Blackjack X is a new departure for Pragmatic Play Live Casino as it’s their first RNG Blackjack game.
But this is no ordinary RNG game, as it looks and behaves in the same way as Live Blackjack, except without a dealer and physical table.
Everything else is the same, including the game rules, the penetration of the eight-deck shoe, and the ability to play multi-seat and with other players on a seven-seat table.
You also have side bets of 21+3, Perfect Pairs with the ability to Bet Behind any player at the table.
I wouldn’t usually review an RNG game, but this is so close to Live that I feel compelled to give it a chance, play a few hands, and tell you what I think.
Blackjack X launched in early 2024, with new tables added steadily as the game has increased in popularity.
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Let’s take a look at the playing rules for Blackjack X.
Blackjack X has seven seating positions. Vegas rules apply, which favour the player slightly more than European Rules.
The objective is to beat the Dealer’s hand by getting as close to or equal to twenty-one as possible, or if he busts out while trying to get to 21.
The game uses a virtual shuffled dealing shoe containing eight decks of 52 playing cards. The dealing shoe changes for a freshly shuffled one once the cutting card appears, approximately after four decks have been used.
No dealer is present at the table, so both the shuffles and deals are performed by computers. Regarding the shuffle, an RNG engine randomises the cards like an actual dealer would.
The game begins with taking a seat at the table. You can “sit” in more than one seat. To reserve the seat position, click on it.
Twelve seconds of betting time commence, during which you can select your chip amount and place your bet on the bet spot.
You can also place a bet on each of the Side Bets and Bet behind another player if you wish.
The Dealer deals two cards face up to each player, with one face up and one down for himself.
Side bets are settled when the Dealer’s upcard is displayed. If you’ve won on the Pairs Plus or the 21+3, you’ll see the payment on the bet spot. The payment remains yours regardless of the outcome of your hand.
When it’s your turn to play, you have the following decisions to make.
Once all players have completed their hands, the Dealer reveals his second card and plays according to the rule of drawing to 16 and standing on 17 or more.
Before you start playing, it’s helpful to understand some of the game settings available.
While AutoPlay is unavailable, setting some Auto Decisions to make the game run faster and perform your regular actions is possible.
However, the decisions do not consider the value of the Dealer’s upcard, so you need to be careful when using these settings.
The options include:
These settings and how they work have more nuances, which are explained in the Help section of the playing interface.
When you’re betting behind, you can select whether to Double, Split or take Insurance when the player does. Following the player increases your risk, but if you are Betting behind him, you already trust his playing style, so you may as well stick with all his decisions. I always switch off the Insurance option.
Pre-decision allows you to select the action you want to take with your hand before play reaches you. The options include Hit, Stand, Split and Double. Doing this speeds up play a bit.
There are two optional side bets in Blackjack X.
Side Bets are a way to have some extra fun during the game. Their RTP is usually much lower than that of the main game, but the harder-to-hit results will have big payouts.
They are not a good way to make extra money, in fact the opposite is true; they will eat away at your bankroll unless you get a win or two in quick succession.
You can only play the side bets if you’ve bet on the Blackjack X hand.
I like Side Bets but don’t play them often. When I do, I play a few hands, and if I don’t get a result, I stop playing to preserve my stake money.
The 21+3 Side Bet is my favourite of the Blackjack side bets. It’s also known as the Poker or Rummy Side bet because the payouts are based on three-card poker hands.
The Players first two cards and the dealer’s upcard are used to determine the result of the bet.
The three cards need to make a valid three-card poker hand, with the lowest being a Stratight and the highest being a Suited Three of a Kind.
The bet is valid even if the main hand has been folded or lost.
The RTP is 96.30%.
| Hand | Usual Payout | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Suited three-of-a-kind | 100:1 | 0.02% |
| Straight Flush | 40:1 | 0.02% |
| Three -of-a-kind | 30:1 | 0.52% |
| Straight | 10:1 | 3.10% |
| Flush | 5:1 | 5.88% |
Unlike 21+3, Perfect Pairs only use the first two cards the player receives.
The bet wins if the cards form a pair.
The payouts reflect the difficulty of making a pair, with a mixed-coloured pair paying the least and the same colour, same suit, paying the most.
The RTP for this bet is 95.90%.
| Hand | Usual Payout | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Perfect Pair | 25:1 | 1.69% |
| Coloured Pair | 12:1 | 2.89% |
| Mixed Pair | 6:1 | 5.78% |
There is an optimal strategy for Playing Blackjack X, and it’s universally known as the Basic Blackjack Strategy.
This proven, mathematically sound Strategy maximises your chances of winning and getting close to the games’ reported RTP of 99.28%.
The Strategy tells you the playing decisions you should make depending on the cards you hold and the dealer’s upcard.
It tells you when to Split Pairs or hold onto them, what the best hands are to double, and when you should Hit or Stand.
Playing Blackjack is as much about getting you to have a winning hand as it is about stopping you from playing hands because the dealer has a high chance of going bust.
Basic Strategy is universally accepted worldwide by online and land-based casinos, with the latter handing out printed versions at the tables. Dealers will even advise you on what to do if you’re unsure of the correct action.
There are several “Strategy Cards” for Blackjack. Make sure you use the correct one for the game you’re playing. The strategies differ slightly depending on whether the dealer Stands or takes a card on a “Soft Seventeen”.
The critical element of the Strategy involves the total of your first two cards and the card the dealer shows.
When to Split cards is more complicated. Always split a Pair of Eights – Sixteen is a losing hand, and you have a high chance of busting if you take a card on Sixteen.
You should attempt a Double when you have a hand that can’t be busted by taking an extra card and when the dealer shows a two to six. If you have eleven, you may be tempted to Double regardless of what the dealer is showing – in this case, refer to the Strategy Cards.
The Basic Blackjack Strategy Guide and Table has all the information you need to make the correct gambling decisions in Blackjack X.
The most obvious comparison of Blackjack X is with Evolution First Person Blackjack.
Both games are RNG, but that’s where the similarity ends. Evolution’s version is very much in the old style of RNG Blackjack games, where you play on a table alone. The cards are “shuffled” after every game, and you can control the game’s speed by clicking the deal button.
Blackjack X is much more like a game of Blackjack, where you play with other players at the table, and the cards are only shuffled when the cutting card is reached. You effectively get four decks dealt before the shoe is changed.
The pace of play is slower but more realistic than FP Blackjack.
Blackjack X has taken RNG Blackjack a step forward. While there is no GO Live Button to take you to the live dealer version, you’ll probably not notice you’re playing RNG after a few hands.
Blackjack X is a great alternative to Live Blackjack. While it doesn’t replace the live “experience”, it does provide a game that feels like you’re playing actual Blackjack – there’s just no dealer there.
The chat is also active, so you can discuss hands and playing styles with other players at the table.
My preference is Live Dealer because the game’s outcomes come from real actions, whereas RNG is purely the result of a computer deciding some of the outcomes.
The Tables are grouped into 3 styles, similar to their live dealer counterparts. Each has its style and look, but the underlying game is the same.
Honestly, I came into this review thinking I’d hate Blackjack X because it’s RNG, as I only like Live Games. But, and this is a big BUT, it’s a cracking attempt at creating RNG blackjack that plays the same as a live dealer game.
The seven seats make all the difference; you can share the experience with other players and chat with them during gameplay. The innovative use of the dealing shoe with shuffles only occurring after four decks have been used is a first for me. The game is far more realistic than other providers of RNG Blackjack games.
Everything about Blackjaxk X is the same as the Live Version, including the Deal Now and Pre-decision buttons.
If you’re looking for an RNG alternative to Live Dealer, this is it!
Well done, Pragmatic.
Blackjack X is an RNG game that Pragmatic Play has created, which plays like their Live Dealer Blackjack. It’s multi-player, multi-hand with side bets, played with an eight-deck shoe shuffled after four decks have been used. You can chat with other players, making this one of the first social RNG Blackjack games online.
You play Blackjack X like any regular game of Blackjack. The dealer deals two cards face up to all players while he takes one face up and one face down. There are optional side bets of 21+3 Perfect Pairs, and Bet Behind is possible on any player’s hand.
The RTP for Blackjack X is 99.28%, the same as Pragmatic Play’s Live Seven Seat Blackjack of 99.28%.
Basic Blackjack Strategy is the only strategy to use when playing Blackjack X.
Blackjack X is in the Live Lobby of casinos with Pragmatic Play Live Games. Playojo is a particularly good example.
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