All blackjack is not the same!

[Justin]

All blackjack is not the same!

The objective of blackjack is always the same--to beat the dealer. If
your cards total higher than the dealer's cards without going over 21
you win. Here is information on the standard game of blackjack:
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/blackjack.htm

When playing blackjack at a festival or other charitable event, the
standard rules are not used. "Charity Rule Blackjack" (or "Church Rule
Blackjack") has some very important differences that you should know
before you step up to the table. The charity rules increases the house
advantage from less than 1% to over 8%, so you are less likely to win
with charity rules (obviously, the church wants you to "donate" more
money).

The most important variations in the charity blackjack game are:
Natural blackjack: If you are dealt an Ace and a ten-value card you
have 21 known as a natural blackjack. With charity rules, you are paid
2 to 1 (meaning you get double what you bet)--this is better than
standard rules.

Pushes: If your hand ties the dealer's hand (called a "push"), no one
wins, and no one loses; you get your bet back. With charity rules, the
dealer wins all pushes; you always lose--this is much worse than
standard rules.

Charity rules can even differ from festival to festival so the rules
(related to natural blackjack, pushes, splitting, doubling down, etc.)
are usually posted on the walls around the blackjack tables.

[Justin]

After going to several festivals this season and making note of the
rules, I realized that church blackjack are very inconsistent.

That most consistent rule is "the dealer wins ties." All three
festivals that I've been to this year have had the same rule regarding
ties--the dealer wins all ties except push on natural blackjack, but
at St Matthew our dealer was actually paying natural blackjack before
checking her hand for a tie (I assume she was doing things in the
wrong order but no one at the table was complaining, obviously).

I seem to remember all the churches paying 2 to 1 for natural
blackjacks, but not anymore (either it has changed, or my mind is
going)...two out of the three festivals paid 3-2.

I will post the blackjack rules of each festival as I get them.

[Justin]

St Matthew
* blackjack pays 3-2
* dealer wins all ties except push on natural blackjack (but our
dealer was paying natural blackjack ties)
* stand on all 17 (including soft 17)
* double down on 10 and 11 only
* dealt only one card after splitting aces
* no five-card Charley
* $1-$5 bets


St Margaret
* blackjack pays 2-1
* dealer wins all ties except push on natural blackjack
* stand on all 17 (including soft 17)
* double down on any two cards
* dealt only one card after splitting aces
* no five-card Charley
* $1-$5 bets


Immaculate Conception
* blackjack pays 3-2
* dealer wins all ties except push on natural blackjack
* stand on all 17 (including soft 17)
* double down on any two cards
* dealt only one card after splitting aces
* no five-card Charley
* $2-$10 bets

[Justin]

St Brendon
* blackjack pays 2-1
* dealer wins all ties except player wins with natural blackjack
* dealer stands on all 17 (including soft 17)
* double down offered on 10 and 11 only

* dealt only one card after splitting aces
* no five-card Charley

* $1-$2 bets

[Justin]

St Andrew
* blackjack pays 3-2

* dealer wins all ties except player wins with natural blackjack

* dealer stands on all 17 (including soft 17)

* double down on any two cards
* dealt only one card after splitting aces
* no five-card Charley

* $1-$10 bets