Play Atlantic City Blackjack for Free

Atlantic City Blackjack is a version of Internet blackjack offered by Microgaming – one of several varieties the company spreads on websites that use its software. While the basics of play we mention here will apply to all standard forms of this game, we’ll also be sure to go over the exact specifications in the strategy section below so that you can know exactly what you’re getting into, and how this game may differ from others you’ve played.

This game is dealt out of a shoe made up of eight decks of standard playing cards. Each player makes a bet, and then receives a two-card hand, face up. The dealer also receives a hand with one face-up card, and one face-down card (also known as the hole card).

Each card is worth a certain number of points. All numbered cards are worth their printed value, while face cards are worth 10 points each. Aces can be worth 11 points or one, depending on which is more beneficial for the hand.

For players, the object of the game is to beat the dealer by having a more valuable hand, one that is as close to 21 as possible without going over. The best possible starting hand is, appropriately, called a blackjack – and it is made up of an ace and any ten-point card. This “natural 21” will pay out at 3-2 odds, unless the dealer has also made one; in that case, the two hands push.

At the start of the hand, should the dealer have either an ace or a ten-point card showing, they will secretly check to see if they have a blackjack. In the case of them having an ace (where it is more likely that they will complete their hand), they will first ask if the players wish to buy insurance. This bet costs half as much as your initial bet, and pays out at 2-1 if the dealer reveals a ten-point card. If that happens, the player will lose their hand bet but win the insurance, which causes them to break even for the hand. When this offer is made to players with a blackjack, it is referred to as an “even money” offer; this is because mathematically, taking the insurance bet means that the player will make the same amount of money whether the dealer shows a blackjack or not, and as such can immediately be paid even money on their initial bet.

After players decide whether or not to take insurance, the dealer will do their check. If they have a natural 21, all players lose (except those who also started with blackjacks; those hands push). In all other cases, the players will now have the opportunity to play their hands. Players have a wide variety of options available to them, some of which are only available in certain situations. Players can take any of these actions on their turn:

The player’s turn can also end if their hand is ever worth 22 or more points. In this case, their hand is said to have busted, and they lose immediately, forfeiting all bets associated with that hand.

Once all players have taken their turns, the dealer will resolve their own hand. First, they will reveal their down card. Next, they will play according to a set of predetermined instructions. In the case of this Atlantic City version, the rules are simple: the dealer always hits with 16 or less, and always stands with 17 or more.

Should the dealer bust, then all player remaining player bets are immediately paid out at even money. If the dealer stands, then their hand is compared to the players’. If the player hand is higher, that hand wins at even money; if the dealer beats a player, then that player loses their bets on that hand. Finally, if the two tie, then all bets on that particular hand are pushes.

If you’re looking for a game that features some pretty solid odds, then you’re in luck, as Atlantic City Blackjack is one in which good strategy can put you almost on even footing with the casino. While the house retains a slight edge, perfect play brings this down to just 0.35%, better than most versions of the game you’ll find either online or in a live resort.

How do we get such an impressive figure? If you’re familiar with the game, you may recognize that this version uses a lot of relatively player friendly rules. While the shoe is large, must other aspects are good for players. The following rules are in play:

These are all fairly standard rules, but they are also (for the most part) the ones players want to see. That means that not only can you use a pretty run-of-the-mill strategy to play this game, but those tactics will also get you excellent odds; an optimal player will only lose about one bet every 300 hands.

If you’re looking for a perfect strategy for this game, there are calculators available that can complete an entire basic strategy based on this or any rule set, providing you with the mathematically correct plays for every possible situation. However, we’re happy to provide you with a more general, simplified strategy that works will for this game and many others that use similar rules. This strategy is based on one created by Michael Shackleford, but modified slightly for the unique rules of this game.

In order to use the strategy, just find your current situation from the following list. You’ll need to know these definitions in order to read the chart:

With that in mind, here is our simplified strategy chart for Atlantic City Blackjack:

Hard Hands

Soft Hands

Pairs

Special Situations

While this isn’t a perfect strategy, it does eliminate virtually all of the major errors you might make as a player, leaving only minor mistakes on some borderline hands. If you want to increase your odds even further, some of the most worthwhile (and easiest to remember) changes to make include hitting with a hard 12 against a dealer 2 or 3, and standing with a soft 18 against a dealer 7.

If you’re looking for a fairly standard variant with excellent return to player, then Atlantic City Blackjack should be high on your list of choices. It’s one of the better options at Microgaming casinos, and even where you can find slightly more favorable odds, slightly is the key word – you’re hardly giving anything up here over playing a “superior” version of blackjack. Given how much this aligns with the games we’re used to playing in land-based casinos, this is one of our go-to options when it comes to a classic, standard implementation of blackjack on the Internet.