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I love the unusual varieties of blackjack, but I have to admit that most of them favor the casino over the player. I've noticed that almost all unique versions of the game have a very high house edge. Nevertheless, I have always been interested in testing such variations at least in free mode. This review is about one such game.
General Description No Bust 21
No Bust 21 is a kind of game that differs from the traditional version in a set of exciting and unusual rules. This game uses one or several standard 54-card decks with two jokers. A blackjack table is used to play this game.
The aim is to score twenty-one points or a number of points that is as close to this score as possible. If the player busts, he or she does not lose immediately and will be able to take advantage of a unique rule that is discussed below.
Two jokers are considered to be the highest-ranking hand that is paid 2:1. If this hand is collected by both the dealer and the player simultaneously, a draw is announced.
Any card of the player and the dealer in combination with the joker leads to twenty-one points. It is prohibited to draw cards after that. The payout is 1:1.
An ace and any ten-value card don't form blackjack but provide a 21. The payout is calculated according to the 1:1 ratio.
Other hands have the same ranks as in traditional blackjack.
No Bust 21 Gameplay
As soon as the bets have been made, the croupier deals two cards to the player and himself. The dealer does not know the rank of his lower card. Players can stay only with the initially dealt cards if the dealer has a face-up ace. They can neither draw a card nor refuse to continue the game. It is also prohibited to use the other rules.
As soon as all players make decisions, the dealer reveals his cards.
The dealer hits on a 17. He also hits on a soft 17.
If the player busts, he loses at once. Cards and bets remain unchanged until the dealer shows his cards and hits, if necessary. If the dealer goes bust, the player with a score closer to 21 than the dealer's number of points does not lose. However, the bets are not paid. If their scores are equal after the bust, the player loses.
No Bust 21 Additional Rules
It is not only allowed to hit, but also to use some additional features.
- Split. It is allowed to split two cards of one value. Aces may be split only once, and only one card is added to these boxes.
- Double. It can double on any two initially dealt cards, including after a split.
- Surrender. It is allowed to surrender on any two initially dealt cards, except for the cases when the dealer's upcard is a joker.
No Bust 21 Math
This version of blackjack has its basic strategy. You may reduce the house edge to a minimum level if you follow it. Data for different numbers of decks used in the game are provided below:
- 1 deck - 1.71%
- 2 decks - 1.82%
- 4 decks - 1.88%
- 6 decks - 1.89%
- 8 decks - 1.89%
As you can see, although the rules for No Bust 21 initially seem to be quite attractive for the players, the house edge is relatively high. This is explained by the absence of a payout for blackjack in the 3:2 ratio and other unfavorable rules (the dealer hits on a soft 17 and so on.)
Therefore, we recommend that users play it only to diversify their pastime.
Here are the other varieties of blackjack.
| Name | Soft | Return to player | ||
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|
99.78% | ||
|
|
99.7% | ||
|
|
99.69% | ||
|
|
99.65% | ||
|
|
99.6% | ||
|
|
99.59% | ||
|
|
99.54% | ||
|
|
99.54% | ||
|
|
99.54% | ||
|
|
99.42% |
How to win at No Bust 21 blackjack?
It was mentioned above that this game cannot be considered one of the best blackjack versions. It has too low an RTP. In addition, in order to maximize the return, you need to learn to play with the optimal strategy explicitly designed for this blackjack. If you are just learning to play blackjack, it is better to favor the classic varieties with favorable rules. This game can only be recommended to experienced users who want to try something new.
Where to play No Bust 21 Blackjack?
Try out No Bust 21 Blackjack for free by opening it in the demo version, which is available in the game review. Want to play for money? You'll be welcome at the best licensed casinos with genuine Microgaming software. Some of them are listed below.
Personal Blackjack Playing Experience
I have played and continue to play blackjack a lot, but I prefer the classic versions with minimal house edge. I have only played this variation in the free demo version. It is certainly interesting, but I am ready to put my money on the line only in more profitable games.
What do you think about No Bust 21 Blackjack? Does this card game appeal to you? Would you risk playing for real money? Feel free to discuss blackjack in the comments.
