Ev Blackjack is a modern variation of blackjack that uses a modified deck of 52 cards. The objective of the game is to achieve a higher total score than the dealer. Ev Blackjack is played with a standard deck of playing cards, with one exception.
The joker is removed from the deck and replaced with an ace. The Ace can be used as the highest card in any combination, including as the foundation for a straight or a flush. .
The game is played in three rounds. In the first round, each player ante-up by betting one unit (e.g., $2). The dealer then deals two cards to each player, face down.
The player receiving the ace selects whether to keep the card or put it into their hand and discard the other card. If both players put their cards into their hands, the hand ends and no further cards are dealt. If only one player puts their card into their hand, they receive two new cards and play continues as before betting one unit in the second round.
The second round is similar to the first, except that both players must now put all three cards into their hands if they want to stay in the game. If either player cannot or does not want to put all three cards into their hand, they must bet another unit (e.g.
, $3) and forfeit all current chips in play.
In the third round, players continue playing until one player has scored more points than the dealer. Points are earned by putting all four of your cards into your hand (a natural), splitting any two pairs (two different ranks), getting an Ace as your fourth card (a hot hand), or combining any three of your original two cards together to form a Straight or Flush (any suit).
If both players put all four of their cards into their hands at once, then whoever has accumulated more points at that point wins the hand and continues playing another round; if there is a tie at that point, then additional hands are played until one player has an advantage over the other.
