Those of you who have been longtime readers of my reviews (Thanks, Mom!!!) know that I love card games.  I’ve already written about Can’t Stop Solitaire, and if I could find a good Gin Rummy game, I would love to review that as well (suggestions are welcome).  One of my favorite card games, however, is Blackjack.  Blackjack is a deceptively simple game to learn, with an underlying web of complex strategy that can entangle even the best players.  One reason I like Blackjack so much is that no matter how many players participate in a hand, it is always a head-to-head game, a duel between you and the dealer.    You never compete against the other players.  You may use them to your advantage, but the game is always between the dealer and each player individually. 

Installation and Registration: Download the free trial to get a taste for the game.  When you purchase the registered version of the game, you will be provided with a link to download the full version.  Simply download the file and install it via ActiveSync.

Gameplay: As I mentioned, Blackjack is one of my favorite card games.  The object of the game is to make a hand of cards which is as close to 21 as possible, without busting (going over 21).  If you end up with a hand that is closer to 21 than the dealer, then you win.

To begin a hand, simply place your bet.  Once all bets have been placed, you will be dealt two cards.  If you are satisfied with the hand you were dealt, then you can choose to stand and see if you beat the dealer’s hand.  If not, then you may choose to hit or ask for another card.  Keep hitting until you are satisfied with your hand.  If you get a natural Blackjack (an Ace and a 10 or face card) then you automatically win.  The dealer will always have one card showing to give you a clue as to what he might be holding in his hand.

Additionally, if you think one more card is all it will take, you can choose to double down.  This doubles your bet and allows you to only draw one card and end your turn.  Finally, if you are dealt two identical cards (all face cards are considered identical) then you can choose to split.  This will create two new hands.  You must double your bet on a split, so that you will have a value equal to your original bet on each of the two new hands.

Reference Card:  Unfortunately, in this review, I cannot teach you all of the strategies associated with Blackjack.  Like most card games, there is a complex and intricate strategy associated with knowing when to double, split, hit or stand.  Frankly, even I find it difficult to remember whether I should hit or double.  Do I stand on a 16 when the dealer has a 5 showing?? 

As such, I was pleased to find that Aces Blackjack includes an easy to use reference card which utilizes color coding to tell you the best move in a particular situation.  Your move is based upon a combination of your hand and the dealer’s up-card (the card the dealer always has showing).  Just find those values on the reference card and it will help guide you.  This is a fantastic tool for a new player trying to learn the game.

Game Modes: There are three modes in Aces Blackjack. 

Classic Blackjack is the standard game of Blackjack.  As I described above, try to beat the dealer in each hand and win the most money. 

Aces Time Crunch offers the same basic gameplay as Classic Mode, however, a twist has been added in the form of a time limit.  Try to win as much money as you can before time runs out.

Aces Hand Challenge simulates a real Las Vegas Blackjack Tournament.  You have a predetermined number of hands in which to win as much money as possible. 

I enjoyed all three modes.  While most of my experience playing Blackjack has been in a classic mode type play, I found the other modes added additional excitement to the game.  Racing against the clock forces you to make snap decisions in each hand.  Pausing to think about your next move could cost you an extra hand of play when time runs out.  In the end, though, I found Aces Hand Challenge to be my favorite mode.  I have never been to Las Vegas, so the opportunity to simulate a Las Vegas-style Blackjack tournament provided a great deal of entertainment for me.

Settings: One of the things I liked about Aces Blackjack was that the game environment is fully customizable.  Use the settings menu to determine the game speed, number of decks used (up to ten), the volume, and the screen orientation.  Aces Blackjack will even save your last game when you exit so you can always choose to continue exactly where you left.

Additionally, you can decide whether various Blackjack game-related options are activated.  For example, will your game include insurance? Insurance protects against the dealer winning with a Blackjack.  If the dealer shows an Ace as the up-card, then you can choose to purchase insurance for up to half of your original bet.  If the dealer has Blackjack then you lose the hand, but win the insurance which protects part of your original bet.  Likewise, you can choose to allow players to double down after splitting a hand.

Finally, you can determine what the table limit is going to be.  Will you play at a low stakes table with betting of $1-$100 or a high stakes table with betting of $1000-$100,000?  While I enjoyed being able to select the stakes of the table, I did notice that the available chip values did not change.  As such, whether I was playing at the lowest stake table or the highest stake table, my highest available chip was $100 (however, the amount of money available to play with does increase based upon the table limit).  This made betting at a higher stake table somewhat difficult with a minimum bet of $1000 in increments of $100 chips.  The available chip values need to increase in accordance with the table stakes.

Graphics: Aces Blackjack offers amazing 3-D graphics.  This truly enhanced my enjoyment of the game.  There are a lot of Blackjack games available for the Pocket PC.  None of them, however, offer a quality of 3-D graphics like that found in Aces Blackjack. 

Conclusion: This is a great game for anyone who enjoys the thrill of gambling, without the fear of actually losing any money.  The three game modes offer realistic and fun variations on the classic game.  I also loved the inclusion of a reference card to help new players learn the complex strategies associated with this game.  The ability to move through several different table limits adds a nice touch, however, it would be nice to be able to do so without starting a new game.  In other words, win at a lower table limit and take your entire winnings with you to the next table.  Additionally, the chip denominations need to change at each table.  It makes no sense, at a table with a $1000 minimum, to hold chip denominations of $100 and lower.  Overall, though, this is the best Blackjack game I have found for the Pocket PC.  The graphics are amazing and gameplay is fully customizable and flows at a natural and comfortable pace. 

Vital Statistics:

Name: Aces Blackjack

Version: 1.0.4

Platform: WM 2003 SE

Also Available: WM5, Smartphone, Palm

Developer:           Concrete Software

Available From:    Concrete Software

                             JAMM Store

Price: $14.99 

Technorati Tags: gambling – Blackjack – 21 – cards

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