A relative, not the same game
Pontoon is a card game from the same family as blackjack, known in Britain and some other countries. It is played to the same target of 21, with the same card values, and it is closely related in history and structure. It is, however, a different game with its own vocabulary and rules, and it is often played as a home or social game, with one player acting as the banker, rather than only as a casino table game.
Rules vary by region, group and venue, and informal games often have house variations. What follows describes the commonly cited pattern rather than a single official rulebook, so if you are sitting down to play, agree the rules first.
Different words for the same actions
Terminology is the first thing you notice. In pontoon:
- Taking another card is called to twist (when you do not raise your stake) or to buy (when you raise your stake to take a card, subject to limits).
- Declining more cards is to stick, which corresponds to standing in blackjack.
- A two-card 21, an ace with a ten-value card, is called a pontoon, which is the equivalent of a natural in blackjack. The game takes its name from it.
In blackjack terms, twist and buy are both forms of hitting, though buying has no direct equivalent in the casino game, and stick means standing.
Hidden cards and who sees what
In standard casino blackjack, players’ cards are often dealt face up and the dealer shows one card. In pontoon, players commonly keep their cards hidden and look only at their own, and the banker typically has no face-up card. This changes what information is available to a player. In casino blackjack you can see the dealer’s up card and use it to choose between hitting and standing. In pontoon you generally cannot. Decisions are therefore made with much less information about the banker’s hand, which is one reason why basic strategy for casino blackjack does not carry over.
The five card rule
One of the most distinctive pontoon features is the five card trick. If a player holds five cards and the total is 21 or less, that hand is generally treated as very strong. In common versions it beats every other hand except a pontoon and may be paid at a higher rate. In blackjack, by contrast, the number of cards is irrelevant to the ranking of a hand; a hand of 20 is simply 20, however many cards made it up. (Spanish 21 has bonus payouts for longer hands, but the idea is different there.)
Because a five-card hand needs small cards to stay under 21, it occurs fairly rarely, but when it does the effect on the result is large.
Ties and the banker’s edge
In casino blackjack, a tie is a push. In pontoon, ties are typically won by the banker, and this is one of the main sources of the banker’s edge. If you and the banker have the same total, the banker wins. The one commonly cited exception is when the banker’s hand is a pontoon or a five-card hand, which outranks others by rank.
Combined with the fact that the player must act without seeing the banker’s cards, the banker has a structural advantage. Because the role of banker usually passes around in social play, the advantage is shared out between players, and so friendly games can be fair to all.
Restrictions on the player
Pontoon commonly includes rules that limit the player’s choices. A typical one is that a player cannot stick on a low total; there is a minimum, often 15, below which the player must continue to twist or buy. The banker is also usually bound to draw until reaching a total of 17 or above. The numbers can differ between groups, so confirm before play.
Payouts and the banker role
A pontoon is usually paid at a higher rate than an ordinary win, commonly double the stake in many versions, and a five-card hand is paid similarly. Casino blackjack naturals usually pay 3 to 2 or sometimes 6 to 5, as covered in our article on natural payouts. Again, the exact payouts depend on the version.
When the banker is a rotating player, the game is symmetrical over time. When the banker is a casino, the house keeps the advantage built into ties and hidden information, and as in all casino games, the casino has an edge over the long run.
Which game is better for the player?
That depends on the specific rules and on whether you are playing in a casino or at home. The higher payouts and five-card bonuses are attractive features, but they are paired with dealer-favoured ties, limits on player decisions and less information. Neither game offers a way to win consistently.
If you try pontoon, treat it as a different game rather than a version of blackjack with new names: learn the local rules, and do not apply blackjack basic strategy tables as if they fit. Play only with money you can afford to lose, do not chase losses, and if gambling is causing difficulty for you or someone you know, contact a local support service.