• The hero returns
• House edge and rules
• Basic strategy charts
• Unusual plays
• Recommended casinos
• Game location

The hero returns

The Microgaming single deck game has been in and out of the download software over the years. It started out life in the original non-viper version in the late 1990s, called simply "single deck". When Microgaming upgraded to the viper software in 2003 the game all but vanished - a couple of casinos kept it in while most dropped it. However, in 2005 Microgaming added a "Gold Series" to the tables game section, and this includes the original single deck game, with the exact same rules as before, now called "Classic blackjack gold".

When casinos remove quality games they do not typically reintroduce them. As such, Microgaming's reintroduction of the single deck game was a refreshing break from the norm.

House edge and rules

This game has a payout of 99.87% and as such a house edge of 0.13%.

These are the rules:

• Double 9, 10 and 11 only
• European no hole card
• No double after split
• Draw to split aces.

The ability to draw additional cards to split aces is a rare and advantageous rule - take a look at this screenshot:

Having split my aces, I received an eight on the first one and another ace on the second. Normally I'd be stuck with my score of soft 12 on that second hand, but I can continue to draw - and after three additional cards I make 21, resulting in a push on the one hand and a win the other other. Without the ability to draw to split aces I'd have pushed the one hand and lost the second.

Basic strategy charts

The following are the basic strategy tables for this set of rules (courtesy of the Wizard Of Odds Microgaming resource):

H = hit, S = stand, D = double, P = split.

Hard totals

Your hand	Dealer upcard
	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
17+	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
16	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
15	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
14	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
13	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
12	H	H	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
11	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H	H
10	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H	H
9	D	D	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
5 - 8	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H

Soft totals

Your hand	Dealer upcard
	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
A9	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
A8	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
A7	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	S
A6	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
A5	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
A4	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
A3	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
A2	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H

Pairs

Your hand	Dealer upcard
	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
As	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
10s	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
9s	P	P	P	P	P	S	P	P	S	S
8s	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	H	H
7s	P	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	S	H
6s	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H	H
5s	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H	H
4s	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
3s	H	H	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H
2s	H	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H

Unusual plays

There's one unusual play here: splitting AA against a dealer ace. This would be incorrect in most ENHC games in which the dealer doesn't check for blackjack prior to the play of the hand. However, the added advantage of being able to draw to split aces, rather than just receiving one card, makes splitting the correct move.

Also, note that 77 v. 10 is a STAND in this game, not a hit


You can enhance your return on this game still further by adopting the "composition dependent" basic strategy alterations - please refer to the S17 composition-dependent exceptions page for details.

Recommended casinos

I would recommend play at the following casinos:

  ♠ Dash Casino ♠

  ♠ 32 Red Casino ♠

Game location

Go to the "Games Lobby", open the "Tables" tab and then click on "Gold Series"; a single click on "Classic Blackjack Gold" brings up a screen to the right with a pictuure of the table and the rules; double click to download the game.

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