NN777 Pontoon Card Game: How It Differs From Blackjack
The pontoon card game is a 21-point game like blackjack, but both dealer cards are customarily face down, hitting is called twist, standing is stick, and a pontoon or five-card trick pays more than an ordinary win.
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The pontoon card game is a 21-point game that most blackjack players pick up in minutes, and its changes are in the details. Cards are valued the same way and you still try to get closest to 21 without going over. The deal, the names of the moves and the bonus hands are what differ. This page sits in the NN777 table games list and compares the two games row by row.
Pontoon card game compared with blackjack
The differences below are the customary ones. Table rules vary, so read the rules of the table you sit at.
| Point | Blackjack | Pontoon, commonly |
|---|---|---|
| Dealer’s first cards | one face up, one face down | both face down |
| Take a card | hit | twist, or buy |
| Stay put | stand | stick |
| Top hand | blackjack, an ace with a ten-value card | pontoon, the same two cards |
| Special hand | none | five-card trick, five cards totalling 21 or less |
| Ties | usually a push | the dealer wins |
Because the dealer’s cards are both hidden, you cannot read the dealer’s upcard to choose your move. You decide on your own total and on the count of cards you hold. That makes the game quicker to play and harder to plan.
The names: twist, stick and buy
Three words carry most of the game.
- Twist means you take another card, and commonly it is dealt face up.
- Stick means you keep your total and end your turn. Many tables set a minimum total, commonly 15, before you may stick.
- Buy means taking a card by raising your stake. The size of the raise is limited by the table’s rules.
The dealer follows a fixed rule too: commonly the dealer must twist on 16 or lower and sticks on 17 or higher. Your table’s rules screen gives the exact thresholds.
How the payouts differ
Customary ranking from best to worst is pontoon, then a five-card trick, then 21 made with three or four cards, then lower totals. A pontoon and a five-card trick each pay more than an ordinary win, and the amount varies by table. An example shows the arithmetic: with a ₱100 stake and a table that pays 2 to 1 on a pontoon, a pontoon returns ₱200 profit. An ordinary win at even money returns ₱100 profit.
Because the dealer wins ties, the player gives up something that blackjack usually returns as a push. The bigger pay on the special hands is the table’s way of balancing that. Open the game’s paytable and read both before you play, because the balance between the two is what sets the price of the game.
Fitting pontoon into the rest of the lobby
The lobby menu has CARD Games and LIVE Casino sections. Before you sit down at any table, run through this short list.
- Open the table’s rules screen.
- Read the paytable for pontoon and five-card trick.
- Check the minimum and maximum stake in pesos.
- Confirm who wins ties.
For a dice game with a lot of arithmetic by comparison, see the sic bo strategy and bet odds rankings. For a card game where one card decides the round, read about the hi lo card game and its payouts.
Related guides
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- NN777 Card Suitscard suits
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- NN777 Hi Lo Card Gamehi lo card game
- NN777 How to Play Pusoyhow to play pusoy
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- NN777 Sic Bo Strategysic bo strategy
- NN777 Texas Hold Emtexas hold em
FAQ
What is the difference between pontoon and blackjack?
Customarily both dealer cards are face down in pontoon, the moves are named twist, stick and buy, a five-card trick is a special hand, and the dealer wins ties. Payouts vary by table.
What is a pontoon hand?
A pontoon is a two-card total of 21, an ace with a ten-value card. It outranks every other hand, including a five-card trick, in the customary rules.
What does buy mean in pontoon?
Commonly, buy means taking another card by raising your stake, while twist takes a card without raising it. Rules differ by table, so read the one you sit at.
Ano ang five-card trick?
It is five cards that total 21 or less without going bust. It beats an ordinary 21 and is paid at a higher rate, which varies by table.