Introduction
Double Exposure Blackjack is a casino table game, based on the more popular traditional comparing game Blackjack.
Double Exposure Blackjack changes up the game by making both of the Dealer’s cards visible at the start of the game. This means Players know exactly the hand that they need to beat during the Showdown and can Stand on hands that they would have to Hit on in normal Blackjack.
How to Play Double Exposure Blackjack?
Double Exposure Blackjack is played using a Shoe, or a combination of many decks, composed of the Standard Anglo-American 52-card deck pattern. Generally, most Blackjack games use between 6-8 decks in the Shoe, and Double Exposure Blackjack is no exception.
Ante and Dealing
Like most Table games, Players must place an Ante into the appropriate position in front of their seat before they can be dealt cards. The Ante must adhere to posted betting minimums and maximums at the table.
The Ante cannot rise above the Maximum, and it cannot fall below the Minimum. Once every Player has made their Ante, the Dealer will deal two cards face-up to each Player, including themselves.
Normally in a game of Blackjack, the Dealer would deal themselves one face-down card, and then one face-up “top-card.” In Double Exposure, both of the Dealer’s cards are face up.
Advantage for Players
This confers a significant advantage to the Player, as they can strategize using more exact probability. Generally, Players must assume that the face-down Dealer’s card is a 10, but they can be wrong much of the time. It is simply optimal for betting purposes to assume the face-down is a 10.
However, there is no ambiguity in Double Exposure. This game is a card-counters dream, so what’s the catch?
Well, Double Exposure utilizes a number of different rules than Blackjack, in order to hedge the bets back in the House’s favor. We will explain these below.
Understanding Rule Differences
Ties and Natural Blackjack
Primarily, the Dealer wins on all ties except for a natural blackjack (Ace and 10). This means ties do not cause pushes in any other circumstance, taking away much of a Player’s relief in the case of a loss.
Side Bets and Insurance
Furthermore, while some tables offer some form of insurance against a losing hand with Sidewagers, Double Exposure Blackjack offers no such thing. There are no side bets, or insurance of any kind at Double Exposure tables.
Natural Payouts
This lack of a side-wager is made up for somewhat by Natural payouts. While most Blackjack tables pay 3:2 (50%) for a natural, Double Exposure pays the full 1:1 payout. This will be further explained in the “Payouts, Odds, and House Edge” section below.
Player Actions
The other procedures of Double Exposure, however, are basically the same.
Once all cards have been dealt, Players take turns clockwise from the dealer choosing their positions. Players have the choice to Split, Double-Down, Hit, or Stand on their turn.
Hitting
Players with a low hand-total, such as a 2♦ and a 4♠ (6 Total) should consider Hitting. A Hit deals another card to the hand, increasing the total.
Players can hit as much as they’d like until they choose to Stand or Bust. When Busting, a Player’s total goes over 21, and automatically loses.
Standing
Players with a high natural hand, such as a 9♣ and 10♦ (19 Total) should consider Standing. It is extremely likely that if you hit on a 19 you will bust. Therefore, simply Standing and keeping the 19 maximizes your chance of winning the hand.
Doubling Down
Players with a middle-sized hand that has a high chance of becoming a 20 or 21, such as a 4♣ and 6♥ (10 Total) should consider Doubling-Down.
When Doubling-Down, Players double their wager and are dealt only a single card from the deck. Players cannot hit after they Double-Down, and must Stand after one card.
Splitting
Players that have two cards of the same rank, such as 10♦ and 10♣ (20 Total) are allowed to Split.
When Splitting, Players double their wager and turn the cards into two separate hands. The Dealer will deal one card to each new hand, making them complete 2-card hands. Players can then play both of these hands at the same time as though they are normal Blackjack hands.
In traditional Blackjack, Players are allowed to split again if they are dealt another set of cards that are the same rank. However, in Double Exposure, Players may not split more than once per hand.
Dealer’s Turn
Once each Player has utilized the optimal strategy for their hand, based on the Dealer’s face-up cards, it is now the Dealer’s turn.
The Dealer will follow particular betting procedures, with each casino having its own slightly different rulesets that can alter the odds of the game.
The Dealer forms the hand closest to 21 that they can. The Dealer can bust, just as the Players, in which case all Players are paid out.
Ending the Game
Player’s wagers are won or lost depending on the value of their hand compared to the Dealers. Once all the money has changed appropriate hands, cards are shuffled and discarded, and a new game will begin.
Rules
- Natural Blackjacks (Ace and Face or 10) payout 1:1, instead of the usual 3:2
- Players may only split once, even if they could continue to split.
- Dealers win all ties except for Naturals, as a Natural always pays out instantly when dealt to the Player.
- The Dealer’s hole cards are both face-up, allowing Players to know the exact contents of the Dealer’s hand.
Payouts and Odds
The payouts of Double Exposure Blackjack are straightforward. There is no bonus wager, and as such no payout table to examine. Instead, Players are simply paid 1:1 for all of their wagers on hands that beat the Dealer.
As explained above, different casinos utilize slightly different betting rules for their Dealers. A Blackjack Dealer is trained to utilize the mathematically optimal options.
Each casino has slightly different rules. This can slightly change the odds of victory for the Player, and as such alter the House Edge of the game.
House Edge
Blackjack is popular because it is one of the evenest casino games available, conferring a very minor advantage to the casino. Double Exposure is no different, and despite all of these various rules, the House Edge rarely rises above 2%.
Example Scenario
Imagine the following is your hand at the start of a game of Double Exposure:
2♥ A♥
This can either be a 13 or a 3, as Aces can be considered 11 or 1 depending on the Player’s preference.
This is a very low hand either way, and as such Players should always hit when they have an Ace without Blackjack. This is because Players cannot bust immediately from Hitting on an Ace, as they can simply make the Ace worth 1 instead.
Furthermore, you are given the privilege of seeing the Dealer’s Exact hand:
4♠ 8♥
You know the Dealer will be forced to hit on their 12, and as such you cannot afford to stand on a 13 and hope for the Dealer to bust. Therefore, hit this and:
2♦
Another very low card, giving 15 or 5. As such, hit again:
Q♥
This gives another 15, as the Ace becomes a 1. As such, hit again:
5♣
A 20! Although it took a long time to get there, this is a very strong hand that any Player should feel comfortable standing on.
Now it is the Dealer’s turn, hitting and:
K♥
Dealer busts, you win.
Although this came down to a bust anyway, you were far better off going for all of those hits, as the Dealer would have beaten you with a 17+ easily, had they drawn a 5 or higher.
Strategy Tips
Make use of Seeing the Dealer’s Hand
You are allowed to see the Dealer’s whole hand. This is incredibly advantageous. Consider the example above in the Example Scenario section.
- You were able to know before hitting that the Dealer had a 12.
- You know that 10s are the most common cards in a Blackjack shoe, as 10s, Jacks, Queens, and Kings all equal 10.
This means the Dealer is more likely to bust than they are for any other card to be drawn on the hit.
Although it was important to continue to hit until you had the strongest possible hand, you could have felt just as safe standing on a 17 as a 20.
Make Informed Moves
There is no insurance in Double Exposure, but that does not mean that the game is pure luck. Knowing when to Double Down, Hit, Stand, and Split is very important.
Generally, consider the examples given above; You should Hit on low hands, Stand on high hands, Double on hand totals of 9, 10, 11, and Split whenever possible.
Double Exposure Vs. Traditional Blackjack
Although it has been lined out above, here is a truncated explanation for the differences between Double Exposure and regular Blackjack:
- Players cannot split more than once in Double Exposure
- The Dealer wins all ties except for Natural Blackjacks.
- A Push can only occur if the Player and Dealer both have been dealt natural Blackjacks.
- Successful Blackjack pays 1:1 instead of 3:2
- There are no side-bets or insurances in Double Exposure.
- The Dealer’s hole cards are both exposed, rather than one exposed and one face-down.
Other than these changes, Double Exposure and Blackjack follow the same procedures.
