How To Act (with a) Natural<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIn blackjack, player and dealer hands are compared strictly according to their final total value, regardless of the makeup of the hand. However, the rules don\u2019t treat all 21\u2019s the same. Getting dealt an ace and a 10 card is known as a natural<\/em> or the eponymous blackjack<\/em>. Although they never face each other, natural 21\u2019s have certain advantages over 21\u2019s made from three or more cards.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re dealt a natural and the dealer shows any card 2 through 9, you get immediately paid 3 to 2 on your initial wager (a payout rate known colloquially as time-and-a-half,<\/em> a profit of $75 on a $50 wager). <\/p>\n\n\n\nLikewise, if the dealer has natural, all player hands other than a natural lose immediately. In neither case is dealer or player given a chance to hit, adding cards in hoped of drawing to 21 and pushing against the opponent\u2019s natural. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ace (hopefully not) In The Hole<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWith an up card of 10, the dealer uses a special mirror on the table to peek at the hole card in order to check and see if they have a natural. If the hole card is an ace, the dealer has a natural. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That card is revealed and the game is over. All player hands lose unless a player\u2019s hand is also a natural, in which case it\u2019s a very frustrating push.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Unkindest Blackjack Push Of All<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe chance of an ace in the hole is around 8% for the dealer. But when the dealer shows<\/em> an ace, the chance of having a ten card (ten, jack, queen, or king) in the hole is around 31%. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWith such a high probability of a dealer natural a special process kicks in. Before peeking, the dealer offers players holding a natural an immediate win. But there\u2019s a catch: the payout is even money rather than time and a half.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Players declining the dealer\u2019s offer must sweat out what comes next. The dealer peeks and if it\u2019s not<\/em> a 10 card, the hand is a winner and the player is paid off at 3 to 2. But should the dealer turn over a dreaded 10 card, it\u2019s a natural versus natural push and the player\u2019s perfect Blackjack hand has gone to waste. <\/p>\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s a gameplay sequence example:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\nYou place a $50 Blackjack wager and are dealt ace\/king. A natural!<\/li>\n\n\n\n The dealer\u2019s up card is an ace. Argh!<\/li>\n\n\n\n Before peeking at the hole-card, the dealer offers you the option of taking an even money payout for a profit of $50, which you decline.<\/li>\n\n\n\n The dealer peeks, sees it\u2019s a queen.<\/li>\n\n\n\n The dealer flips the queen to complete the natural. Instead of a $75 profit if the dealer had seen any other card in the mirror\u2026instead of a $50 profit if the player had taken the even money payout\u2026it\u2019s a soul-crushing push.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\nImage credit: Steve Estvanik\/Shutterstock<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n