Russian Blackjack
Russian Blackjack is Similar to Classic Blackjack
Online Blackjack involves a player attempting to reach 21 without exceeding or busting the house. The player loses if the dealer achieves the same goal first. Blackjack tips from online sources can help players build their experience and skills by playing consistently. Russian blackjack is similar and we will cover those differences.
Russia is one of the world’s largest economies and the world’s third-largest gold producer after China and Australia. It is safe to place live bets online in Russia, but one must choose reputable bookmakers. Occasionally, the Russian Federation blacklists trustworthy and safe online gambling sites.
What is Russian Blackjack
Russian Blackjack is also called twenty-one point, or simply twenty-one. Basically, it is the Russian version of the Traditional Table game called Blackjack.
The object of Russian Blackjack is to make the value of your cards as close to 21 as possible (not more than 21). The player will keep receiving cards from the main deck until they decide not to receive any more cards or reaches a score of 21.
The player loses if their score exceeds 22. The Persian eye (two aces) is an exception to this rule. When you get the Persian eye, you always win.
Card Values in Russian Blackjack are Similar to Traditional Blackjack
The Russian Blackjack Card values are as follows:
Cards 2-10 are the same value as what is displayed on the card. i.e. If the card is a 7, the points would be valued at 7. This is how the cards are counted in traditional versions of blackjack.
Face Cards are Counted Differently in Russian Blackjack
Unlike traditional blackjack, in Russian blackjack face cards are counted differently. Face cards are valued as follows:
- Jack – 2 points.
- Queen – 3 points.
- King – 4 points.
- Ace – 11 points.
What is the Difference Between Russian Blackjack and Traditional Blackjack?
In one word – None! Besides the face card value, there is no difference between Russian Blackjack and a typical Traditional Blackjack game that you may find at an online casino or a casino in Las Vegas or Macau. The only difference is that the cards may have different names. For example, Russians call 2 Aces the Persian card.
There are only 36 cards in the standard Russian deck due to the German influence. It is not common to use the sixes for specific games, such as Preferans, which results in the 32 card deck. However, 52 card decks are still used for Russian Blackjack.
History of Russian Blackjack and Other Card Games in Russia
Historic changes surrounding blackjack and other card games in Russia was about to be made.
During the 17th century, Western and Central Europeans (supposedly Germany and Poland) introduced playing cards to Russia for the first time. The games were banned shortly after Sobornoye Ulozheniye of 1649 listed them as “thief’s crimes”. These crimes were punished by lashing, an order that was usually ignored since Peter the Great.
During the early 18th century, the Russian government attempted to restrict card games. Also during that period, many Russians played cards in significant numbers, especially the Russian nobility.
It wasn’t until 1765 that imported cards were required to be stamped, and the high import duty had to be paid (which was supposed to limit card games) that almost all playing cards were imported from Western and Central Europe. As a result of this loosening of restrictions, the importation of playing cards was also prohibited in 1819 and the establishment of the state monopoly. In Aleksandrov (now part of Saint Petersburg), the Imperial Card Factory was founded and produced its own Russian playing cards
Unique Card Scoring Russian Black is Offered in Various Casinos
No doubt the scoring value of the face cards is slightly different. If you are a player that likes to try different blackjack variants, Russian blackjack online variant might just be your game.
The most prominent online casino where you can find find great games of Russian blackjack would be the Bovada Casino Online.
