Double Twist Blackjack
At one time, blackjack was blackjack. There was one deck of cards. Everyone got two. The closest to 21 was the winner. The rules were simple and easy to understand. Today, however, there seem to be almost as many variants on blackjack as there are on Poker. Casinos online and offline are always trying to think of new ways to play blackjack that will attract more players.
One of the most recent blackjack variants to appear in casinos is called Double Twist Blackjack. It plays almost exactly like standard blackjack with a few minor, but significant, changes. Anyone who’s even basically familiar with blackjack should have no trouble adapting to Double Twist.
Double Twist Blackjack Vs Standard Blackjack
While some other blackjack variants introduce changes to the basic play, Double Twist Blackjack really doesn’t change anything. Instead, it adds two extra features that give players the chance to win some unusually large payouts.
Double Twist Blackjack Rules
As far as playing a hand of blackjack goes, the rules for Double Twist are exactly the same. The game is played with four to eight 52-card decks. Cards with numbers two through nine are worth their face value and cards ten and above are worth ten, with the ace being worth either one or eleven. The game is played against the dealer and whoever comes closest to 21 without going over is the winner.
The real difference between the two games is the side bet. When the player elects to make a side bet, he is betting on whether or not he will be able to make some type of three-card hand using both of his initial cards and the dealer’s face-up card, resembling the way it goes in 21+3 and Caribbean blackjack. A win will be paid out based on a posted pay table, usually varying from 1 to 1 up to 50 to 1.
Of course, there may be variations in payouts from one game to another, but the side bet payouts are generally structured as follows:
| Three Card Hand | Payout |
| Royal Flush | 50 to 1 |
| Suited 3 of a Kind | 35 to 1 |
| Straight Flush | 30 to 1 |
| Three of a Kind | 20 to 1 |
| Straight | 4 to 1 |
| Flush | 3 to 1 |
| Pair | 1 to 1 |
Some casinos also offer a progressive jackpot for the side bet as well. In this case, the regular payouts can be significantly modified and will vary from one casino to another.
The number of decks used in the game will alter the house edge quite a bit. Taking the side bet into account, it’s better for the player to have more decks in play because there are more possible combinations to make a winning three-card hand. The numbers below show how the house edge decreases as more decks are added. That’s the opposite of standard blackjack game where you get the best odds with lower number of decks.
| Decks In Play | House Edge |
| 4 | 5.54% |
| 5 | 4.65% |
| 6 | 4.05% |
| 8 | 3.29% |
It should also be noted that the calculations here assume that the player is playing a perfect basic strategy and that the casino is using standard blackjack rules. Using an incorrect strategy or playing at a table that strays from standard rules will, of course, increase the amount the player should expect to lose.
Conclusion
The Double Twist Blackjack variation can offer a lot of extra excitement over a standard blackjack game. Hitting a few side bet wins can put quite a bit of extra money in your bankroll quickly, and playing two hands at a time alleviates boredom, too. Just be sure to look for games that are running with eight decks to get the most value out of your bankroll.
Good luck at the tables!