| Updated: October 3, 2024Microgaming’s Atlantic City Blackjack is one of the most popular versions of blackjack online and it follows the typical rules of the game played in Atlantic City casinos. It is played with 8 standard decks of 52 cards each that are shuffled before each round.
Microgaming has released this game as part of its classic and Gold series and the two versions are practically identical, except for the design – the Gold version looks, of course, a little more elegant and smooth. Still, both games are based on the same rules and have the same RTP of 99.65%.
Rules and Gameplay
Atlantic City Blackjack by Microgaming is an American hole card game that uses 8 standard decks of cards. Normally, the dealer’s second card is face-down but he is allowed to peek if the other card is an Ace or a 10-value card (10, J, Q, K). The dealer is required by the rules to draw cards until he gets to 16 and to Stand on all 17s, which typically favors the player.
Once the first cards are being dealt, players can Hit, Stand, or Double their bet. Doubling is allowed only on the initial hand or after a Split. Split is allowed on any pair (cards of the same denomination or value) up to 3 times – the only exception is with Aces, which can be split only once. In addition, only one card will be dealt to split Aces and the two hands will automatically Stand.
Distinctive Features
Microgaming’s Atlantic City Blackjack does not differ much from the standard casino game. Still, it features the Insurance side bet, which can be placed only if the dealer’s exposed card is an Ace. This bet is equal to half of the original bet and with it, players “insure” themselves against a dealer blackjack. This side bet wins only if the dealer gets blackjack, offering a payout of 2:1.
Another interesting rule in this variation of virtual blackjack is the Surrender rule – with this option, players can “surrender” half of their bet if they are likely to lose the current round. In many versions of blackjack, Surrender is not even available, while Microgaming has introduced the Late Surrender rule. It allows players to surrender their hand after the dealer has checked for blackjack.
Conclusion
Atlantic City Blackjack is a great casino game for players who are looking for a more traditional gaming experience. Since it is quite simple to play and comes with very liberal rules, it is also suitable for beginners.