Player’s Choice Blackjack

Player’s Choice Blackjack is a variance of blackjack that brings an entirely new level to the gameplay allowing the players benefit from their skills while picking their hand among 5 two-card hands face-down. The player, of course, cannot see both cards but he sees their total values displayed randomly (at the top of the screen).

There are actually three different types of Players Choice blackjacks.

• First, we have Player’s Choice 21 where the player gets 3 cards and needs to form 2 blackjack hands (one of the cards is shared by both hands).  This game is available in some land based casinos.
• Second version is where the player can choose whether to bet on his hand or the dealers hand. A bit similar to Baccarat. This game was patented in 2008, but we haven’t encountered it yet in any offline or online casino.
• Last, we have online Player’s Choice blackjack game which we will review here. Naturally, this type of game is not very suitable for the land-based casinos since it requires special software, but for the online casinos this is one of the most refreshing things that have appeared recently. Currently it is available for real money play only at 1x2Gaming online casinos, but you can also play it for free here on our site.

Player’s Choice Blackjack Rules

The main goal of Player’s Choice Blackjack is just like in any other blackjack – trying to beat the dealer by getting closer to 21 without exceeding that number. However, in this game you will be able to make more choices than you have used to. After the bet is placed, 5 sets of two-card hands will be dealt face down.

The values of all hands are displayed automatically on the screen, but in random positions, so you won’t recognise a value of a specific hand. If there is a hand containing an Ace valued as 11 (soft hand), that value will be indicated with asterisk symbol. Then, you will need to pick one of 5 hands to reveal the top card only. That is the crucial moment – you are free to keep that hand or discard it, in which case you next choice will be final. The player must consider all 5 possible values and try to guess the total value of his hand based on the face-up card. After that, the player will choose one of the remaining hands that will be dealt to the dealer. The dealer’s top card will be revealed and then the game will proceed according to the basic blackjack rules.

Player’s Choice Blackjack is played with eight 52-card decks, shuffled ahead of each game. The dealer will stand on all hands value of 17 and more (including soft hands), but is not obliged to draw on values under 17 if they can tie or beat the player by standing. All wins are paid even money, while all ties forfeit half of the player’s original stake. That is pretty much it – surrender, insurance, splitting or doubling are not allowed.

1×2 Gaming Player’s Choice Odds and Limits

The only online version of this game is available at 1x2Gaming online casinos with the betting limits of $0.10 (min) and $250 (max). The game goes slower than usual blackjacks, since it includes at least two pickings rounds on each game. However, many will find it far more interesting than the standard blackjack.

The game features a handy layout, decent graphics and realistic sound effects, as well as an option to reduce the video quality if your internet connection is poor. Game history and bet history are available too.

The RTP of this game is 98.37%, which indicates a rather high house edge of 1.73%. Obviosuly, it’s high above some of the loosest blackjack games you can find online, so you need to pay a bit for the extra fan.

Player’s Choice Blackjack Tips and Strategies

This game requires high concentration all the time, since you will have to calculate and recalculate over and over again trying to guess the values of the hole cards. There are two key points that will put your brain in action.

The first one comes when your face up card is revealed. In many cases, you will be able to guess the value of the hole card considering the possible values (all 5 of them). The soft values are marked with “*” which comes in handy, making your guessing more likely to be correct. If you are not satisfied with the hand, you may discard it and pick another one.

Secondly, the dealer’s up card may indicate the total value of the hand, helping you to decide whether to hit or stand. Our experience shows Player’s Choice Blackjack is more a game of skill than the majority of blackjack variances. It is really possible to determine the value of both, yours and the dealer’s hand in many games, comparing the face up cards and the total values.

Soft hands could be very helpful, especially if the up card is an Ace in which case you will know the exact value of a particular hand and be able to make rational decisions. We recommend you to start with smaller stakes and sharpen your skills steadily. When you master the game you will know how to take the best out of every situation.