It is believed that blackjack was invented in France sometime during the 1700s and was once called black jack or black jacks. Blackjack is still a very popular game today, and you will find it in many casinos both online and in person. But what about English 7-card blackjack?
Is this any different from the traditional game? What kind of rules should you expect from this blackjack variation? Playing this game isn’t as difficult as you might expect, and you can make a lot of money if you know how to play.
Keep reading and learn more about the basic rules of this popular card game.
HOW TO PLAY ENGLISH BLACKJACK GAMES
English blackjack rules are quite different from regular blackjack rules — the way you play the game is fundamentally different.
Consider the usual way of playing blackjack. The goal is to get the highest number with your cards without going over 21. If you draw your cards and get more than 21, you lose. The slang term for this is ‘going bust’. The dealer then wins the game.
You can take as many cards as you like, but you have to be careful with what the cards add up to. If you don’t want to add any more cards, you can stand. This means that you won’t draw any more cards. It is possible to stand when your cards add up to 17 or higher. While you could take another card at this point, you are more likely to get a higher number that will cause you to lose the game. You have to hope that your face-down card doesn’t bust you.
English blackjack is quite different.
Generally, four players participate in this game, each starting with seven cards. The dealer deals these cards.
THE AIM OF THE GAME
The game’s goal is to match your card with the card the previous player already put down. You can match the card according to its rank, and you would have to draw cards if you can’t find a match. The game moves clockwise, starting from the left of the dealer. If you manage to discard all of your cards, you win the game. But, this can be difficult if you keep drawing cards.
Each time a player plays, there is always a chance to raise the original bet. Be careful when betting, especially if you don’t have a card that matches the face-up card.
The blackjack game also allows you to play a run of cards. You can do this by starting with a matching card and then adding further matching cards. These cards should have the same value or the same suit.
BASIC RULES FOR 7-CARD BLACKJACK
The rules of this game may sound complicated if you’ve never played it before. But once you play blackjack and get the hang of it, you’ll find it isn’t that hard. There are certain rules you should remember to make it easier.
- Each player is given seven cards.
- Match your cards with the upright card on the table.
- You can match the card’s value or suit.
- Certain cards have special meanings.
- You have to draw cards if you don’t have a card that matches.
- The player who discards all their cards wins.
A PRACTICAL EXAMPLE
Suppose the first upright card on the table is a two of diamonds. To match the card, you need to have another two or a diamond card. If you don’t have one, you’ll have to draw two cards.
If you put down a matching card, the turn then rotates to the next player. If the next player doesn’t have a match, they’ll have to draw 4 cards, and so on. Certain cards are known as power cards because they have special meanings.
Different cards have different meanings, depending on blackjack variants.But, we’ll go through the specifics in the next section.
CARD COLOURS AND THEIR MEANINGS IN 7-CARD BLACKJACK
Cards have meanings depending on their colours, suits, and numbers. Card colours are very flexible in your ability to match your cards with the face-up card. This is because you don’t always have to match based on card colour.
Suppose there is a two of diamonds on the table. English blackjack rules say that you can put down a black two, regardless of the suit, if you have one. The colours don’t matter as much as the numbers and suits.
This is because the numbers and suits are what determine whether your card matches or not. The exception to this is if you are cancelling out another card.
Suppose your opponent puts down a red jack. A jack is worth several cards, so you’ll have to pick up all these cards. But you can avoid this if you put down a black jack on top of a red jack. The opposite is also true; the red jack cancels the black one. This is a very basic strategy.
It is also helpful to avoid getting inundated with cards. The main purpose of coloured cards is to cancel out other cards of the same suit. But this is only true for special cards like kings and jacks.
THE DETAILS
Once you get the hang of this, you can beat the dealer without any issues. This colour-switching technique gives this game the name ‘blackjack switch’, or simply ‘switch’ for short.
Betting on this game can be a real blast. There are not usually any betting limits in place, though there may be some when playing online. You can also try placing a side bet to add a little spice to your gaming experience.
That said, note that only one person can bet at a time, and you can place your bets once the previous player has acted. Be sure to keep track of each card played, as there might be several two cards in a row, and if you don’t have a matching card, you might have to pick up more cards.
Playing at blackjack tables can be great fun. If a player loses, they’ll lose their bet as well, but that’s just part of the online gambling experience. And if you win, the dealer pays you, so you can keep the ball rolling! Just remember to always play responsibly.
GAME VARIANTS FOR 7-CARD BLACKJACK
Most casinos offer standard blackjack games. You won’t see too many blackjack rule variations unless you’re playing at online casinos.
Online casino sites offer a range of blackjack variants that you can take for a spin. You can play at a Live Casino and try out tables like Lightning Blackjack, Infinite Blackjack or Free Bet Blackjack, or you can play at a First-Person table that deals cards using computer algorithms rather than actual dealers.
At face value, one might think that these tables aren’t all that different from standard blackjack, and they might as well stick to seven-card blackjack. But different variants may come with additional side bets and bonus rules that help add an additional layer of complexity, engagement, and, best of all, fun!
POWER CARDS IN 7-CARD BLACKJACK
If you don’t know what a power card is, you might get a lot of losses. The number of cards you have doesn’t matter as much as the number on the cards.
Suppose you have an eight. This card means that the next player has to skip a turn, but they can cancel this out if they have an eight of the opposite colour. This is known as ‘Crazy Eights‘.
An ace card means that you can turn the deck into a different suit. If you play a jack, you get an extra turn, and you can play both turns in a row. You must have other cards of the same number or suit to do this.
If you have a power card or two, you can have great fun with your bets. Try a maximum bet or face up to the original wager. Consider side bets, dealer checks, a higher house edge, and other ways to make money.
Remember that the goal is to get rid of all your cards. Having two cards doesn’t mean anything, but you must announce when you have one card left. This makes the game much more exciting.
7-CARD BLACKJACK AT AN ONLINE CASINO
Playing this game online is a great way to expand your gaming experience. Not all physical casinos offer this type of blackjack. They might have the standard kind with normal dealer plays, card wins, and so on.
There are two ways you can play this game online: at an RNG table or live. At an RNG or First-Person table, the ‘dealer’ takes their time to hand out cards. This is because there is actually no actual dealer at all! Instead, players would go up against computer algorithms. Drawing cards is as easy as pressing a button.
At a Live Casino, players will go up against an actual dealer and will be given a specific amount of time to place their bets. Then, once the allotted time expires, the dealer will hand out cards, and the round will begin.
The next player may be digital, or they may be a real person, depending on the table you’re playing at. You can experiment with participant attempts, playing a hole card, the Irish switch, and many others.
BLACKJACK 7-CARD CARD GAME AT THE LV BET CASINO
The LV BET Casino is one of the best casinos for this type of blackjack. Because English blackjack is a less popular variant, it’s hard to find it in most digital casinos. But LV BET has everything you need.
Playing online is a great way to learn how to play blackjack, as you won’t have to bet very much to start, you can become familiar with the rules and play from the comfort of your own home.
Take your time studying the dealer card, face cards, how to re-split, when the dealer stands and so on. Memorise the card values, the house edge, the first card, and the second card. Certain hands, like eight cards or 10 cards can help you win.
Others might cause you to lose immediately. It can be frustrating at first, especially if you’re not familiar with the dealer’s cards, which card values are equal value, etc. But once you get the hang of it, it will be a lot of fun, especially if you play at LV BET!
CONCLUSION: AN INTERESTING ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL CARD GAMES
The blackjack rules of this card game are very different compared to traditional blackjack. This offers a fun new way to enjoy a single deck of cards.
The blackjack card game rules of this variant can seem complicated at first. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll find that it’s easy and super entertaining. You’ll no longer be confused by red jacks, the dealer’s hand, or anything else.
Do you want to start playing blackjack online? Check out the options our casino has to offer!
FAQ
✅ CAN I PLAY 7-CARD BLACKJACK AT THE LV BET CASINO?
Yes, you can. LV BET is one of the few options where you can play English blackjack.
Playing online also has many benefits. You don’t have to worry about anyone counting cards, and you won’t get confused as to when it’s the dealer’s turn or your turn either. It is much easier to keep track of everything when you play online.
✅ CAN ANY PLAYER PLAY 7-CARD BLACKJACK?
Anyone can play this game, but it is recommended to learn how the game works first.
✅ WHAT ARE THE DISCARD CARDS IN 7-CARD BLACKJACK?
You can consider all the cards in blackjack discard cards. This is because the goal of the game is to get rid of them all. If you have a lot of normal cards of small values, try to get rid of them as much as possible, and save the power cards for when you need them.
✅ WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PLAYERS ALLOWED IN A BLACKJACK 7-CARD GAME?
The ideal number of participants is four. This ensures that there is enough of a challenge. Few casinos will let you play with more than seven players. This is because the game gets too long and complicated, and there won’t be enough cards to play with.
✅ DOES THE DEALER HAVE AN ADVANTAGE IN A 7-CARD BLACKJACK GAME?
The dealer has slightly better odds. This is because the players have already placed their bets and gotten their cards. But this advantage is very slight. This ensures that the game is still fair to the players.