Blackjack Switch
Two hands at once — and the right to swap their second cards before you play them.
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.
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 |
Rules vary between casinos. Always check the blackjack payout and the dealer's soft 17 rule; they 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.
vs
Hands of 10-5 and 6-10
Standard: Play 15 and 16 as dealt Blackjack Switch: Switch to 10-10 and 6-5
Two stiff hands become a 20 and an 11 — the example Wikipedia uses to explain the switch.
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.
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
Other blackjack variants
- European BlackjackThe no-hole-card game — the dealer takes a second card only after you have finished acting.
- American BlackjackThe hole-card game that every standard basic strategy chart is written for.
- Atlantic City BlackjackEight decks, but one of the most player-friendly rule sets you will find.
- Vegas Strip BlackjackFour decks, dealer stands on soft 17, and no surrender to fall back on.
- Single Deck BlackjackThe best odds in blackjack — or the worst, depending entirely on the payout.
- Spanish 21Every ten removed from the deck, and a pile of player bonuses to make up for it.
- Double Exposure BlackjackBoth of the dealer's cards dealt face up — in exchange for even-money blackjacks and losing every tie.
- Double Attack BlackjackSee the dealer's up-card first, then decide whether to double your bet.
- Super Fun 21Double on any number of cards and win automatically with six cards totalling 20 — at a 6:5 blackjack payout.
- PontoonThe British cousin of blackjack: twist, stick, buy — and a five card trick that beats a 21.
- Chinese Blackjack (Ban-Luck)Southeast Asia's home game of 21 — where an Ace can be worth 10 and a pair of Aces pays 3 to 1.