Introduction

Power Blackjack™ - your favourite game is now electrified!

We've added two powerful features that both novice and expert Blackjack players will love.

Power Double gives you the power of a second chance. When you double down on an initial 9,10, or 11, you get the power to replace your double down card. You also continue to enjoy standard double down opportunities on all other two-card hands.

Power Split gives you the power to turn around a bad situation. When you are initially dealt a hard 15 or 16, you enjoy the power to split this weak hand into two separate hands to better your odds.

How can we afford the electricity bill for all this power? The only adverse change is that if the dealer gets a 22, your bet is returned. All other core rules are the same:

• You still win 3:2 on a Blackjack.
• You can still double down on any two cards.
• You can still double down after a split.
• You can still resplit once.
• The Dealer still stands on all 17's.

With power features, good rules and even better payback than the standard casino game, Power Blackjack is our most switched-on Player's Suite game yet!

How To Play

In Power Blackjack, you try to beat the Dealer by accumulating a card value total close to, but not over, 21 points.

Start by placing a bet. (See How To Bet for more details.)

After placing your bets, click the DEAL button to start play.

You receive two cards, both face up, and the Dealer receives one face up card.

Playing

All face cards are worth 10, Aces are worth either 1 or 11, and all other cards are worth their face value. A Blackjack occurs when the card value total of a hand's first two cards sums to 21 by getting an Ace and a 10-value card.

If the Dealer's face up card is an Ace, you are offered Insurance against a Dealer's Blackjack, which you can accept or decline. If you accept, this automatically places another bet equal to half of your original bet. After you play out your hand, if the Dealer has Blackjack, then your Insurance Bet is paid 2 to 1.

If your first two cards form a Blackjack, then you are a guaranteed winner. If the Dealer does not have Blackjack, you win 3 to 2 on your bet. If the Dealer also has a Blackjack, then it is a tie, and you win your bet back.

If you do not have a Blackjack, then you are given the opportunity to try to improve the outcome of your hand. Depending on the cards you hold, you may choose one of the following options:

HIT - You request an additional card. You can continue to request additional cards until you decide to stand or until your card value total is 21 (automatic stop) or until you bust by receiving a card that causes your card value total to exceed 21. If you bust, that hand loses and your bet is forfeited.

STAND - You request no further cards and play this hand against the Dealer's hand.

SPLIT - If the first two cards in a hand are of the same value, you may click SPLIT to split your cards into two separate hands, which also places an additional bet equal to the original bet. (A split hand leading to a two card value total of 21 is not a Blackjack.) When Aces are split, only one further card may be dealt to each Ace. Else, you may resplit each split hand once. To do so, click SPLIT again. Another bet equal to the original bet will be placed.

POWER SPLIT - If the first two cards in a hand equal 15 or 16 and do not contain an Ace, you may click POWER SPLIT to split these cards into two separate hands. You may double down on either split hand but may not resplit. Power Split is only available on the first two cards.

DOUBLE DOWN - On the first two cards in a hand, you may click DOUBLE DOWN to automatically double your original bet and receive exactly one additional card. You may also double down on the first two cards of any split or resplit hands.

POWER DOUBLE - When your first two cards add up to 9,10, or 11, instead of DOUBLE DOWN, you are offered POWER DOUBLE. This works just like standard double except with one very powerful advantage. After you see your double down card, you are given the option to keep this card or to replace this card with the next card in the deck. Power Double is only available on the first two cards.

The card value total is displayed on circular plaques adjacent to each hand. As cards are dealt to a hand, the plaque displays an updated card value total. When your hand holds an Ace and the plaque flashes the card value total and the word "Soft", the value displayed is based on counting the Ace as an 11 rather than a 1 (for example, a 5 and an Ace are shown as a "Soft 16").

When comparing your hand versus the Dealer's hand, Aces are evaluated such that they represent the highest possible card value total not exceeding 21.

After you have played out your hand without exceeding 21, the Dealer's hand will be played out.

If the Dealer's hand is a Blackjack, then all bets are forfeited, and the game ends. (The exception is when you also have a Blackjack in which case your bet is returned.)

If the Dealer's card value total is 16 or lower, additional cards are dealt until the card value total is 17 or higher. If the Dealer's card value total exceeds 22, then the Dealer busts and any of your standing hands win. If the Dealer's card value is a hard 22, then all of your remaining bets push. Otherwise, the Dealer's card value total is compared against each of your hands. In the case of a tie, this is a push and your bet for that hand is returned.

If your hand busts (total value exceeds 21) then the Dealer will only be dealt a second card in the case where the Dealer's first card is an Ace and you placed an Insurance bet.

How To Bet

To play Power Blackjack, select a chip value by clicking a chip at the bottom of the playing field. The chip you select brightens and displays in a raised position. To place a bet, click the bet circle in the center of table. Each time you click, you place one chip on the table.

Your bet must be at least as large as the minimum bet and cannot exceed the maximum bet.

After you place your bet, click the DEAL button.

If you wish to repeat your last bet and play immediately after completing a game, click the REBET AND DEAL button. If you have sufficient credits, this button restores your previous bets and initiates play all in one click.

If you wish to repeat your last bet without initiating a new game, click the REBET button. This restores your previous bets. If you wish, you can adjust any bet. You still need to click the DEAL button to initiate play.

The DOUBLE BET button causes your currently placed bet to be doubled every time you click it. If doubling your current bet would cause a bet to exceed the bet limit, then the DOUBLE BET button is not available.

If you click the DOUBLE BET button before placing a bet, this is equivalent to first clicking the REBET button and then the DOUBLE BET button. You will still need to click the DEAL button to initiate play.

To remove a bet from the table, either press the SHIFT key and click your chips on the felt, or click the CLEAR button.

Insurance Bet

If the Dealer's face up card is an Ace, you can choose to place an Insurance Bet. Click the YES button to accept the Insurance Bet, or click the NO button to decline the Insurance Bet.

The Insurance Bet, if accepted, is half of the main bet.

If the Dealer has a Blackjack, then each Insurance Bet is paid at 2 to 1; if the Dealer does not have Blackjack, then each Insurance Bet is forfeited.

Options

Clicking the OPTIONS button reveals a menu of controls that enable you to customize various aspects of the game to suit your preferences:

Rules - Player

Blackjack pays 3 to 2.

Double down is possible on any two cards.

One resplit is allowed per originally split card.

When Aces are split, each Ace receives only one card.

Player may double down on any initial two-card hands of a split or resplit hand.

Blackjack is only possible on the first two cards on each hand (and not on split or resplit cards).

Player may split first two cards if they total to 15 or 16 and neither card is an Ace.

If Player doubles down on an initial 9,10, or 11, the player may replace the initial double down card.

Player may draw a maximum of eight cards for any hand. An eight-card Player hand whose value does not exceed 21 beats all Dealer outcomes except for Dealer Blackjack.

Rules - Dealer
Dealer must draw to 16.

Dealer must stand on all 17's. This includes soft values where an Ace can be counted as an 11 value.

If the Dealer gets a hard 22, all Player main-game bets push. In the case of a Player Blackjack, however, the Dealer shall not attempt to draw to a 22. Similarly, an eight-card Player hand whose value does not exceed 21 beats a Dealer hard 22.

Insurance Bets are offered when the Dealer's face up card is an Ace. Subsequent Dealer Blackjack will pay 2 to 1 on any Insurance Bet.

Dealer Blackjack beats all Player outcomes causing loss of all Player main bets. The exception is when Player and Dealer both have Blackjack, in which case the bet is returned to the Player.

General Rules
6 decks of standard playing cards, shuffled for each hand of play.

Malfunction voids all pays and play.

Additional Information

The Game Console on the right side of every game provides information and access to additional features:

• Your username
• Your current balance in your chosen currency
• The denomination in which the game is being played

The Meter Bar on the bottom of the game screen displays the amount paid if a win occurred and the amount bet on the last/current proposition.