Basics Of Charlie Rule In Online Blackjack

If you have checked out the numerous blackjack variants at online casinos then you must have come across the Charlie Rule. It is a part of blackjack variants like Triple Attack Blackjack.

The Charlie Rule states that if the player is dealt a specified number of cards without busting then they automatically win, losing only to a dealer blackjack. The key to the Charlie Rule is the number of cards specified. The fewest number specified in online blackjack games is five cards. A Five Card Charlie is a hand of five cards whose value is not over 21 calculated according to the normal blackjack card valuation. A Five Card Charlie automatically winning decreases the house edge by 1.46%. Online blackjack variants usually have a house edge of about 0.5%. Hence the Five Card Charlie Rule increases the return to the player over 100%, which is not feasible for the online casino. Some online blackjack variants do offer the Five Card Charlie Rule, but tweak other rules to nullify the advantage. A Seven Card Charlie Rule is sometimes offered. This hand is so rare that the house edge decreases by 0.01%. Hence there is no advantage to the player.

The only meaningful Charlie Rule is with six cards. A Six Card Charlie hand is a hand of six cards whose hand value is not over 21. This rule decreases the house edge by 0.16%. The advantage is material, especially for players who like long sessions. Also this decrease can be absorbed by online casinos without having to make any other change in the rules. In order to take advantage of the Six Card Charlie Rule, you have to employ a more aggressive strategy than for normal online blackjack variants. When you would normally stand, you may be required to hit just to aim for a Charlie hand.

The best way to ensure that you are following optimum blackjack strategy is to use a strategy card. This is a table with the player hand value indexed against the dealer’s face-up card. You read the relevant cell and take the action marked, which is usually Hit or Stand. When playing online blackjack with Charlie Rule you will find certain cells marked with either '1' or '2'. If the relevant cell reads ‘2’ then you should hit if at most two cards away from a Charlie. If the relevant cell reads '1' then you should hit when at most one card away from a Charlie.

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