Cryptologic Casino Blackjack

You can tell they are a fan of table games by the sheer selection. Blackjack has more than 10 different versions, and this doesn’t include the variations created for different betting limits; as well as the single-player and multi-player options that are available on nearly every Cryptologic blackjack game.

The majority of the Cryptologic casino blackjack games are multi-hand, and I find this to be smartly done. After all, all multi-hand games give you the option of playing just one hand (or just two or three or four), so you’re given a lot more flexibility at one particular table.

The beauty of the Cryptologic blackjack suite is in its customization. Each game offers a “Settings” button right on the table, and you can personalize your play based on your most common decisions. Never buy insurance? Tell the Dealer to stop asking you for it. Need to be reminded about doubling down? Done.

You’ll have the option to receive play-by-play dictation from the computer. A lovely voice will announce various notes in the game (anything from “Good luck” to “Too many” or “Just missed” when you lose a hand). I found the voice to be a bit much—if I’ve lost, I know it. Saying it out loud just makes it worse. She’ll even prompt you to reconsider some decisions if it goes against the conventional wisdom.

Right below the Game Rules section (upper left hand corner, under the table limits sign), you’ll see a running list of your hands as they played out. I found the list only included the times I won (which, while a boost to the ego, were not really that accurate to my total game play). Still, it’s there if you missed how your last won hand paid out.

The “Help” section, which is launched through an external web page, is extremely beneficial and will fill in the gaps that we won’t cover in our basic Cryptologic blackjack reviews. It covers everything from basic rules as well as quick keys you can learn to make the game play go by even faster.

Cryptologic stays pretty true to conventional rules, and the most general ones are outlined below. The biggest difference in most games, aside from side wagers and jackpots, is the number of decks used in each game. We’ll point out any major differences from these rules in our individual reviews, but for now, here’s basically what you can expect:

Multi-hand play (up to five hands).
Dealer will always stand on soft 17s and any point value above.
Insurance will be offered when the Dealer shows a 10-value card or an Ace.
No point-total restrictions on doubling down. Doubling down is only allowed on the first two cards and after a split.
Splitting is allowed once (for a two-hand total), and like-value pairings are considered equal (like a 10 of Spades and the Queen of Hearts).
Split Aces will receive one additional card before the hand is forced to stand.
Surrender is typically not available.

Cryptologic is award-winning software out of Dublin, Ireland that powers some of the most popular casinos on the Internet. Its game selection grows by 20 games nearly every year, and its 15 years of experience do not go unnoticed.