Part II

Card Room

Blackjack

When I was in high school, my friends and I used to gather in the basement for regular Blackjack games. A lot of people preferred other games (back in those pre-Texas Hold ‘em days it was often five or seven card draw), but I always gravitated toward Blackjack. I loved the dual nature of the game. On the one hand, it was an incredibly simple game. All you have to be able to do is count to 21. Get closer to 21 than the dealer and you win. That’s all there is to it. On the other hand, Blackjack is a deceptively complex game which requires a great deal of strategy and cunning. Unlike many card games, winning depends much more upon your own internal evaluation of the game and decision making abilities, rather than luck of the draw. Additionally, unlike many games, although many players may sit in on a Blackjack hand, the only cards that matter are yours and the dealer’s. You are not competing against any of the other players. Although they may complicate your decision making process, ultimately, the game is reduced to each player competing in individual and parallel hands with the dealer.

[Note: Before reading on, you should read my review of Real Dice World Launcher, which will give you an overview of the environment in which this game exists.]

Installation and Registration: There are two ways to download the game. First, if you have subscribed to the full Real Dice Service, then you can download it over the air using the Real Dice Launcher. Additionally, you can download the desktop installer and install it via ActiveSync. If you are not a Real Dice member yet, there is a limited trial which you can use to test out the game.

Blackjack Overview: Blackjack is a complicated game, based upon an extremely simple concept: counting. The object of Blackjack is simple (and you should say this in your best Bob Barker voice) — make a hand which is as close to 21 as possible without going over (busting). If you bust, you will automatically lose the hand, regardless of what the dealer has.

The game can be played by any number of players, however, many tables will close at 6-8 players in order to keep the game moving. Additionally, it is common to shuffle up to eight decks together, making it considerably more difficult to track the cards which have already been played (counting cards).

At the beginning of each hand, every player places a bet. Note that unlike poker, your bets are each independent. As such, there is no raising or calling a bet. You compete only against the dealer. Other players may complicate your hand, but you are not competing directly against them. As such, your bet is not related to their bets.

Once all bets have been placed, each player is dealt two face up cards. The dealer will receive one card face up and one face down. Each player will then be given an opportunity to play his hand. The value of the number cards (2-10) is simply their face value. A picture card (Jack, Queen, or King) will always be worth 10. An Ace can be worth either one or 11. As such, if you have an Ace and a 3 (totaling 14) and hit to receive a Jack, then the Ace would revert to a one, meaning your hand is still worth 14. Such a hand is referred to as a soft hand.

Once your cards have been dealt, you can either hit or stay. If you hit, you will be given one card at a time. Keep hitting until you feel you have come as reasonably close to 21 as possible, and then stay. Again, if you bust by going over 21, then you will automatically lose the hand. If you get a natural Blackjack, which is a hand that totals 21 in only two cards, then you will automatically win the hand and the dealer will pay you 3:2.

Additionally, there are a few special options which will present themselves during a hand:

• Double Down. If your two-card hand totals 10 or 11, then you will be given the option of doubling down. If you double down, you will double your bet, and receive only one additional card. This is an extremely risky option, but can also bring you a significant reward if you are successful.
• Split. If your two-card hand includes two cards of the same value (such as double 8’s) then you can split them into two hands. Again, you must double your bet so that the equivalent of your original bet stands for both of the new hands. You will then be dealt two new cards, making two new two-card hands, each of which includes one of the cards from your original hand. You then play each of the new hands individually, trying to bring each of them as close to 21 as possible without busting.
• Insurance. If the dealer has an Ace showing, then there is the possibility that he has a natural Blackjack (21 with only two cards). If this is the case, then you can purchase insurance. If the dealer has a Blackjack then you lose your initial bet, but are paid 2:1 on your insurance bet. If the dealer does not have Blackjack, then you lose your insurance bet and keep playing.

Once all players are satisfied with their hands (or have busted) then the dealer will reveal his face down card and continue playing his hand. The dealer is restricted by rules which do not apply to other players. For example, the dealer must hit on a 16 or lower and must stay on a 17 or higher. Once the dealer reaches 17 or higher (or busts) then the hand is over. Any players whose total is higher than the dealer’s without busting will win the hand.

Single Player Game: To play the single player game, you will first need to create a profile. To do so, simply enter your name and select an avatar. You can create up to three profiles at a time, which is nice because it means the whole family (well, most of you anyway) can maintain separate profiles at the same time.

Next, you will need to decide how many decks will be used at a time. You can have up to eight decks at one time, but remember the more decks you use, the more difficult it will be to track the cards which have been played. I suggest a beginner start with a single deck in order to learn the rules and strategies of the game, and gradually increase the number of decks as you become more comfortable with the subtle complexities of Blackjack.

It is now time to start playing. In the single player game, it is always you and the dealer alone at a table. I did not really understand this limitation, and wish there had been an option to add more computer controlled players in order to make the game more interesting. Likewise, I would have liked to see a single-player tournament mode in order to practice playing in this environment before you go online.

To begin a hand, simply select bet and place your bet. I did notice here that there is some audio associated with dealing the cards. It makes sort of a whipping card sound, which I suppose is an attempt to simulate the sound of cards being pulled from a dealing shoe. Likewise, a loud chime sounds at the end of a hand signaling whether you won or lost. I found these sound effects to be unnecessary and somewhat annoying. Not only did they not add anything to the game, I actually felt they detracted from my playing experience.

One thing I really like, however, was the status bar which is immediately beneath your avatar. It keeps a real time total of the value of your hand. Blackjack involves a lot of quick math (such as 12+7), so it is nice to have an immediate tally of your cards to take this pressure off of your shoulders. This allows you to focus entirely on carefully choosing your next move instead of worrying about whether you got the math right.

Internet Game: There are two different variations available in the Internet Game: Public Games and Tournaments. A public game is played exactly as I described above. Here, however, you can have multiple players on a table at the same time. This is your standard Blackjack game.

In tournaments (above), gameplay is slightly modified. Instead of coming to the table with a stack of chips, you pay a preset buy-in (for example $10). You then play a predetermined number of hands. In each hand, you bet a single point chip. If you win the hand, you earn an additional point chip. If you do not, then you lose the chip. At the end of the game, whoever has the most point chips will win the entire pot. I really enjoyed tournament play, as it provides a significant twist on this game. I did note, however, that although there were almost 15 different tournaments, many of them were completely unpopulated, leaving me to play alone against the computer. This is unfortunate, as it is the multiplayer online experience which really sets Real Dice apart from the myriad of other Blackjack games available for the Pocket PC.

Betting: In Blackjack, betting takes place only at the beginning of each hand. All betting is concluded before you see your cards. In order to place your bet, simply select the “bet” icon. You will then be presented with stacks of chips in “$1″, “$5″, and “$10″ denominations. Simply tap the various stacks of chips until you reach your desired bet.

While I liked this method of betting, the chip denominations simply did not go high enough. With the highest chip denomination being a $10 chip, placing a $150 bet, for example, becomes cumbersome. Likewise, I really saw no point to the $1 chip, which I personally never used. Instead, I would have added a “0″ to the end of each chip denomination, making them “$10″, “$50″, and “$100″.

Saving: Unlike other games, saving is not an issue in Blackjack. Each hand is essentially a whole new game. As such, when you are ready to quit, simply leave the table and your remaining chips will be stored in your profile. The next time you start to play, your chip total will remain exactly where you left it.

Conclusion: I have played numerous Blackjack games for the Pocket PC. The graphics in the Real Dice version are among the best I have seen. This, along with the online “gameroom” really sets this game apart from any other Blackjack game available. I do wish, however, that there had been more players available online. Nonetheless, the Real Dice community seems to be growing every day. I could have done without the audio and sound effects. Fortunately, this was easily disabled in the options screen. It also would have been nice if the betting denominations had been more reflective of actual gameplay. $1, $5, and $10 denominations seemed oddly meager, particularly after you have played more than a few hands and established a larger bank roll. The multiplayer games, especially the tournaments are fantastic. Blackjack is a game which really is best played with other people, and the ability to do so really sets this far above any of the other Blackjack games I have played. Now if I could only round up the guys from my old high school game. They may be spread across the country, but Real Dice allows us to all rejoin the same table without leaving the comforts of our own homes.

Vital Statistics:

Name: Real Dice Blackjack

Platform: WM 2003 SE, WM5 Smartphone, WM6

Also Available: WM5, Palm OS, Blackberry, Symbian, PC

Developer: Real Dice

Price: $9.95, or free with a subscription to Real Dice World

Available From: Real Dice

JAMM Store

Technorati Tags: real dice, blackjack, just another mobile monday

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