For most people, one of the biggest advantages of playing online casino games is having the ability to choose from hundreds of different types of games. From slots to poker, keno to baccarat, blackjack to roulette and everything in between; players are truly spoilt for choice. If you are a fan of blackjack, you may have heard of pontoon. Similar to blackjack or “21”, pontoon is pretty much the same game just with slightly different terminology and a few rule changes. In the notes below we are going to explain how you can play online pontoon for free or for real money at your favourite online casino.
Starting Out
Because online pontoon is so similar to online blackjack, it should not take long to get used to the rules. In pontoon, players use their cards to get as close to 21 as possible without going over 21. The game begins by a player placing his bet on the table. The player is then dealt two cards. This is where the first difference comes in. With blackjack, the dealer is dealt two cards with one facing up. A player’s blackjack strategy rests mainly on the dealers showing card. With pontoon, a player never knows what cards the dealer has until the flip. Once the cards are dealt, a player has the option to stand, twist (hit), split or buy (double down). In online pontoon, card suits are irrelevant. Cards 2 to 10 have face value while Jacks, queens and kings are worth 10 points. Aces can have a value of either 1 or 11. If you are happy with your two cards, you can choose to stand and see if the dealer can beat you hand.
How to Win a Hand
As in standard blackjack, when you play online pontoon you can request and additional card if you feel you have a low scoring hand. You can do this by clicking on the “twist (hit)” button. If your first two cards match, you can choose to split the cards into two separate hands. You can choose to split twice and have up to three hands at one time. After your first two cards have been dealt, you can also choose to buy (double down) which means your bet will be doubled and an additional card will be dealt. In online pontoon, if the player scores higher than the dealer, the player wins his bet. If the dealer scores higher than the player, the player loses his bet. If the player and dealer tie, the dealer wins the hand. If both the player and the dealer bust, the dealer wins the player’s bet.
Online Pontoon Rule Differences
So what are the main differences between online blackjack and online pontoon? In pontoon, a “five-card trick” is any non-busted hand with five cards. A five-card trick, regardless of its numerical value, beats any hand except a pontoon and pays out 2 to 1. A player must twist on any hand up to 14. The player may also buy or split, but he cannot stick. On any hand of 15 or above, the player has free will to play his hand as he wishes. In pontoon the dealer must twist on any hand up to 16, and must stick on any hand of 17 or more, including soft 17.