Basic Strategy for Panamanian Blackjack - Charts

Introduction

Panama City, Panama, has very consistent and liberal blackjack rules at all casinos, as follows:

 

• Six decks.
• Dealer hits soft 17.
• Dealer does not take a hole card.
• If player doubles or splits, and dealer gets a blackjack, then the player loses the original bet only.
• Early surrender allowed, except against an ace.
• Player may double on any first two cards.
• Player may double on three-card totals of 9 to 11.
• Player may double after a split.
• Player may split any pair, including aces, up to four hands.

 

The only rule that varies is most games use a continuous shuffler, but some are dealt from a shoe.

The following is the basic strategy for Panamanian blackjack rules.

 

Under these rules and strategy I get a house edge of 0.12% with a continuous shuffler, and 0.14% in a shoe.

When I was in Panama City in February, 2011, two casinos were running blackjack promotions. The Veneto paid 2-1 on a blackjack in spades at certain times. The Fiesta had a six-card Charlie rule.

Here are some pictures of the larger casinos in Panama City.

 

Written by: Michael Shackleford