Soft 17Pontoon vs Blackjack: What Is the Difference?
If you grew up playing cards in the UK you may know the game as pontoon. It is a close relative of blackjack, and the two share the same basic aim of getting as close to 21 as you can. The details, though, are different enough that it is worth knowing which one you are playing. Soft 17 is blackjack.
The same core idea
Both games use a standard deck, count Jack, Queen and King as 10, and count an Ace as 1 or 11. In both, going over 21 loses, and the best starting hand is an Ace with a ten-value card.
Key differences
| Blackjack | Pontoon | |
|---|---|---|
| Name for Ace + ten-value card | Blackjack (or natural) | Pontoon |
| Asking for a card | Hit | Twist (a card dealt face up) or buy (pay extra for a card dealt face down) |
| Keeping your hand | Stand | Stick |
| Special hand | None beyond blackjack | Five-card trick: five cards totalling 21 or less beats every hand except a pontoon |
| Ties | A push: bets returned | Generally the banker wins ties |
| Who is the dealer? | The house | Often a player acting as banker, and the role passes around the table |
| Cards | Player cards face up in most casinos | Players usually keep their cards hidden |
Pontoon is most often played at home for fun, so rules vary from group to group, for example how much a pontoon pays and when the banker must stick. Always agree the house rules before the first deal.
Why the banker matters
In pontoon the banker has a real advantage: ties and several other situations go the banker's way, and the banker usually draws to a fixed total. That is one reason the role is passed around the table. In casino blackjack the dealer is always the house, and ties are a push.
Play the blackjack version free
Soft 17 uses standard casino blackjack rules: six decks, dealer stands on all 17s, blackjack pays 3 to 2. You can set up a table in seconds and play with friends. See how to play blackjack for the details.
Frequently asked questions
Is pontoon the same as blackjack?
They are closely related but not the same. Pontoon has its own terms (twist, stick, pontoon), a five-card trick, and usually lets the banker win ties.
What beats a pontoon?
A pontoon, an Ace with a ten-value card, is the best hand. The only thing that can match it is another pontoon, and because ties usually go to the banker, the banker wins that tie. A five-card trick is the next best hand.
What is a five-card trick?
In pontoon, a five-card trick is five cards totalling 21 or less. It beats every hand except a pontoon.
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