, etc.
Player's Options
If the banker does not have a Pontoon (in which all players lose immediately), each player has several options for improving their hand. You should first begin by checking to see if you have a Pontoon. If you do, place the Ace face up on top of your bottom 10 point card. This hand is an automatic winner and you have no more options.
If your total is less than 21, you have the option of getting additional cards. Your first option is to buy another card by saying 'I'll Buy One'. You must increase your stake by placing a bet 1x-2x the size of your initial wager on the table. The dealer will then deal you another card face down. You can continue to buy cards until you reach 5 cards or go over 21. The second option for increasing your cards is to twist by saying 'Twist Me One'. With this option, your stake is not affected and the dealer simply gives you an additional card, face up. You can continue to twist until you reach 5 cards or go over 21.
If the total of your cards is at least 15, you have the option to stick by saying 'Stick'. By sticking, you are opting to keep your current cards and total and you will not have the option of receiving any more cards.
The final major player option is to split. If you are dealt two cards of equal value, you have the option of splitting the cards into two separate hands. To split, you must turn over your matching cards face up on the table and place an additional bet equal to your initial wager, for your new hand. The banker will then deal a face down card to each of your two hands. You now play these hands with the same options mentioned above, including the option to split another two matching cards. Note that you cannot split a non-matching 10 point combination such as a Jack and a Queen. Both cards would have to be Jacks to be able to split this kind of hand.
Banker's Options
How Do You Play Pontoon Cards For Cash
After all players, other than the banker, have had their turns, the banker turns his two cards face up on the table. Note that the hands of the other players still aren't visible. They are still face down unless they have busted, twisted, split, or declared a Pontoon.
The banker now has the option of adding more cards to his hand. He can continue to add face up cards to his hand until he is satisfied with his total or goes over 21 points. If the banker busts, all players are paid their winnings (even money on hands that aren't Pontoons or Five Card Tricks). If the banker ends up with a total below 21 and stays, all players will turn their cards over to determine the winners. Remember that the banker always wins in a tie situation.
Play Pontoon Song
The Next Hand
After all wagers have been settled, the dealer adds all of the used cards to the bottom of the deck, without shuffling them. This provides players a strategy option to remember which cards are out of play. However, if there was a Pontoon in the previous hand, the cards are then shuffled.
How Do You Play Pontoon Cards Without
If a player other than the banker is dealt a Pontoon in the previous hand and the banker is not dealt a Pontoon, that player becomes the new banker and the game proceeds.
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