Blackjack Switch
Two hands at once — and the right to swap their second cards before you play them.
≈0.25% house edge with Arnold Snyder's switching strategy on his rule set. The Super Match side bet raises it.
About Blackjack Switch
Blackjack Switch was invented by Geoff Hall and patented in 2009. You play two hands with equal bets, and before playing them you may exchange the top card of one hand with the top card of the other.
The switch is a big advantage: dealt 10-5 and 6-10, you can swap to make 10-10 and 6-5 — a 20 and an 11 instead of two stiff hands. The game pays for it in two ways. A natural blackjack pays only 1:1 instead of 3:2, and a dealer total of 22 does not bust: it pushes every player hand still in play except a natural.
That second rule changes a lot. Hands that would win outright when the dealer busts in standard blackjack now only tie when the dealer lands exactly on 22.
vs
Dealt 10-5 and 6-King, you switch the 5 and the King: a 20 here, and a 6-5 hard 11 on your other hand.
Rules at a glance
| Decks | 4, 6 or 8 |
|---|---|
| Hands | Two, with equal bets |
| The switch | Exchange the second cards of your two hands before playing them |
| Dealer on soft 17 | Varies by casino |
| Double down | Allowed on each hand after switching |
| Surrender | Varies by casino |
| Blackjack pays | 1:1 (even money) |
| Dealer 22 | Pushes every remaining player hand except a natural |
| Side bet | Super Match: pair 1:1, three of a kind 5:1, two pairs 8:1, four of a kind 40:1 |
Rule sets vary between casinos and between online operators. Always check the table or the game's rules screen — the blackjack payout and the dealer's soft 17 rule move the house edge more than anything else on this page.
What makes it different
The switch
Swapping the second cards between two hands turns many poor starting pairs into one strong hand and one doubling hand.
Even-money blackjack
A natural pays 1:1 instead of 3:2 — a cost Wikipedia puts at about 2.3% in standard blackjack.
Dealer 22 pushes
A dealer 22 ties every live player hand except a natural, taking away wins that standard blackjack would pay.
Two bets per round
You always play two hands, so the minimum stake per round is two table minimums.
How switching changes the game
The core decision in Blackjack Switch happens before you hit or stand: whether to swap. Once switched, each hand is played on its own.
| Hand | Standard play | In Blackjack Switch | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
 vs
Hands of 10-5 and 6-10 |
Play 15 and 16 as dealt | Switch to 10-10 and 6-5 | Two stiff hands become a 20 and an 11 — the example Wikipedia uses to explain the switch. |
Drill the underlying decisions first with the basic strategy trainer, or look up any single hand in the strategy calculator.
What it means for card counting
Counting works because the switch does not change which cards leave the shoe. What a given count is worth differs from standard blackjack, though: even-money blackjacks and the dealer 22 push both reduce the value of a shoe rich in tens and Aces, so bet ramps built for the standard game overstate your edge here.
Practise on a matching shoe in the card counting trainer — it lets you set the deck count and run true count conversion drills.
Frequently asked questions
Who invented Blackjack Switch?
Geoff Hall invented the game; it was patented in 2009.
What happens when the dealer gets 22 in Blackjack Switch?
A dealer total of 22 does not bust. It pushes every player hand still in play, except a natural blackjack.
How much does a blackjack pay in Blackjack Switch?
Even money (1:1), not the standard 3:2.
What is the Super Match side bet?
An optional bet on your first four cards: a pair pays 1:1, three of a kind 5:1, two pairs 8:1 and four of a kind 40:1.
Sources
Rules and figures on this page are taken from Wikipedia:
- Blackjack Switch — Wikipedia
- Blackjack — Variants and related games — Wikipedia