Does “pontoon” ring any bells with you? No, not the one in the sky; the pontoon card game. If you’re into blackjack, there’s a good chance you’ve encountered it at some point but do you know what pontoon is? How is it related to blackjack? And what is the pontoon card game?
All of that and more will be coming your way in today’s blog so, if you’d like to let us take you on a journey, find a comfortable spot and we’ll lay out the history of pontoon, the game’s rules, and how it stands apart from blackjack. And while we’re at it, we’ll also cover some nifty pontoon strategy tips and tricks!
History of Pontoon Card Game
Let’s go back to the very beginning. So, what is a pontoon and where did it come from?
For one thing, this card game was not always known as pontoon. Its original name, in fact, was Vingt-Un. The show itself is described as “British domestic version […] of Twenty-One”.
Vingt-Un first appeared in 18th century France, Britain, and Prussia. Basic rules first appeared in Britain in 1800; the more complicated rules were added in the nineteenth century.
The game was first called “pontoon” in Britain, during the First World War. Apparently, it is a corrupted version of its name in French “vingt-un” by a soldier, hence the name “pontoon”.
But “pontoon” didn’t take off at once. Consequently, back in 1939 the card game was still known as Vingt-et-Un, and pontoon was another name for it.
In 1981 it was Britain’s 3rd most popular card game, after rummy and whist. One reason for the game’s lasting popularity was the prevalence of twenty-one, or blackjack.
Pontoon Card Game Rules
The good thing is if you already know how to play blackjack, you won’t have too many issues getting to grips with pontoon card game rules.
Pontoon uses the standard 52-card deck (no jokers). The game supports 2 to 4 players, but will allow up to 8 players.
In pontoon, an ace can be worth 1 or 11, and face cards (or court cards) all are worth 10 each. If the two cards that have been dealt are an Ace and a face card or an Ace and a ten, the score is 21 (called a “natural” or a “natural vingt-un” This entire assembly is also what is referred to as a “pontoon”.
The object of the pontoon card game is to collect cards worth more than the banker’s but not exceeding 21.
Because pontoon is a so-called banking game, there are always players and someone acting as the banker. The banker can be determined at random, such as whoever cuts the high card. Then the banker deals one card to each player, face down. Unlike the players, the banker cannot glance at their card.
Pontoon Card Game : A Guide to Playing the Game
Being a beginner’s guide, it only makes sense for us to divide the process of playing pontoon into a few simple steps to follow. So, without further ado, here is how to play the pontoon card game.
- Place Your Bet
The first thing you do is place your wager This happens before the cards are dealt. The game can begin once all the players put their wok bet in.
- Receive Your Cards
The banker gives two cards face down to each player, including himself. NOTE: The cards cannot be picked up until all players have their cards.
- Decide Whether or NOT to HIT
It is now time for each player to determine their action. You may hit (take another card) or stick or stand (not take another card and remain with your current hand). At this point, you’ll have to account for how close you are to 21; if another card could put you over 21, the optimal move may be to stay with the cards you already have.
- Choose to Double Down
If you choose to double down, you double your bet amount and draw one extra card. If you do double down, however, note that you can’t hit again.
- Decide to Split
You can also choose to split. If both of your first dealt cards have the same value, this can be done. If you split, you play each card as an independent hand and place an added bet in addition to your initial bet.
- Know When to Surrender
Finally, you have the option to surrender at any time before hitting or doubling down. Now, if you surrender, you forfeit half of your initial bet and the round is terminated. That’s a prudent course of action if you believe you cannot beat the banker.
Five-card Trick in Pontoon Card Game
You have surely noticed by now that the best hand you can have is a pontoon.
But we also have an event called a “five card trick”. A five card trick means to have 5 cards without going over 21 points. Now the question you’re all having: “does the five card trick beat the pontoon then?” It’s true, a hand of three or four cards totaling 21 points will crush everything but a pontoon. Pontoon remains unbeatable.
Also, those with pontoons or five card tricks receive double.
Card Value in Pontoon Card Game
We’ve talked about the main ones more recently but let’s do a breakdown of all the cards in pontoon and their values:
- Ace (11 points or 1 point)
- Court cards i.e. King, Queen, and Jack (10 points)
- 5, 4, 3, 2 (all worth their value)
Pontoon Card Game Strategy Tips
Like any card game, there are strategies which will be beneficial when playing pontoon card game, and here are a few.
One of the most simple strategies used in pontoon is to take action based on the cards in your hand and the dealer’s up card. This means a combination of:
- Hitting (taking another card)
- Paraphrase: Standing (which means not taking any more cards)
- Doubling down (doubling your stake, and taking another card)
You shouldn’t fear surrender, either. If you don’t think you have a winning hand, giving up is a perfectly legitimate course of action.
Also Read: Top Blackjack Variants To Try: A Guide For Bangladeshi Players
Blackjack or Pontoon: Settle It Once and for All
As you can see, pontoon card game is definitely very similar to blackjack. While both games are related, they are, in fact, two very different games with different rules and different strategies they employ.
If you do want to determine its differences from the other card game by yourself, be sure to have a read of our blackjack guide; we can guarantee that the differences will be none too hard to digest by the end.
As always, we hope you’ve enjoyed yourself, that you’ve learned something new and … good luck!