Red Rake Gaming: VIP Blackjack Tutorial
How to Play VIP Blackjack – A complete rules and strategy guide to Red Rake Gaming’s VIP 21 tables.
The name VIP Blackjack can belong to a wide range of 21 games, found both online and on land. In general, the VIP name denotes nothing more than the high table stakes it promotes. This particular tutorial, however, refers to the game of V.I.P. Blackjack as produced by – and made available only at online casinos powered by – Red Rake Gaming.
The rules of this game aren’t anything special. They combine a bit of American and European rules into a single format. Players can expect to achieve a theoretical return of 99.40%, equivalent to a house edge of 0.60%. It’s nowhere near the best online blackjack game for strategists, but far from the worst either.
How to Play VIP Blackjack (Red Rake)
The only rule that really stands out in this game is the restriction on doubling down. You’ll only be able to double your bet on 2-card totals of 9, 10 or 11; a rule commonly found in European Blackjack games. Leaning more towards American Blackjack rules, however, players can double after a split, and the dealer will peek for blackjack when he has a 10 or Ace showing.
The complete list of house rules for Red Rake’s VIP Blackjack are as follows:
Specific Rules of Play
- Decks: 4
- Soft 17: Dealer Stands
- Doubling: Yes, on 9, 10 or 11 only
- Splitting: Yes, 1x only
- Double after Split: Yes
- Resplit Aces: No
- Draw to Split Aces: No
- Surrender: No
- Dealer Checks for Blackjack: Yes
- Blackjack Pays: 3 to 2
Strategy for VIP 21
Below you’ll find three separate strategy charts. There is one designated for each of the three types of player hands – hard hands, soft hands and pairs. To use this charts and gain the highest possible RTP of 99.40%, please choose the chart that applies to your hand type, choose your current hand value from the left column, then take the appropriate action from the right column, based on the dealer’s up-card.
How to Decide a Hard Hand
| Hard Total | Correct Action by Situation |
| 8 & Under | Hit |
| 9 | Double against Dealer’s 3-6; otherwise Hit |
| 10 | Double against Dealer’s 2-9; otherwise Hit |
| 11 | Double against Dealer’s 2-10; otherwise Hit |
| 12 | Stand against Dealer’s 4-6; otherwise Hit |
| 13-16 | Stand against Dealer’s 2-6; otherwise Hit |
| 17-21 | Stand |
How to Decide a Soft Hand
| Soft Total | Correct Action by Situation |
| 13-14 | Double against Dealer’s 5-6; otherwise Hit |
| 15-16 | Double against Dealer’s 4-6; otherwise Hit |
| 17 | Double against Dealer’s 3-6; otherwise Hit |
| 18 | Double against Dealer’s 3-6; Hit against 9-A; otherwise Stand |
| 19-21 | Stand |
Conditions for Splitting Pairs
Maximizing your ROI requires splitting at every opportune moment, and knowing when to skip over the not-so-advantageous ones. This final chart depicts how to play VIP Blackjack when a pair is dealt to the player. Remember that splitting is only allowed once per hand. If you are unable to resplit, please see the above hard/soft hand charts for further direction.
| Pair | Correct Action by Situation |
| Ace-Ace | Split |
| 2-2 | Split against dealer’s 2-7; otherwise Hit |
| 3-3 | Split against dealer’s 2-7; otherwise Hit |
| 4-4 | Split against dealer’s 5-6; otherwise Hit |
| 5-5 | Double against dealer’s 2-9; otherwise Hit |
| 6-6 | Split against dealer’s 2-6; otherwise Hit |
| 7-7 | Split against dealer’s 2-7; otherwise Hit |
| 8-8 | Split |
| 9-9 | Split against dealer’s 2-6 or 8-9; otherwise Stand |
| 10-10 | Stand |
Author
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About the Author
Adalene Lucas: is our jack of all trades here at DBC. She is a skilled coder, gambler, writer and webmaster. She lives in Manitoba where she enjoys the lush landscapes and camping near Tulabi Falls. Nature gives her inspiration to write. When she's not immersed in nature, her favorite words are "game theory". She lives with her husband and their two Labradors, Kophy and Whisper.
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