Double Attack Blackjack
See the dealer's up-card first, then decide whether to double your bet.
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.
How a round works
- Place your initial bet.
- The dealer's up-card is shown.
- Decide whether to make the double attack wager — doubling your initial bet — now that you have seen it.
- Play your hand: hit, stand, double, split or surrender at any point.
- The dealer plays, standing on all 17s, and bets are settled. A blackjack pays even money.
Rules at a glance
| 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 |
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 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
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.
- 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.