European Blackjack | Hit 21 beat the house
Blackjack is believed to be a game that dates back centuries. Its earliest mention in history was in the classic book – “Don Quixote” back in 1605. I must confess that I only learned how to properly pronounce the name a few years ago. In any sense, Blackjack is an old game that has deep roots in Europe.
European Blackjack is one of the widest spread games; both online, and in live casinos. You can’t play at a casino without finding this version of the game.
One of my favorite software companies, MicroGaming, has put their own little twist on Blackjack by creating European Blackjack Gold. I decided to give the game a shot and now I’m here to tell you all about my experience. Minus my run of bad luck. No one likes a cry baby.
The gold version of European Blackjack is exactly the same as the standard European Blackjack. At least as far as the rules go. European Blackjack has a distinct set of rules that will be much different from other variants. However, the goal remains the same. Get as close to 21 and beat the dealer.
The one major difference, and the reasoning behind tagging it as “Gold”, is due mainly to the graphics and in game features. The personalization of the game and ability to perfrom certain functions separate it from the traditional European version.
MicroGaming has made the Gold version of this game available for mobile devices as well. It works on both Android and iOS operating systems. Now I just need to invest in a smart phone to be able to play it. I’m old school, I still have a flip phone.
European Blackjack Gold Rules
If you know how to play European Blackjack, then you won’t need any further knowledge on how to play this version. You will want to learn about the unique game options it has though. You can skip right to that part if you prefer. Or, you can freshen up on the rules a little. I’ll make it easy for you to read and use those fancy bullet points just for you.
- 2 Decks of 52 Cards
- Dealer Stays on all 17’s
- Double Down on 9,10,11
- Only Split Once
- Blackjack Pays 3 to 2
- Insurance Pays 2-1
- Dealer No Peek
I have found variations of these rules at some of the smaller casinos. Some may let you re-split or double down on any total of your first two cards. For the most part, these are the standard rules found at the majority of casinos.
Why Play European Blackjack Gold
If the gold version is the same, why would you want to play this version?
The main idea behind the gold version is to give you more options and control of the game. While many times I feel games are created as more of a gimmick and offer little value to you, European Blackjack Gold does have some cool features that make this version much better to play.
Again, I’ll use my fancy bullet points to point out the special features.
- Auto Re-bet
- Quick Deal
- Game Stats
- Adjust Speed of Game
- Autopay
- Better Graphics
The auto re-bet, quick deal and speed of the game are designed to allow you to set the pace of the game. If you want to take your time and think it through, you can slow the game down to suit your needs.
If you’re like me, and just want constant action, you can start mashing the quick deal button and get a steady dose of hands in.
Or, if you’re a lazy ass, you can set the auto play mode to play the game without doing a thing. You will need to set the parameters for how much you want to wager each hand. I think you can handle it though.
The Game Stats is a waste in my opinion. It’s a nifty little feature, but you only get results of past hands. They claim that you can use these stats and the auto play feature in tandem to test new strategies. But, the reality is, Blackjack is a random game whose outcome does not rely on the past.
In layman’s terms, you will gain no advantage by looking at previous results. Nor can you predict the outcome of future hands, based on past ones.
Pros
Additional features added to the game are nice to have and do make the game flow much smoother. The graphics are also nice. We live in a HD world graphics don’t WOW us like they used. Sorry if I’m not overly impressed.
Cons
At every site I have played European Blackjack Gold, I could only play 1 hand at a time. I have heard stories of some online casinos offering you the chance to play up to 5, but I have yet to find one of these white whales.
Also, since this game sticks to the basic rules of European Blackjack, the house edge is higher than other forms of Blackjack. It sits at 0.62% to be exact. Compare this to a game like Spanish 21 where the house edge is 0.35%, you can obviously see the difference.
Final Thoughts
European Blackjack Gold is a nice version of the original. It’s mainly flashy graphics and additional game play options; but those options do make playing the game much easier.
If I had both the regular European Blackjack, and the Gold version in front of me, I would always choose the Gold version. MicroGaming has yet to disappoint me and they deliver on this game as well. I wish they would let you play more than one hand at a time, but that’s just me.
