Pure Spanish 21.5

GEGA-003766

Rules & How to Play

Object of the Game

The object of Pure Spanish 21.5 is for the players and the player-dealer to add the numerical value of their cards and:
  • Achieve the best possible point total of 21.5 by getting a King, Queen, or Jack Bonus Card and an ace on the initial two cards dealt (Example King Bonus Card below). This hand is called a Pure Spanish 21.5 Blackjack and pays 6 to 5.
  • Get as close to 21.5 as possible, without going over.
  • Draw additional cards if needed.

Value of the Cards

The game uses a 48-card deck with aces through nines (the standard spades, hearts, clubs and diamonds) and 12 cards specially marked with the word “Bonus” (four of each "king", "queen", and "jack" cards). All 10’s shall be removed from each deck. The game shall be played with a minimum of four decks (totaling 192 cards) to a maximum of eight decks (totaling 384 cards).
  • A King, Queen, or Jack Bonus card and an ace, on the initial deal, is the best possible hand. It is known as a “Pure Spanish 21.5” and pays 6 to 5.
  • A King, Queen, or Jack Bonus card dealt with any other card is worth 10 and is added to the other card(s) point total.
  • An ace has a value of either 1 or 11.
  • All cards from 2-9 have their face value.
  • King, Queen, or Jack Bonus cards have a value of 10 unless dealt with an Ace on the initial deal, and then they have a value of 10.5.

Card Ranking Chart

Card Value
K, Q, J Bonus card 10 or 10.5 when dealt w/ an ace
Ace 1 to 11
2 - 9 Hold their face value

Round of Play

  • Pure Spanish 21.5 is played on a raised gaming table. The table seats up to eight players who face the house dealer in a 180-degree seating arrangement. The tables are the standard blackjack tables commonly used in the casino industry. The house dealer stands opposite the players, and in the center of the table. The house dealer's chip tray is set in front of the dealer.
  • All tables will have some type of signage where the name of the game is displayed, along with the minimum and maximum wager allowed. The collection fee for the players and player-dealer shall also be displayed. A maximum of five collection rates is allowed in compliance with the California Penal Code.
  • A standard round of play begins when a player-dealer is designated. The player-dealer will place a wager in a betting circle in front of their seat. That wager will be used to pay the winners and will set the amount that he/she can collect for the losers. The casino will place a button in front of the player-dealer, which designates that they are taking the “bank” position and further designates whether it is the first or second turn for the player-dealer in the banking position. The player-dealer will place the appropriate collection fee in front of his/her betting circle.
  • Players at a table then place their wagers in designated betting circles. The players may place a wager at his/her seat along with other unoccupied betting circles. Each player must pay the appropriate collection fee based on the posted schedule for the card room. Prior to the start of play the house dealer will take collection fees and drop them into a locked collection box affixed to the gaming table.
  • After the fees have been collected, the house dealer will deal the cards to the players and the player-dealer. All cards dealt throughout the game are face up, with the exception of the player-dealer's second card, which will remain face-down until all players have acted on their hands. The house dealer is the only person on the table allowed to touch the cards. The players will signal the dealer with hand gestures that indicate whether they wish to hit or stand. The hand signals will be consistent with the industry standard signals of a sweeping motion towards a player’s body, indicating a hit, or a side to side hand motion, indicating the desire to stand. The house dealer deals the first card to the player seated to the left of the player-dealer, and continues in a clock-wise manner. Each player will be dealt one card face up with the player-dealer receiving the last card. The player-dealer's cards will be placed in front of the house dealer.
  • The house dealer will deal a second card to the players in the same order noted above and the last card will go to the player-dealer and will be dealt face down. The players are given an opportunity, starting with the player seated to the left of the player-dealer, to be dealt additional cards to make the best possible hand.
  • Players must follow the below listed Chart 1A in deciding whether to hit or stand on a particular hand.
  • After all players have acted on their hands and indicated to the house dealer that they do not want or cannot receive additional cards, the player-dealer’s down card will be turned up. This down card will determine where the "action button" is placed.
  • The game utilizes an action button to determine which player receives first action on their wager. The player-dealer’s second card, which is dealt face-down, determines the position of the action button. The player-dealer position is not counted when determining where the action button shall be placed. The other seats, in clockwise rotation, starting with the player to the left of the house dealer and continuing left to right, respectively represent the numbers of the player-dealer’s face down card. When determining where the action button will be placed, cards will hold the following values: Ace is one, 2 through 9 have their face value, jack is eleven, queen is twelve, and king is thirteen.
  • The player-dealer's hand will then be completed according to the rules listed on Chart 1B. Once the player-dealer's hand is completed, the payoff and/or collection of wagers will begin in the seat designated by the action button and continue in a clockwise manner until all wagers have been acted on.
  • Player-dealers are never required to cover all opposing players’ wagers. Payoffs of wagers are limited to the amount of the player-dealer wager. The house shall not participate as the player-dealer. The house shall not take a percentage of wagers placed in the game. There is no maximum on the player-dealer’s wager.
  • The player-dealer's cards will always be dealt and placed in front of the house dealer's tray. The placement of the player-dealer's cards is standard in all games and is depicted below. See Diagram #1
  • The next round of play begins when the house dealer collects all the cards from the table and places them in the discard tray. The player-dealer position shall be offered systematically and continuously in a clockwise manner around the table after every two hands. The player-dealer shall collect all losing wagers, pay all winning wagers, and may not win or lose more than the original amount wagered. Once the player-dealer’s wager has been exhausted, the wagers not covered by the player-dealer shall be returned to the respective players. The gambling establishment does not participate in the actual play of the game and has no interest in the outcome of the play.

Diagram #1

Chart 1a

PLAYER OPTIONS
Must Stand On Must Hit On Have Option On
Hard 17 or more Player's Option All other counts
A “Hard” hand is achieved when a hand does not contain an Ace, or when it does contain an Ace, the Ace is counted as 1, not 11.

Chart 1b

PLAYER-DEALER OPTIONS
Must Stand On Must Hit On Have Option On
Hard 17 or more Soft 17 or less No options
A “Soft” hand is achieved when a hand contains an Ace with a combination of two or more cards that add up to 17, and the Ace may be counted as either 1 or 11. A “Hard” hand is achieved when a hand contains any combination of three or more cards adding up to 17. In the event that the hand includes an Ace, the Ace is counted as 1, not 11.

Game Rules

  • A Pure Spanish 21.5 Blackjack (an ace and a King, Queen, or Jack Bonus card) is the best possible hand. If the player and the player-dealer's hand are both Pure Spanish 21.5 Blackjack the player wins.
  • If the player-dealer does not have a Pure Spanish 21.5 Blackjack, the players will be given the option to draw to improve their hands, in accordance with Chart 1A above. The player-dealer’s face-down card will be checked by the house dealer, for a Pure Spanish 21.5 Blackjack, when the player-dealer’s face-up card is an ace or King, Queen, or Jack Bonus Card. This will happen prior to any additional cards being given to players. If the player-dealer has Pure Spanish 21.5 Blackjack, no additional action will take place and all players’ hands that do not have a Pure Spanish 21.5 Blackjack will lose.
  • After all players have been given a chance to act on their hands, the player-dealer’s hand will be completed in accordance with Chart 1B.
  • If a player's total is less than a Pure Spanish 21.5 Blackjack and the player-dealer’s total is more than a Pure Spanish 21.5 Blackjack, the player wins the hand.
  • If a player's total is more than a Pure Spanish 21.5 Blackjack and the player-dealer's total is less than a Pure Spanish 21.5 Blackjack, the player loses the hand.
  • If a player and the player-dealer have the same total and it is less than a Pure Spanish 21.5 Blackjack, the hand is a push or tie. No action is taken on the wager.
  • If a player's total and the player-dealer's total are less than a Pure Spanish 21.5 Blackjack, the hand closest to a Pure Spanish 21.5 Blackjack will win.
  • If the player and the player-dealer’s total are both 21 and neither hand is a Pure Spanish 21.5 Blackjack hand, the player wins the hand.
  • If a player's total and the player-dealer's total are more than a Pure Spanish 21.5 Blackjack, the following will apply:
    • If the player-dealer’s hand is 888 (three eights) all players whose total is more than 21.5 push.
    • If the player-dealer's hand is not 888 (three eights) all players whose total is more than 21.5 lose.
  • All collection rates and wagering limits will be posted at the table. They will not be based on any percentage.
  • Backline betting is not permitted on any wager.
  • Third Party Providers of Proposition Player Services, as defined in Section 19984 of the California Business and Professions Code, are permitted to play.

Double-Down, Rescue, Double-Double Down, Split, and Surrender

  • Players can double-down on the first two cards dealt to them. The player must place a second wager which may be equal to or less than the player's original wager. The player will only receive one additional card, regardless of the total.
  • After doubling, if a player is dissatisfied with his/her non-busted hand, he/she may “rescue” (take back) the last doubled portion of the bet and forfeit the remainder of the wager. Their play for the hand will then cease.
  • If the player-dealer hits on a soft 17, the casino may allow an option known as "double-double down.” If the casino allows the double-double down option, once a player elects to double and receives a double card, the player then has the option to double-double down (double his total wager again), rescue the last doubled portion of the bet, or stand. A player may double the total wager up to three times, once via double down and twice via double-double down, creating a maximum wager up to 8 times the original wager. After doubling a third time and receiving a double card, a player only has the option to stand or rescue. When a player "rescue" (take back) the last doubled portion of the bet and forfeit the remainder of the wager. Their play for the hand will then cease.
  • Important: The "double-double down" option is not available to the player when the player-dealer stands on all totals of 17. Doubling for less is only allowed if the double-double down option is not allowed. In other words, when the double-double down option is allowed there is no doubling for less.
  • Players can split any pair or two cards of the equal value, including aces and Bonus cards. The player must place a second wager equal to the original wager. The player may draw as many cards as desired per split card. There is no splitting for less.
  • A maximum of three splits is allowed per hand, giving a player up to 4 hands. Doubling-down is permitted after splitting.
  • Players can surrender after the first two cards are dealt to them. If they choose to surrender, half of their wager will be forfeited. The player must indicate their desire to surrender before the player-dealer's down card is exposed. Their play for the hand will then cease.
  • Late surrender option:
    • Players will have to option to surrender after the dealer has checked for Pure Spanish 21.5 Blackjack. If the player-dealer has Pure Spanish 21.5 Blackjack, the hand is over there will be no draw; the player will not have the option to surrender.
    • If the player-dealer does not have Pure Spanish 21.5 Blackjack the player will have the option on their original first two cards dealt to them to surrender, whereas half of their wager will be forfeited. The player must indicate their desire to surrender before the player-dealer’s down card is exposed. Their play for the hand will then cease.
  • The casino will take no extra collection fee on double downs or splits from the player or player-dealer.
  • All payoffs are to the extent that the player-dealer's money covers the action on the table. A player-dealer cannot win or lose more than the entire amount of money placed on the table before the start of the hand.

Match the Dealer Up Card Bonus Bet

  • In addition to the regular base game wager, casinos may offer a Match the Dealer Up-Card bonus wager
  • A Match the Dealer Up Card bonus wager is a wager that one or both of a player's original two cards of the hand will exactly match the dealer’s up-card in rank.
  • In order to play the Match the Dealer Up Card bonus wager, the player must make a regular base game wager.
  • Back-line betting is not permitted on the Match the Dealer Up Card Bonus Bet.
  • See the collection rate schedule for restrictions on the amount that may be wagered on the Match the Dealer Up Card Bonus Bet.
  • If the player-dealer does not or cannot have a Pure 21.5 Blackjack and the player has a Pure 21.5 Blackjack, the game wager is paid and the player’s cards are put away. The Match the Dealer Bonus Bet remains in action whether or not the player busts or is dealt a Pure 21.5 Blackjack.
  • Once all players have made the decisions concerning their hands according to the rules for game, the player-dealer will reveal his or her hole card and play out his hand. The payoff odds vary with the number of matched cards in the player-dealer’s hand.
    • If the player-dealer’s hand matches, all Match the Dealer Bonus Bets will be paid according to the posted Match the Dealer pay table.
    • If the player-dealer’s hand does not match, all Match the Dealer Bonus Bets will be collected in rotation to the extent of the money in action.
  • The player-dealer will pay all winning Match the Dealer Bonus Bets and will collect all losing Match the Dealer Bonus Bets.
  • In the event that the player/dealer’s wager does not cover the amount wagered by the players, an action button will be used to designate where the action will begin. Additionally, each player’s wager receives action in the following order from seat to seat: base game wager, Buster Blackjack Bonus Bet wager, Match the Dealer Bonus Bet Wager. Once the player-dealer’s wager has been exhausted, the wagers not covered by the player-dealer will be returned to the players.
  • There are two payoff amounts for each respective wager, a suited rank match and an unsuited rank match. All payoffs are shown in the below Match the Dealer Card bonus bet pay tables.

Match the Dealer Up Card Bet Pay Tables

Table C 48 Card Deck 6 Decks
2 suited matches 18 to 1
1 suited + 1 non-suited match 13 to 1
1 suited match 9 to 1
2 non-suited matches 8 to 1
1 non-suited match 4 to 1
No match Lose

Collection Fee Schedule: How and When House Fees are Collected

For table limits and collection rate schedules for the game of Pure Spanish 21.5, please refer to CA Games Collection Rate Approval (GEGA-003784).
Lighted Sign
Spanish 21 Lighted Sign
TABLE LAYOUT
Spanish 21 Table Layout
Pure Spanish 21.5™ Masque Publishing, Inc. U.S. Patent 5,615,888, 5,806,846