Super Fun 21
Double on any number of cards and win automatically with six cards totalling 20 — at a 6:5 blackjack payout.
About Super Fun 21
Super Fun 21 was patented by Howard F. Grossman in 1999 (U.S. Patent 5,979,897). It is standard blackjack with a long list of player-friendly rules — and one expensive one.
You may double down at any point, however many cards you already hold, and split a hand up to four times. Six or more cards totalling 20 win automatically, five or more cards totalling 21 pay double, and a player blackjack beats a dealer blackjack.
The cost is the blackjack payout: 6:5 instead of 3:2, a change Wikipedia puts at about 1.4% in the standard game.
Rules at a glance
| Deck | Standard 52-card decks |
|---|---|
| Dealer on soft 17 | Varies by casino |
| Double down | At any point, on any number of cards |
| Splitting | Up to four times |
| Surrender | Varies by casino |
| Blackjack pays | 6:5 — and beats a dealer blackjack |
| Six cards totalling 20 | Win automatically |
| Five or more cards totalling 21 | Pays double |
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
Double at any point
A hard 11 built from three or four cards can still be doubled.
Six-card 20 wins
Six or more cards totalling 20 win automatically.
Five-card 21 pays double
Five or more cards totalling 21 pay 2:1.
6:5 blackjack
The price of all of the above — though your blackjack always beats the dealer's.
How basic strategy changes
These are the decisions that differ from the standard chart. Everything not listed here is played the same way.
vs
Hard 11 over three cards
Standard: Hit — doubling not allowed Super Fun 21: Double
Doubling is allowed at any point, and 11 against a 6 is one of the best doubles in the game.
Frequently asked questions
What does a blackjack pay in Super Fun 21?
6:5 instead of the standard 3:2. A player blackjack does beat a dealer blackjack, though.
Can you double down on more than two cards in Super Fun 21?
Yes. You may double down at any point, however many cards you already hold.
What are the automatic wins in Super Fun 21?
Six or more cards totalling 20 win automatically, and five or more cards totalling 21 pay double.
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.
- 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.