Vegas Downtown Blackjack Gold Has Great Graphics
A few years ago, Microgaming realized that with the next generation of computer graphics, it could improve the graphics on its table games. Microgaming created the Gold Series of games, one of which is Vegas Downtown Blackjack Gold. The Gold Series has several new features and a magnificent game face.
At one time, all of the primary casinos in Las Vegas were “downtown”. When the Strip opened for gaming, some of the rules for some games were altered slightly. Blackjack was still blackjack. But the old rules became known as the “downtown rules”. So, Vegas Downtown Blackjack Gold is a marriage of two concepts: the traditions of downtown and the new-and-improved graphics that Microgaming brought to the Gold Series of games.
The matter of improved graphics is also important for those players who play blackjack on their mobile devices. Vegas Downtown Blackjack Gold has been formatted for iPhone and many other mobile devices. When you play blackjack on the iPhone, you want the graphics to be as good as on your PC screen. The Gold Series blackjack for iPhone uses both the latest iPhone technology but also the extra graphics Microgaming added to the Gold Series. There are many iPhone casinos but only those that use Microgaming have the Gold Series.
Blackjack is Both Simple and Complex
Let’s quickly review the basic rules of blackjack for those who may have never played the game. Each player receives two up cards and the dealer gets one up card and one down card. Players play their hand first. You try to get to 21 or as close to 21 as possible. But if you go over 21 you “bust” and you lose automatically. This rule is vital because when the dealer plays she might also bust. A player who busts loses automatically.
The Most Basic Strategic Decisions
So, it’s clear that players are always trying to decide whether to “hit” meaning to take another card or “stand”. It seems counter-intuitive for a player to stand with 12 points when the goal is to reach 21 points, but there are sixteen 10-point cards in the deck and 12 + 10 = an automatic loss! So players often stand with 12 points!
Adding to the strategy from the player’s point of view is a simple rule of blackjack: the dealer must hit with 16 points and must stand with 17 points. So, if the dealer shows 2-6, you can feel much more confident about standing with 12. But if the dealer shows 7-10 you likely will hit with 12 points; the chances of losing with 12 points are very high. In Vegas Downtown Blackjack Gold, the dealer hits with soft 17, a 17 with an ace as 1 point. Most analysts believe this helps the house but it also helps players who stood with 12-16 points!
Blackjack
When either the player or the dealer has 21 points from the first two cards alone, it’s called blackjack. In general, ties in blackjack are called a “push” and no one wins. But, in Vegas Downtown Blackjack Gold, a tie with blackjacks goes to the player. Curiously, if both the player and the dealer get 21 points without blackjack, it’s a push and nobody wins!
Another variation in Vegas Downtown Blackjack Gold is that when the dealer has a 10-point card showing, she peeks at the down card. If it’s an ace, she shows it and claims all winnings (except in the above scenario where a player also has blackjack and wins). This maneuver saves players from losing even more money by splitting or doubling down.
Expert Mode
By playing in expert mode In Vegas Downtown Blackjack Gold you can access a blackjack chart, giving you a good idea as to whether you should hit or stand based on your point count and the dealer’s up card! This is just one of the additions Microgaming put into its Gold Series.
Doubling Down
It’s clear that if you have 11 points you’ll hit without a second thought. Furthermore, your chances of hitting 21 are pretty good given the large number of 10-point cards in the deck. If you could, in this case, you would increase your bet after the fact. In fact, the doubling down rule means exactly that: you double your bet and receive one card only. Depending on what you hold and what the dealer holds, it might even be a good bet with 7 points or less!
Splitting
If both of your first two cards are the same, you can split them. Again, the card dealer has showing often indicates whether splitting is good strategy. Let’s say dealer has 5 or 6 and you have been dealt a pair of threes. By splitting, you give yourself the chance to win two hands when dealer busts as you expect her to!
In Vegas Downtown Blackjack Gold, you can split any two 10-point cards. You can split up to three times, creating four hands, but you can split aces only once. When you split, you create a new hand that you play as a regular hand, unlike when you double down, where you get only one card.
You can also double down after splitting.
Insurance
If the dealer is showing an ace, she will ask if anyone wants insurance. This is a hedge bet against the possibility that dealer has blackjack. If you take insurance and dealer does in fact have blackjack, you win the insurance bet and lose your original bet. It all results in an even-money exchange.
Most blackjack analysts advise players against taking insurance. They say that it’s a losing gamble in the long run.
Great Blackjack Game on PC or Mobile
Vegas Downtown Blackjack Gold is a classic blackjack game from the early days of Vegas. It uses the latest technology to bring stellar graphics to your PC screen or your mobile screen, when you want to play blackjack on your iPhone.