Pontoon is a popular British game based off of the American “Blackjack”. There are a few rules that differ between the American “Blackjack” and Pontoon, so pay close attention to the guide if you’ve never played either of them.
Pontoon requires at least two players to play, but works just as fine with larger numbers of players. Pontoon is played with a standard 52 card deck, but if you game has more than eight players, you should use two packs of 52 cards to compensate.
One player plays the broker, or banker. The banker is the player with the highest card from the first cut, and each player of the game places a bet on whether or not they think they have a better hand than the banker.
All of the cards have values in Pontoon. Aces can be worth either 1 or 11 depending on the preference of the holder. Queens, Jacks, and Kings are worth ten points, and the rest of the cards are worth their base value.
• The Pontoon is what we call the best hand, which is 21 in just two cards. This hand must always consist of an ace and a picture card. Alternatively, it can be an ace and ten.
• A Five Card Trick is the second best hand. These consist of a hand of five cards worth 21 or less.
• The third best hand to have is three or four cards with a value of 21 points. They can be beaten by a Five Card Trick or a Pontoon hand.
• Hand values of 20 or less points are worth relative values to the other hands. (Basically, if you have a hand of 14, a person with a hand of 15 and above will win you out)
• Any collection of cards worth more than 21 points are called a “bust”. These hands are worthless plays.
If the banker and any player at the table have hands of an equal value, the banker will always win.
The game starts off with the banker drawing his cards. If the banker does not draw a pontoon, the game continues around the table, moving clockwise to the left. If two cards are equal in rank, a player can choose to split them into two separate hands by sticking them face up on the center of the table, placing a bet equal of the initial price.
Any player who has a hand worth less than twenty one may “buy” a card. Players must increase the stakes of their bed by adding chips equal to (but not more than) twice the initial bet.
Players may also initiate a “twist” if their hand is worth less than 21 points. The dealer hands out a card face up to add to the twister’s hand. If the total hand still remains less than 21, the twist may be repeated until a bust or a 21 is reached. If you reach more than 21 at any time with a card purchase or twist, your hand is out. This makes “gambling” for new hands extremely risky.