Pontoon (RTG style 'Blackjack' Varient)
June 26th, 2017 at 3:53:20 AM
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Hi,
what would the correct strategy and house edge be if the player can choose to stand*** on 12 to 14? (will need to take into account hard and soft totals, and two, three and four card strategy, when working out the above question)
stand***: normally you have to hit, but there is a version online that lets you stand
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Summary Rules
Decks: 8
Dealer stands on: soft 17
Pontoon/Blackjack: Pays: 2 to 1^^^
Five-card trick: Pays 2 to 1^^^
Dealer wins on: ties or better (^^^ incl. tie 5-card trick and Pontoon)
Dealer Up-Card: no
Splits: can re-split up to 2 new hands
Hit split A's: no
Re-split A's: yes
Ace and 10 value card pays Pontoon: yes
Double after split: yes
Is the player FORCED to hit Hard or Soft totals between 12 to 14: NO
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Important update(s)
Double any number of cards: yes### (once)
Hit after doubling: yes###
###: just found out through 15 minutes of practice play, that you CAN NOT double/or/ hit a 3 or 4 card soft 21.
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thanks for your time in advance
what would the correct strategy and house edge be if the player can choose to stand*** on 12 to 14? (will need to take into account hard and soft totals, and two, three and four card strategy, when working out the above question)
stand***: normally you have to hit, but there is a version online that lets you stand
-------------
Summary Rules
Decks: 8
Dealer stands on: soft 17
Pontoon/Blackjack: Pays: 2 to 1^^^
Five-card trick: Pays 2 to 1^^^
Dealer wins on: ties or better (^^^ incl. tie 5-card trick and Pontoon)
Dealer Up-Card: no
Splits: can re-split up to 2 new hands
Hit split A's: no
Re-split A's: yes
Ace and 10 value card pays Pontoon: yes
Double after split: yes
Is the player FORCED to hit Hard or Soft totals between 12 to 14: NO
------
Important update(s)
Double any number of cards: yes### (once)
Hit after doubling: yes###
###: just found out through 15 minutes of practice play, that you CAN NOT double/or/ hit a 3 or 4 card soft 21.
-------
thanks for your time in advance
Last edited by: ksdjdj on Jun 26, 2017
June 26th, 2017 at 4:17:34 AM
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the other important rule variation that needs to be addressed is splitting A's ,
since they CAN potentially form a Pontoon and pay 2 to 1 (after splitting), but you CAN'T hit splits A's,
therefore, i also don't know what the correct strategy is for a pair of A's
since they CAN potentially form a Pontoon and pay 2 to 1 (after splitting), but you CAN'T hit splits A's,
therefore, i also don't know what the correct strategy is for a pair of A's
Last edited by: ksdjdj on Jun 26, 2017
June 26th, 2017 at 8:20:01 AM
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I don't play a ton of Pontoon, so forgive me if I'm wrong, but I'd be willing to gander the dealer winning on all ties pretty much makes this game awful. Even in the Wizards Pontoon page intro he doesn't mention an option for losing all ties, which in regular blackjack IS AWFUL to the house edge: Player losing on ties 17-21 = -8.86% to the house edge. Blackjack paying 2-1 is +2.27%... I'm not sure if this is common in Pontoon but I don't think it mentioned it in the Wiz's intro.
Correct strategy for AA is to ALWAYS split.
Correct strategy for AA is to ALWAYS split.
Playing it correctly means you've already won.
June 26th, 2017 at 2:00:40 PM
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Hi,
it says on the WoO webpage, that 'the dealer wins on ties' (it is in the introduction, first paragraph - second last sentence)
https://wizardofodds.com/games/pontoon/realtime-gaming/
Also, just looking at not being able to double a soft 3 to 4 card 21, probably has a significant increase in house edge, but would still like to know if anyone can work out the total house edge for this game
I still don't know how to play this version, but in 'fun[mode' I have been hitting two card Hard 12, three card Hard 12-13, and WoO strategy for everything else when possible
it says on the WoO webpage, that 'the dealer wins on ties' (it is in the introduction, first paragraph - second last sentence)
https://wizardofodds.com/games/pontoon/realtime-gaming/
Also, just looking at not being able to double a soft 3 to 4 card 21, probably has a significant increase in house edge, but would still like to know if anyone can work out the total house edge for this game
I still don't know how to play this version, but in 'fun[mode' I have been hitting two card Hard 12, three card Hard 12-13, and WoO strategy for everything else when possible
