| Updated: October 3, 2024Blackjack fans can now choose from hundreds of variations of this game when playing online and if they happen to visit an RTG-powered online casino, they should look for Face Up 21. RealTime Gaming may not be famous for their table games but this particular version is a great option for everyone who is looking for an interesting take on classic blackjack.
With Face Up 21, RTG introduced their version of the blackjack variation also known as Double Exposure. In this game, the dealer draws two face-up cards, which helps players make better decisions. There are, however, additional rules that need to be considered before you start playing for real money.
Rules and Gameplay
This is a single-hand version of blackjack and it uses 8 decks of cards that are shuffled before each round of play. The game combines rules from the classic American-style blackjack and the version that is played in Europe. First of all, there is no hole card and players can see both of the dealer’s hands right from the start of the round. The dealer must Hit soft 17, i.e. all totals of 17 that include an Ace.
Players can Hit and Stand but Doubling down is allowed only on hard, two-card totals of 9, 10, and 11. They can also Split two cards of the same value and Double on split hands. Hitting on split Aces is not allowed. In addition, players can Split two times per round, getting up to 3 hands. There are no Insurance and Surrender options.
Distinctive Features
Looking at the basic rules, we could easily say that Face Up 21 is a regular version of blackjack but it will not be true. In fact, there is nothing ordinary and standard about this game – here, all payouts, including for blackjack, are even. Normally, blackjack would pay 3:2 or 1.5 times the stake. In addition, the dealer wins all ties, except for tied blackjack.
Another rule that makes Face Up 21 different from all other versions of blackjack is that when the dealer is forced to Stand on his first two hands, the player’s hand is played out automatically – it Hits until the player wins or busts.
Conclusion
As you can see, most of the rules in this game favor the dealer and the reason for this is to balance out the fact that players can see the dealer’s two cards from the beginning. As a result, the RTP of the game is only 99.15%.