Double Attack Blackjack

See the dealer's up-card first, then decide whether to double your bet.

Varies Wikipedia gives no figure. The removed 10s and even-money blackjack favour the house; the double attack wager, surrender at any time and liberal splitting give back part of it.

About Double Attack Blackjack

Double Attack Blackjack is an Atlantic City variant built on Spanish 21. It is dealt from eight 48-card Spanish decks — standard decks with the four 10s removed — and pays only even money on a blackjack.

Its signature rule gives the game its name: after seeing the dealer's up-card, you may double your initial wager before your hand is played. Weak dealer card showing? You can put more money on the table before a single decision.

The rest of the rules are liberal: you may double or surrender at any point in the hand, re-split non-Ace pairs up to four times, and double after splitting.

Face-down cardFace-down cardvs6 of Clubs The dealer's up-card is dealt before your hand is played. A weak card like this 6 is the moment the double attack wager exists for.

How a round works

  1. Place your initial bet.
  2. The dealer's up-card is shown.
  3. Decide whether to make the double attack wager — doubling your initial bet — now that you have seen it.
  4. Play your hand: hit, stand, double, split or surrender at any point.
  5. The dealer plays, standing on all 17s, and bets are settled. A blackjack pays even money.

Rules at a glance

Double Attack Blackjack rules summary
Deck Spanish 48-card — the four 10s removed
Decks 8
Double attack Double your initial wager after seeing the dealer's up-card
Dealer on soft 17 Stands (S17)
Double down At any time during the hand; no re-doubling
Surrender At any time during the hand
Splitting Aces once, one card each; other pairs re-split up to 4 times
Double after split Allowed
Blackjack pays 1:1 (even money)
Insurance Pays 5:2
Side bet Bust It! — pays when the dealer busts on the third card

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 double attack wager

Increase your bet after seeing the dealer's up-card — information a normal bet never has.

Spanish deck

Every 10 is removed, leaving twelve ten-value cards per deck instead of sixteen.

Even-money blackjack

A natural pays 1:1 instead of 3:2.

Surrender at any time

Not just on your first two cards — you may surrender later in the hand too.

Frequently asked questions

What is the double attack wager?

An option to double your initial bet after you have seen the dealer's up-card, before your hand is played.

What deck is Double Attack Blackjack played with?

Eight Spanish 48-card decks — standard decks with the four 10s removed from each.

What does a blackjack pay in Double Attack?

Even money (1:1). Insurance, when taken, pays 5:2.

Sources

Rules and figures on this page are taken from Wikipedia: