How to Play Triple Attack Blackjack: Rules, Strategy & Odds
Triple Attack Blackjack is a rare variation of the game with some exceptionally advantageous rules for the player. The name Triple Attack refers to the amount of bets a player can wager before the hand actually begins. Players make a single bet before any cards are dealt, with the option to place a second, equal wager after the first card is dealt, and yet another third equal wager after seeing the dealer’s face-up card.
Because players have a chance to win a lot more money based on the starting value of their hand and the dealer’s card, other rules and payouts are applied to offset double and triple wagering. For instance, the deck is adjusted from 52 to 48 cards, removing all 10’s (not Face Cards), much like that of Spanish 21.
There are two side bets that can be placed in Triple Attack Blackjack based on the player’s first two cards. We will discuss these more at the end of this article. According to the most common rules, as listed below, the house edge in Triple Attack Blackjack is 1.17%.
Variations in the rules of Triple Attack Blackjack include the following:
- Triple Attack Blackjack uses eight 48-card decks where all 10’s are removed. Please note that card counting is only a viable blackjack strategy at land-based casinos where the cards are dealt from a shoe. If you find Triple Attack Blackjack at an online casino, the cards are continuously reshuffled after each hand, thus a card counting strategy is negated.
- Before the cards are dealt, the player makes a wager within the table’s betting limits. This is called the “First Attack”?. The dealer then gives each player one card, face-up. The player then chooses whether to make a “Second Attack”? wager, which must be equal to the first. Finally, the dealer gives himself one card, face-up, after which the player chooses whether to make a “Third Attack”? wager, again, equal to the first. Note that if a player chooses not to make a Second Attack wager, he can still place a Third Attack. All hands are then dealt their second card and gameplay begins.
- Players are allowed to Double Down on any total or number of cards, before or after a split. However, to double down, the player must place an equal wager to the total sum of all Attack wagers. For example, if the player has made three attack wagers of $5 each, the total is $15, thus the double down bet is an additional $15.
- Splitting is allowed on any two cards of the equal value and rank. Re-splitting Aces is also allowed. However, like the double rule, the required wager on a split hand must equal the total of all attack wagers made.
- If the player and dealer hands tie, it is a push, except in the case of tying blackjack hands. The player always wins a blackjack, although the payout for natural blackjack (tied or not) in Triple Attack is only 1 to 1.
- The dealer will accord to the following rules: The dealer will hit a soft 17, but stand on a hard total of 17 or anything higher. Triple Attack Blackjack is a hole card game, thus the dealer will offer insurance anytime his up-card is an Ace and then check for blackjack. If the dealer has blackjack, insurance bets pay 2-to-1 for a standard blackjack or 5-to-1 for a suited blackjack. If the dealer doesn’t have blackjack, insurance bets are lost and the game continues.
Triple Attack Blackjack Standard Pay Table
- Natural Blackjack Pays 1 to 1
- Insurance (Suited Blackjack) Pays 5 to 1
- Insurance (Off-Suit Blackjack) Pays 2 to 1
- Beating the Dealer Pays 1 to 1
- Player Blackjack beats Dealer Blackjack; Pays 1 to 1
- All Other Ties are a Push
Triple Attack Blackjack Bonus Side Bets
Players have the option to place two side bets in Triple Attack Blackjack. The first is called Suited Royals and has variable payouts based on whether a players first two cards are suited. The second is called the Triple Match, based on the player’s first two cards plus the dealer’s up card.
Suited Royals Pay Table (player’s first two cards)
- Suited K+Q: Pays 150 to 1
- Suited Face Cards: Pays 10 to 1
- Any other Suited Cards: Pays 2 to 1
Triple Match Pay Table (player’s first two cards + dealer’s up-card)
- Suited Trips: Pays 150 to 1
- Off-Suit Trips: Pays 20 to 1
- Suited Pair: Pays 4 to 1
- Off-Suit Pair: Pays 2 to 1