Blackjack Switch is one of the most popular versions of Blackjack. It could be found almost in every online casino over the Internet, and this online casino game has got many admirers all over the world since its appearance in the casinos game lists. The rules of Blackjack Switch are almost the same as for Classic Blackjack, with few exceptions. Firstly, player is dealt two hands (in Classic Blackjack only one hand will be dealt). The second one: after the player has got their cards and dealer’s card was laid down on the game table, player has an opportunity to change (switch) the cards from their both hands. It is not obligatory rule, which means that if player has good cards on both hands, they may not to use it. All they need is to decide whether to switch cards or not. The strategies described below will help players make right decision. Let’s start from easy to more complex.
Simple Blackjack Switch strategy. The first thing you should is to remember the list of hands (note that the order is from the strongest hand to the weakest one): 21, 20, 19, AA, 11, 10, 9, 18 or 8 and 8,8. The rules are following: if the dealer was dealt 7 or 8 as its face up card, then you must switch your cards in order to increase your weakest hand’s value to the highest one. If the dealer has other card than 7 or 8, you must switch only if you already have strong hand and can make it the strongest hand. If any of described options are impossible to achieve, then you can switch your cards only if you can get the most powerful hand from listed below: 7 or 17, 12, 13, or any hand that is possible to be split. This strategy, compared with optimal strategy, has 0,17% lower RTP.
The Advanced Blackjack Switch strategy. This one could be described in the for of the table which looks like “standard” blackjack strategy, i.e. in its columns listed the dealer’s face up card and in the columns – player’s hand are placed. The difference between two tables is that you won’t find blackjack moves for advanced strategy. There are only numbers from 0 to 3 in the cells, and each number describes to probability of win, where 3 is the combination with the best chances, and 0 – the combination with less chance. After player’s cards were laid down, they must add the values, get a total. Then they should “switch” the cards in their mind and do the same for new hands. After that all they have to do is to combine two values and decide if they must switch the cards or not.
Here is a short example:
Player has K+5 and A+3. At the same time they can play with (a) 15 and soft 14 or (b) 21 and 8. For option (a) the total value will be equal to 0 (0+0=0). For option (b) the total value will be equal to 3 (3+0=3). In this hand 3 > 0, so the player definitely must switch their cards.
Note: the Advance Blackjack Switch strategy, compared to the optimal strategy, has 0,08% lower RTP.
And the last one is the Optimal Blackjack Switch strategy. It is based on each hand’s simulation, when computer determines their expectation value. These values vary from +1 (high probability of win) to -1 (low probability of win). Like in Advanced Blackjack strategy, player compares the expectation values of hands before and after switch (note: they must “switch” the cards in their mind first), and if the value “after” is greater than “before” – the player must switch.
Note: the Optimal Blackjack Switch strategy has approximate RTP of 99.4%.
