Pontoon (Twenty-One)

2006-05-28
Elyshia P

Pontoon is a fun variation of the popular game Blackjack. It's also known as Twenty-One. The game of Pontoon and its name are derived from the French Vingt-et-un. The object of the game is to get as close to 21 as you can without going over 21.

Online Pontoon is usually played with 6-8 decks of cards. The rules are generally similar to Blackjack with the following exceptions:

Dealer must Twist (Hit) on 16 and soft 17 and Stick (Stand) on Hard 17 and over.
Pontoon (Ace and picture card or Ten) pays 2:1, as does a 5 Card Trick (5-cards 21 or under).
Player must Twist on 14 or less.
Player can Buy (Double) once at any time.
Player can Twist after Buying.
Player can split a maximum of two times.
Dealer wins Ties.
Insurance is not available to the Player.
Player must Stick on soft 21.

When playing online Pontoon, Players must place a wager. Once the wager is made, the Player is dealt two cards face up. The Dealer is also dealt two cards, however they are placed face down. All face cards are valued at Ten and all other cards have their face value, except for Aces, which can be 1 or 11. If at the end of Twisting and Sticking, the Player's hand is closer to 21 than the Dealer's, the Player's wager is paid out at 1:1. If the Player goes over 21, the wager is lost. If the Dealer goes over 21, the Player's wager is paid out at 1:1.

Terms and Rules:

Twist - Players must Twist if they have a total of 14 or less, otherwise they may Stick if they wish to do so. You shouldn't be able to Twist if you have five cards 21 or under – the online casino software will recognize that you have a Five Card Trick.
Stick - Players can Stick if they have 15 or over, or if they have a Five Card Trick.
Buy - Players can Buy at any time but only once per hand. Players can Twist after Buying until they Stick or Bust. If you split your hand, you can Buy once for each hand, after which you can Twist or Stick.
Split - If you have two cards of equal rank or value, you can Split your cards to create two hands, which will be played separately. Players can Split up to a maximum of two times. If you Split Aces, you can Twist and Buy (unlike regular Blackjack).
Pontoon - Before any Player action, the Dealer will peek (check the Dealer cards) for Pontoon. If the Dealer has been dealt Pontoon, the Dealer will win all Player wagers and the hand will be over.

Hands in Pontoon are ranked in the following order:
1. Pontoon (Ace and any 10-point card, including after Splitting.)
2. 5-Card Trick that has not busted.
3. Non-busted hand with 4 cards or less – these hands are ranked according to closest to 21 without busting.

For example, a 5-Card Trick will beat a 4-Card 21, a 3-Card 19 will beat a 4-Card 17, and Pontoon by Dealer will beat any hand.

Winning hands are paid using the following odds:

Winning Hand – 1:1
Pontoon – 2:1
5-Card Trick – 2:1
Tie (including on Pontoons) – Dealer wins Player's wager.

Summary:

Playing Pontoon is great fun. It's a lot like Blackjack, however there are some important differences, as you've seen above. Once you've learned the differences, you may even enjoy Pontoon more than Blackjack.

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