Open 21® NEW BJ by NTG

Photo from ICE-London 2019. Open-21® Blackjack™ in ABBIATI's Booth.

* Open 21® Blackjack™ is a Face-Up Blackjack variant where:
A TIE is a Push.
Player Blackjack automatically pays 3-2.
Player 21 is an Automatic winner. pays 1-1.

RULES:
1. Each Player makes both a Main-bet and an Odds-Win Side-bet equal to half his Main-bet.

2. Each Player and the Dealer receives two cards (All Face-up).

3. If the Player’s two-card hand total is Even then his Odds-Win Side-bet loses; otherwise it remains in play.

4. Play continues as normal Blackjack and the Odds-Win Side-bet is resolved in the following way:
a. If the Player wins on his hand, his Odds-Win (if any) wins 2 to 1.
b. If the Player pushes on his hand, his Odds-Win (if any) will push.
c. If the Player loses on his hand, his Odds-Win (if any) loses.

* The Question is what do you think about (Open-21® Blackjack™) and why?
P.S. Any Comments are Welcome Good/Bad.

No voting choice for "This game stinks".?


ZCore13

Hard pass.

I'll give it a try if a demo is available. I confess my knee-jerk response is the same as above. Rule #3 is a hard pill to swallow. You make a mandatory blind bet and lose it if your card total is Even ... even with a 20?! Wow. Tough sell. I'd suggest making it a more standard "get a hand at least x high and win" wager but I suspect it would screw up the math.

Still, if your hand jumps that high hurdle, the blind can pay 2-1 and you're making main bet decisions based on 2 dealer up cards. So yeah, I'd like to run it up a flagpole and see if it waves.

I also think that losing with a 20 sucks. Plus 8 even cards 2 4 6 8 10 j q k only 5 odd 1 3 5 7 9. Two Evens and I lose. Two odds and I lose. Plus distaste for a mandatory side bet. Don't think many players will even try it in a casino setting.
But I have been wrong before. HAVE I EVER !.

Quote: jackmagic777

I also think that losing with a 20 sucks. Plus 8 even cards 2 4 6 8 10 j q k only 5 odd 1 3 5 7 9. Two Evens and I lose. Two odds and I lose. Plus distaste for a mandatory side bet. Don't think many players will even try it in a casino setting.
But I have been wrong before. HAVE I EVER !.

Hi jackmagic777,
Thanks for your comment.

It all depends on the Pay-out for the Side-bet.

I think, Many players (including me) will pay it, if the Side-bet pays 3 to 1 or better and seeing Dealer's two cards too.
If the Side-bet pays 4 to 1 or better, I will play it even just seeing one Dealer's card.

Eh. I'm sure the HE is higher than regular BJ (probably significantly higher). So I don't know why I'd play this over regular BJ? To me, for a new game to be appealing, it has to have significantly new/different game play to justify the higher house edge. If it's just a variant of an existing game, then why bother? It's like if someone created a version of Baccarat where the goal was to get closest to 8 instead of 9. but the HE was 2% on the Banker/Player.

Quote: TinMan

Eh. I'm sure the HE is higher than regular BJ (probably significantly higher). So I don't know why I'd play this over regular BJ? To me, for a new game to be appealing, it has to have significantly new/different game play to justify the higher house edge. If it's just a variant of an existing game, then why bother? It's like if someone created a version of Baccarat where the goal was to get closest to 8 instead of 9. but the HE was 2% on the Banker/Player.

Hi TinMan,

The house edge for (Open-21® Blackjack™) is just: 0.51% if the Dealer stands on a soft 17 and 0.96% if Dealer hits.

BTW, You can find basic strategy for Open-21® Blackjack™ at WizardOfOdds.com: http://bit.ly/2MYRqQ6