Blackjack Switch deals two player hands with equal initial wagers and lets the player exchange the second card of one hand with the second card of the other. The extra choice is offset by variant rules, commonly including a dealer 22 that pushes against eligible surviving hands. Read the exact approved rules before using a strategy.
Documented origin
U.S. Patent 7,435,172, titled Blackjack push, names Geoffrey William Hall as inventor and was issued on October 14, 2008. Patent dates are not the same as a game’s first casino appearance, so this page does not use the issue date as the invention or launch date.
The switching decision
The player places two equal wagers and receives two hands. After the initial deal, the player may keep the hands or exchange their second cards. Each resulting hand is then played separately under the permitted hit, stand, double and split rules.
A switch-created 21 may be treated differently from an original two-card blackjack. Preserve that distinction when reading the payout and dealer-22 provisions.
Dealer 22 is not an ordinary bust
In the New Jersey regulated version, a dealer total of 22 pushes against a player total of 21 or less, except that an original blackjack made without switching wins. Other ties and dealer-blackjack outcomes have their own provisions. This exception means that “all hands push on dealer 22” is incomplete.
Rules that can vary
- six or eight decks, or another approved configuration;
- whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17;
- dealer blackjack-check procedure;
- blackjack payout and treatment of a switched 21;
- double and split restrictions;
- optional side bets.
Do not copy a strategy or house-edge figure without all of those inputs. A ruleset from one jurisdiction or software implementation is not universal.
Strategy boundaries
The player needs both a switching strategy and a play-out strategy for the resulting hands. Standard blackjack basic strategy cannot be applied unchanged because the switching option and dealer-22 treatment alter expectation.
Sources
Further reading
The ability to switch cards does not guarantee an advantage; calculate the complete local ruleset.
