Spanish Blackjack Gold by Microgaming: Rules Analysis and Free Demo Play
This online game offers you blackjack with a twist. Spanish Blackjack is considered one of the main alternatives to the beloved card game and is very sought after in land-based casinos, though it can be hard to find sometimes. However, the gambling veterans from Microgaming have brought it online, which means that you can now enjoy it from the comfort of your home! Fans of blackjack should really give Spanish Blackjack a go, some of the rules seem to be tailor-made in response to players’ frustrations, which makes the gameplay much more exciting. Veterans will be happy to hear that the player’s blackjack actually beats the dealer’s – that’s right, no longer will you have to suffer a push when you were certain you had won! If you’re already on board, then here’s another free tip: the game is available at Ladbrokes, one of the most reputable casinos that caters to the online gambling community. They are our current top recommendation for blackjack players because of the starting bonus.
- Exciting Rules
- Bonus Payouts
We will be reviewing the Gold version of Spanish Blackjack here, which can be found at the best blackjack sites in the UK. This is another part of the revamped Microgaming Gold series, and since we greatly enjoyed several of their titles, we expect to find top-notch graphics, pleasant music and a straightforward interface – hopefully we won’t be disappointed! As for the rules of the game, the changes there might seem cosmetic at first glance, but they actually make quite the difference. Even if you are already a blackjack pro, you should take note of them and adjust your strategy accordingly. Most of the new rules are beneficial for the players, but there are some that favour the House. This brings the RTP down a little bit, though it is still higher than that of most other blackjack systems. Read on – let’s see how we can beat this game!
Try the Game for Free Right Here!
Since Spanish Blackjack is substantially different from the version you are used to, it would be a good idea to practice a little bit before you start placing real money bets. Luckily, we are able to provide you with a free demo of the Microgaming game – and the Gold version to boot! You can practice all you want with the demo balance and go wild if you want. Of course, you won’t be winning any actual money, this will happen when you start playing for real. In online casinos, you will find the exact same game that you see here. The only difference you may experience is in the table bet range – the demo has a cap set at £200, but some operators offer their own bet limits. Our favoured venue at Ladbrokes for instance allows bets of up to £1000 to be placed, though this is somewhat too high-rolling for most of our reviewers!
- Surrender, Peek and Double Down
- High RTP
- Sleek Graphics
As you can see, Spanish Blackjack gives you more freedom than the regular variant you are used to. Playing this title tends to feel quite different, and a little more exciting at times. True to our hopes, the graphics are very good. Microgaming have really upped their game in the Gold series, so if you can, play Spanish Blackjack Gold rather than the previous version. The soundtrack however is somewhat disappointing. True, this is considered one of the least important features of online casino games, but the soothing music in Vegas Single Deck Blackjack, another Microgaming Gold, showed that sound effects can play an important part in building the right atmosphere.
Let’s Talk Rules Now
Naturally, the ruleset is the most important feature of any blackjack game. Even a slight variation can make a huge difference – and there are a lot of new things in Spanish Blackjack. Let’s start with the most important fact – the four 10s are removed from each of the 8 decks with which the game is played. You’re left with the face cards that also have a value of 10 – but they form only 25% of your card pool, compared with 30.8% of 10s in regular blackjack. So, you have lower odds of drawing a 10 – but what does that mean? Well, this can situationally be better because you will go bust slightly less often, but the main problem is that this also reduces your chances of drawing a blackjack, or a 21 on a double wager. In the long run, this is a definite con, and explains the slightly lower RTP that you will find here. However, the house edge would’ve been much higher if it wasn’t offset by several other rules.
As you may have noticed from our demo, in Spanish Blackjack you have the surrender option, a peek rule, and a double down option. We’ve talked at length about the impressive benefits of the peek rule in our Blackjack Peek Review, but the Late Surrender is also very useful in the long run, as it helps you minimise your losses. Speaking of surrender, you also have the chance to use insurance as a side-bet against a dealer’s ace, but we don’t recommend that – considering the fewer 10s, the odds are not good at all. However, the true good news in Spanish Blackjack is the fact that you are allowed to double down on any number of cards. This means that you can double your wager after you’ve taken a hit and managed to get a favourable combination, or double down more than once. If you have a good strategy, this rule can be invaluable. It is found very rarely in blackjack systems, the similarly innovative Super Fun 21 being one of the few we’ve reviewed.
All those rules are combined with a dealer hitting on soft 17s, a 3-resplit limit (you can have up to 4 hands in this way), and a number of bonus payouts. Surprisingly, blackjack still pays out 3:2, which is kind of unusual considering the number of bonuses you can net with the right combination of cards. When there are bonus payouts, most casinos limit the blackjack to 1:1. You can easily find a full list of the winning combinations in the convenient rule sheet placed in the upper-left corner of the table. All to all, Spanish Blackjack is more than worth your time.
Our Verdict – Place a Bet on Spanish Blackjack
As you may have summarised from our review, Spanish Blackjack is actually quite a popular system on this site. It will never replace traditional blackjack, but it is one of the best alternatives you can find. We all need a break from time to time, and Spanish Blackjack not only offers a unique ruleset which requires a revamped strategy, but also manages to genuinely feel different in terms of gameplay. That’s why what we focused on when evaluating this game was the execution, and Microgaming have truly managed to deliver – though on the second try. Honestly, their Spanish Blackjack has been around for quite a while, but it’s the Gold title that truly manages to shine. The graphics are excellent, and the interface is intuitive and easy to use. We have only a few minor gripes with the soundtrack, but getting the perfect casino experience is hard even in an actual casino. Head over to Ladbrokes Casino and give Spanish Blackjack a try, learning this system will come in handy for you in the long run.