Asian BlackJack

Red Lounge Asian Blackjack is played with six 52-card decks. The object of the game is to get more points than the dealer without getting more than twenty-one points.

Each player is dealt two cards. The dealer is only dealt one card face up at the start of the game. The dealer is not dealt a faced down card (hole card).

Each card has its face value except the Jack, Queen and King, which have a value of ten, and the Ace, which is one or eleven.

If your first two cards total 21, congratulations! You have a Blackjack (unless the dealer also has a Blackjack, in which case you 'push' - you do not lose and you do not win anything) and will be paid 3 to 2 on your bet. If the dealer has an ace showing and you are dealt a Blackjack you have the option of accepting a payout of even money - 1 to 1 on your bet. See 'Even money' section below.

Most of the time, however, your total is going to be less than 21. In that case, you can 'hit', 'split', 'double down', or 'stand'.

If you want another card, press 'hit' and the dealer will deal you an additional card. You 'hit' when you feel your hand needs more points to be competitive. But if that next card takes you over 21 points, you lose.

Choosing to 'stand' means you're satisfied with your cards. Once you have opted to 'stand' on all of your hands, the dealer will play out his hand and you will see whether you have won or not. The dealer must draw on any card totals of 16 or less. If the total is 17 or more, the dealer must stand. The dealer has no choice in the matter.

There are many nuances of play you'll want to learn as you go along. The following glossary will help you understand all the basic terms.

Split

• If your first two cards is a pair, such as two nines, or two kings, you have the option of 'Splitting'. Note, you are not able to split a jack and king, even though they are of the same value they are not a pair. Splitting separates the two equal cards into two separate hands and automatically places an additional bet equal to your original wager. In effect, you now have created two hands from one, each of whose first card is 1/2 of the original hand. Should the next card be the same again, you may split into a third hand. You now play out each hand. Note that if you decide to split aces, you will only be dealt one additional card per new hand. If you get a ten-value card (i.e. your hand totals twenty-one), this is not a blackjack. If you win you will receive even money for your bet not 3 to 2.

Double Down

• After being dealt your first two cards, you have the option of "doubling down" on your bet by clicking the 'Double' button. Doubling down doubles your bet, and requires you to draw one more card only. You may double down after having already previously split cards.

Insurance

• If, after the cards are dealt, the dealer has an ace showing, you will have the option of taking "insurance" on each of your hands. Insurance lets you protect your bet against the possibility that the dealer has a blackjack. You have the option of "insuring" your original bet by betting an amount equal to half the amount of your original bet. If the dealer does, in fact, have blackjack, you win your insurance bet at odds of two to one. If the dealer does not have blackjack, you lose your insurance bet and continue with the hand.
  
  Since the dealer is dealt the second hand only when the player completes the game the insurance bet is settled at the end of the game.

Surrender

• Red Lounge Asian Blackjack offers players the option to surrender. Surrender option is presented after the cards are dealt and the dealer has checked for blackjack. You may choose to surrender when you feel you have a bad hand, in which case you forfeit half your bet and the other half is returned to you and the game is over. The option to surrender is not presented if the dealer has an Ace showing.

Even money

• If you are dealt a blackjack hand (two cards who's value is equal to 21) and if the dealer has an ace showing you will be presented with an option to accept a 1 to 1 payout and end your hand. To accept an even money payout click on the TAKE EVEN MONEY button, to decline the option and continue the game click on the WAIT button.

Special payouts

• If you get a 7-7-7 of any suit or 6-7-8 of the same suit without doubling and provided that the dealer does not have a 21 you will be paid out 3 to 1 on your bet.