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Reason #2 why the Wizard likes Bovada:
No-hassle practice games
Most online casinos spend more effort trying to separate you from your money than they do trying to give you a good experience. They have all kinds of popup windows, they usually make you download their software, and if they do offer play-in-browser games then you have to register an account before you can play. And if you register they start sending you emails trying to get you to deposit real money.
But Bovada is different. They have no popup windows at all, and their practice games play right in your browser, with no download, and no registration required. You don’t even have to give up your email address. It couldn’t be simpler: just one click and you’re playing the game.
I wish all online casinos showed this much respect for their players. Other casinos practically ask for your first born child to play for free. Meanwhile Bovada is patient and does not twist anybody’s arm to play for real money. You can play as long as you like for free with no obligation. The real-money games are available if that’s your preference, but if not, you can play the free practice games for as long as you like without hassle.
Burn 20 Blackjack
Last Update: Sep 3, 2011
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Introduction
Burn 20 Blackjack is a blackjack variant I first saw at Binion's in downtown Las Vegas in July, 2011. The game is based on regular blackjack, with a couple of twists. The concept is that the player never has to worry about playing against a hard 2-card 20. To pay for this, if the dealer busts with 22 points then any players left standing will push instead of win.
Rules
- Standard blackjack rules are followed, with the following specifics and exceptions.
- Six 52-card decks are used.
- Dealer hits on soft 17.
- Blackjack pays 3-2
- Player may double on any number of cards, except after splitting aces.
- Split aces get one card each.
- No surrender.
- Insurance pays 2-1.
- If the dealer has a 10 up, he will use the card reader to check the hole card, if that is another 10 then he will throw both cards away and take two new cards from the shoe.
- In addition, if the dealer has a 10 up, and the hole card reader reveals a suited ace, resulting in a suited blackjack, the dealer will also discard both cards and take the next two in the shoe.
- After any dealer discard, the dealer will repeat the process, until the dealer does not have a 2-card hard 20 or any blackjack. Note that the dealer discards all blackjacks only after at least one discard. The idea is that the dealer can never improve as a result of discarding.
- To compensate for the favorable rules above, if the dealer busts with 22 points then all players still standing will push instead of win.
Strategy
The following tables show the basic strategy, according to whether the dealer hits or stands on a soft 17.
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House Edge
Under the Binion's rules above, and following the basic strategy, the house edge is 0.80%. Following are the effects on the house edge of some hypothetical rule effects.
| Rule Variations | |
| Rule | Effect |
|---|---|
| Dealer stands on soft 17 | -0.37% |
| Re-splitting aces allowed | -0.07% |
| Eight decks | +0.02% |
| Double on two cards only | +0.20% |
| Blackjack pays 6 to 5 | +1.37% |