Blackjack is probably the most popular casino game anywhere in the world, excluding Asia. It’s simple, yet challenging, and with a very low house edge, most importantly, it’s enticing.
Unlike other casino games, when you’re at the Blackjack table you’re not left to a whim of fate to decide your destiny, there’s skill and strategy involved. And, these can help you on your quest for wealth. It’s not just your mere game of probability, and because of this, its popularity has expanded to the degree it has.
So much so that different variations have popped up, ones that try to add a fresh twist on a classic and grab those little few to whom Blackjack is not a favorite. One such variation is Blackjack Switch. And, you can find it pretty much everywhere.
History

Invented by card counter Geoff Hall, Switch was patented in 2009. Its inception came to be when Hall grew frustrated at being dealt two weak hands. He thought – “wouldn’t the game be better if I could switch the top two cards?” Thus, this variation was born. Huff was also the creator of Zappit, Free Bet Blackjack, and Zombie Blackjack.
He showed off his idea at a conference in Vegas in October of 2000, and four months later the game was first installed in an Iowa casino. Two years later he added further spice by including a “push on 22” rule.
Thanks to that modification, the game was installed in Four Queens in 2003. Since then, Blackjack Switch has become a rather popular game in every corner of the planet. Players can find it in pretty much every land-based casino in the world. It is also available to play at online casinos that are supplied by the reputable game provider Playtech. To gain access to Blackjack Switch at online casinos, all you have to do is register. The process is fast and lasts just a minute.
Rules
The majority remain the same as in the classic game. It’s played with four, six or eight decks of cards that are shuffled together and dealt from a shoe on a semicircular table.
The main differences lay in that you start by making two wagers, as you are dealt two hands, while the dealer only gets one. He gets one card up, the other down, and you are allowed the option to take the second card from one hand and switch it with the other.
A blackjack pays even money, and while you can switch hands to create a 21, that does not pay the same as a natural blackjack.
The dealer only busts on 23 or up. On 22, all bets that are still in the hand are a push.
Pros & Cons
If the rules to Switch are in no way altered by the casino, the house edge is lower than that of the classic game. However, this variation might prove more challenging to some, as you have to make more choices and are presented with opportunities to exchange cards.
But, the switch itself is a drawback to many, as because of it, basic strategies don’t apply. So, you need to learn or come up with new approaches.
Side Bet
Like other variations, an optional side bet is usually on offer. Many online casinos today offer side wagers that reward three- and four-of-a-kind hands, different types of pairs and so on. There even might be progressive jackpots for hands that contain four sevens and the like.
The rule of thumb in Blackjack is – an insurance bet is a sucker bet. The same holds true here, as these side-wagers only increase the house edge.