A look at live blackjack basic strategy with early payout

A new blackjack variation being offered at a number of live dealer casinos is blackjack basic strategy with early payout ("BBSEP"). It's a blackjack variation exclusive to live gaming platform provider Vuetec and its licensee casinos, and offers an innovative twist on 'traditional' blackjack.

BBSEP incorporates two key features that differentiate it from 'traditional' blackjack offered at most live dealer and traditional casinos. The first is an early payout option afforded to players, and the second is the fact that game rules dictate mandatory basic strategy play. These two differences are discussed further below.

At any given point during a BBSEP deal, the player has the option to take an early payout and suspend any further action on a given hand. The early payout value is calculated automatically, taking into account the strength of the player's hand relative to the dealer's up card and the mathematical probability of a player win at that point (with a house margin incorporated in the calculation course).

In simple terms, the better the player hand relative to the dealer's up card, the better the early payout amount offered, and visa versa. For example, where the player's cards total 11 and dealer's up card is a 6, the corresponding early payout offered will be substantially higher than the wagered amount. Conversely a weak player hand relative to the dealer's up card will result in a payout offer less than the wager amount and a player loss on the bet if the payout option is taken.

Player's are not forced to take the early payout. They may instead choose the 'next play' option, which leads us to the second differentiating feature of this game. 'Next play' will result in a hit where a hit is the correct basic strategy play or a stand where a stand is the correct basic strategy play. That is to say, should you choose not to take and early payout, you are effectively restricted to playing strict basic strategy.

It's a game format that that should ensure relatively high return to player ("RTP") rates, assuming the house margin incorporated into the early payout calculation is not substantial. Licensee casinos offering BBSEP advertise RTP rates of 99.5% on this game, which equates pretty closely to the mathematical RTP rate that applies to basic strategy play for traditional 6 deck blackjack and suggests the house margin incorporated into payout calculations is small.

BBSEP's an interesting twist on a classic casino game and time will tell whether it becomes a big hit with blackjack fans. Blackjack purists may well disapprove of a substantial skill and decision making element being removed from the game. However, for players who are not experience or do not have a sound basic strategy knowledge, it presents an option that will help maximize returns.

Live Dealer Casinos is a live casino information resource at which Milton Shaw is a contributing writer. Further information on live blackjack may be found at Live Blackjack