High-limit blackjack

• The game and the game rules are identical in both real money and play money modes.
• Eight decks are used in the Las Vegas Downtown version of Blackjack. Each deck has 52 cards.
• The deck is shuffled after 20% of the cards in the decks have been used.
• The dealer draws a card on soft 17.
• Up to three splits are allowed.
• The number of cards that can be dealt to the player is limited only by choice (by clicking on 'Stand') or by the hand total being greater than or equal to 21.
• If the dealer has a 10, Jack, Queen, or King as the up card it is possible he has a blackjack, in which case your hand will lose, unless you also have a blackjack. The dealer will check for blackjack immediately if one is possible, and will collect the losing bet immediately if he holds a blackjack.

• Select the amount you want to wager on a given hand by clicking on the chip of that denomination. You can decrease the amount wagered by clicking on the 'BET' stack.
• Once the wager is placed, click on the 'DEAL' button. The 'DEAL' button will be enabled only if a bet is equal to or more than the minimum bet.
• The dealer deals you two cards face-up, and then deals himself two cards - one face-up and the other face-down.
• Depending on the strength of your cards, you can choose from the following options offered to you: 'HIT', 'STAND', 'DOUBLE', 'SPLIT', or 'SURRENDER' as per the game rules.
• If the dealer has a 10, Jack, Queen, King, or Ace as his first card, he will check to see if he has a blackjack before you draw your third card.
• The 'INSURANCE' option is offered to you in case the dealer has an Ace as his first card.
• Once either the player or the dealer stands or busts, the results are displayed below the both dealer's and the player's cards, and in the scrolling window.
• To continue the game with the same bet, click on the 'REBET' button.
• To place a new bet, click on the desired chip denomination (click 'CLEAR' first if you want to place a different bet).
• Your game balance is displayed at the bottom left-hand side of the game screen.
• Click on 'REBUY' to buy more credits into the game from your Party Account.
• Click on 'RULES' to view the game rules.
• Click on 'GAMELOGS' to view the logs of the games you have played.
• Click on 'VERSION' to view the current version number of the game.
• To exit from the game, click on 'EXIT GAME'.

Stand:Clicking on the 'STAND' button will keep your hand at its current value. You may stand at any time, if you are satisfied with your hand. Click the 'STAND' button, and when the dealer has completed his hand, they will be compared.

Hit: If you wish to take another card, you may continue to do so until you either stand or go bust. Click on 'HIT' to be dealt the next card.

Double: After you are dealt your first two cards, an option to 'double' will be displayed. Once this option is selected, the bet amount is doubled and you will be dealt one more card. The hand will automatically stand after the next card is dealt. Doubling is also provided as an option after splitting. If your game balance is not sufficient for the additional bet, the double option will not be offered. You cannot double if you have been dealt a blackjack.

If you lose the bet, you forfeit the entire bet amount, the initial bet and the additional amount placed for the double option.

Split: If you have two cards of the same value (for example two 7s, two 10s, a King and a Jack, etc), you can click 'SPLIT' to split the cards into two separate hands. This option is also available if you are dealt two Aces as your first two cards. Once this option is selected, an additional bet (equal to your original bet) is automatically placed.

You are only allowed to split once, even if more splitting opportunities arise. If the hand qualifies for a split, but your account balance is not sufficient for the additional bet, then the split option will not be offered.

You may draw as many cards as you wish on each split hand, with the exception of splitting on Aces. If you split Aces, only one card will be dealt to each split hand. If a 10-point card is dealt to either Ace, the hand is counted as 21, not blackjack.

• Once the split option is chosen, the cards are split into two separate hands, and one more card is dealt to each of the hands. The hand with an arrow pointing towards it is active (i.e. the one you are currently playing on).
• Click on 'HIT'/'STAND', or any of the other options offered, depending upon your hand.
• Once the first hand is decided, the arrow will move to the second hand.
• Click on 'HIT'/'STAND', or any of the other options offered, depending upon your hand.

Insurance: Insurance gives you a chance to protect yourself from the dealer's blackjack. If the dealer's first card (the open card) is an Ace, you can choose to insure your hand against the dealer's blackjack by clicking on 'INSURANCE'. Insurance costs 50% of the bet amount, and is in addition to the initial bet placed by you. Once you opt for insurance, the additional bet is automatically placed.

If the dealer has a blackjack, the insurance bet pays 2:1, and you will lose the initial bet. If the dealer does not get a blackjack, you lose the insured bet and the game continues for the initial bet amount. Insurance is not offered to you if you get a blackjack.

If your hand qualifies for insurance, but your game balance is not sufficient for the additional bet, the insurance option will not be offered.

Surrender: As your point total is announced, you may choose to discontinue playing your hand for that round and surrender one half of your bet by clicking on the 'Surrender' option. You only have the option to surrender on the first two cards. This decision must be made prior to indicating whether you wish to double, split pairs, stand, and/or hit.

The Surrender option is offered only after the dealer has checked to see if he has a blackjack. If the dealer's second card results in a blackjack, your entire wager will be collected by the dealer and the game will come to an end. However, if the dealer's second card does not result in a blackjack, and you opt for the surrender option, one half of your bet will be returned to you.