What’s the 6-Card Charlie Rule in Blackjack?
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Blackjack may be rigid in form, but a number of variants and side bets are introduced to the game to make it a bit more versatile. The goal never changes – hitting the 21 – but the way you get there, table rules, and rule exceptions certainly make it more interesting. One such rule called the 6-Card Charlie rule, is a perfect example.
However, not many punters, especially those who are only now beginning their blackjack adventure, understand how the rule works. Hence, we’ve gathered up all the intel in the form of a guide to all things Charlie. Learn what is the 6-Card Charlie rule in blackjack below.
What Is the Six Card Charlie?
The Six Card Charlie, also appearing as 6-Card Charlie, is a blackjack rule allowing for a 6-card hand to be declared an automatic winner of the round if there’s no bust. In other words, should you have a hand with 6 cards that has not gone bust, you win the round.
The rule greatly favourites the players, so there’s a stunning house edge of only 0.16%. That means that the RTP of the blackjack game is 99.84%.
The only downside to the rule is that it happens rarely, meaning that you get to benefit from the Six Card Charlie only a handful of times (if any at all). The odds of it appearing are 400:1 as it happens once in every 400 hands.
To sum it all up, the Six card Charlie rule is defined by:
- A 6-card hand that is not bust wins
- 16% house edge
- 84% Return to Player rate
- Odds are 400:1
You can learn more about the benefits of playing blackjack with Six Card Charlie below.
Other Charlie Rules
Six Card Charlie is not the only variant of this rule appearing at online casinos. In fact, it’s a variation of the Charlie rule, which is the umbrella term used for the rule that states that, if a player reaches a specific number of cards in a hand without going bust, the hand wins the round.
In other words, the number does not necessarily need to be 6, as some blackjack tables employ the Five Card Charlie, others Seven Card Charlie. It is unheard of to set the target at any number higher than 7, which means Five, Six, and Seven Card Charlie are the three most common forms of the rule.
And many blackjack games, both in online and RNG mode, include the 5-Card, 6-Card, and 7-Card Charlie rule.
If you are playing the Five Card Charlie rule, the house edge is 1.46%, while the edge with Seven Card Charlie is the lowest – just 0.01%. That is why the Seven Card Charlie is so rare in online casinos.
How to Play Six Card Charlie Blackjack
How does this rule affect the players exactly? Is it good, or inconsequential?
It’s beneficial, that’s for sure. It’s also quite easy to learn to play, so there’s no reason to employ complex blackjack strategies. Some players opt for card counting, but that’s a frowned upon practice and very hard to master.
The most common strategy players use when dealing with game with a Charlie rule is the Hard Hand Strategy.
A hard hand is a hand that has no Aces in it. They are called that way because it is indeed harder to win with this hand. Hence, if you have a 5 and 8 in your hand, the strategy dictates that you Hit. Stand on total that is 17 or higher (and below 21). If the dealer has a hand that is below 6 or 6, and you have 13-16, stand. Otherwise, you should Hit. Moreover, players should Hit if they have a hand that is either 10 or 11 in total.
On the other hand, there’s also the Soft Hand Strategy. This dictates you should Hit if you have a soft hand total of 13, 14, 15, 16, or 17. If your hand is a soft 18, but the dealer has 8 or below, Stand. Stand on a soft 19 or 20 hand.
Another key thing to remember is when to Double down. The Double Down Strategy dictates you should Double Down if:
- Your hand is a total of 11,
- You have a hard 10 versus the dealer’s 4, 5, or 6,
- Your total is a hard 9 against the dealer’s 5 or 6.
Another option often offered is the Insurance Bet, but we always advise against taking Insurance.
Blackjack Games with Six Card Charlie
Not many games include this type of rule in the table rules. It is even harder to find a good player-friendly live blackjack table that comes with this perk. Still, we present our two favourite live blackjack tables at which you can automatically win if you have a hand of 6 cards that did not go bust.
Free Bet Blackjack by Evolution
Free Bet Blackjack is among our favourite blackjack games as its infinitely scalable, accepting an unlimited number of players at the table at the same time. Moreover, it’s also incredibly player-friendly with its low stakes and side bets. At first, the same pair of cards is dealt to everyone, while players are then left to decide what they want to do with their hand individually. If you are lucky, you can hit the Six Card Charlie and strike gold. The game came out last year, but it’s still a beloved Evolution live blackjack table.
PLAY FREE BET BLACKJACK AT REVOLUTION CASINO
ONE Blackjack by Pragmatic Play
ONE Blackjack is, like Free Bet Blackjack, an older game. It’s not the latest fashion, but it’s among the few player-friendly live casino games you can easily locate at every Pragmatic Play casino. The focus of the game is on the blackjack action happening on the screen, where players pick and choose between four different side bets in addition to the original ones. However, the 6-Card Charlie makes the game quite unique. Sure, it rarely happens, but isn’t it a dream come true when it does happen? You can find it out by yourself at every online casino working with Pragmatic Play.
PLAY ONE BLACKJACK AT MR.PLAY CASINO
Conclusion
Now that you understand the Six Card Charlie rule, how it is used and its benefits, you are ready for the start of your adventure. Check out our recommendations for blackjack games with Six Card Charlie and enjoy the best online blackjack with a very low house edge of only 0.16%! If you want access to other guides and more articles on topics in iGaming, check out our blog above.
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