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.
About Chinese Blackjack (Ban-Luck)
Chinese Blackjack — also known as 21-point, ban-luck (Hokkien), ban-nag (Cantonese) and xì dách (Vietnamese) — is played across Southeast Asia, especially in Singapore and Malaysia, where one version is called Kampung (village) Blackjack.
It grew up as a home game, because casino-rules blackjack is hard to host among friends. It uses one or two 52-card decks and any number of players.
The biggest difference is the Ace. Its value depends on how many cards you hold, and a two-card hand with an Ace can make one of the game's special paying hands.
How a round works
- Everyone places a bet and receives two cards, as does the dealer.
- Each player hits until they reach at least 16 (15 in Kampung Blackjack) and chooses when to stand.
- Once holding at least 16, the dealer may reveal chosen players' hands and settle with them, then draw more cards before revealing the rest.
- Equal hands, and a player and dealer who both bust, are ties.
Rules at a glance
| Decks | 1 or 2 standard 52-card decks |
|---|---|
| Players | Any number |
| Ace in a 2-card hand | 1, 10 or 11 |
| Ace in a 3-card hand | 1 or 10 |
| Ace in 4+ cards | 1 |
| Ban-Ban (pair of Aces) | Pays 3:1 |
| Blackjack pays | Ban-Luck (Ace + ten-value card) pays 2:1 |
| Triple 7s | Typically pays 7:1 |
| Five-dragon | Five cards without busting; pays 2:1 |
| Minimum total | 16 in the standard rules (15 in Kampung Blackjack) |
| Ties | Equal hands, or both bust, is a tie — no money changes hands |
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 Ace changes value
1, 10 or 11 in two cards; 1 or 10 in three; only 1 in four or more.
Special hands
Ban-ban pays 3:1, ban-luck 2:1, five-dragon 2:1 and triple 7s typically 7:1.
Dealer reveals selectively
The dealer may reveal chosen players' hands before their own, once they hold at least 16.
Both bust is a tie
Unlike casino blackjack, a player who busts ties with a dealer who also busts.
Frequently asked questions
What is ban-luck?
An Ace with a ten-value card as your first two cards. In Chinese Blackjack it pays 2 to 1.
What is ban-ban?
A pair of Aces as your first two cards. It is the strongest hand and pays 3 to 1.
What is a five-dragon?
Five cards that do not bust. It pays 2 to 1.
How much is an Ace worth in Chinese Blackjack?
It depends on the hand size: 1, 10 or 11 in a two-card hand, 1 or 10 in a three-card hand, and 1 in a hand of four or more cards.
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.
- Blackjack SwitchTwo hands at once — and the right to swap their second cards before you play them.
- 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.