Pontoon, originally called Vingt-Un, is a card game for up to ten players and a single game master, where each player acts according to his or her own skill, with the result that a score is announced when all players have rolled equally and there are no more guests on the table. After the game is over, the player with the highest score is declared the winner. In conventional play, the player with the black “X” is the guest of honor. This person must then pass his or her hand over to another player, who places his or her hand over theirs in an effort to keep it from being moved. If this cannot occur, then the match is declared to be a tie, and each player receives one point for having passed their hand. In No Limit Hold’em, each player receives 4 points for passing their hand.
In the no limit hold’em and blackjack variation, when a pontoon is brought into play, each player receives five cards face down, and the dealer randomly chooses two out of six to act as the foundation for the deck. After the deck is built, each player receives three cards face up, to signify that they are legally holding blackjack money at the time. As each player takes their turn, the dealer randomly chooses two out of six cards from the deck and deals these to the players, following the same procedure as in the conventional version of the game. When a player’s turn is completed, the dealer shuffles the deck and deals nine new cards to each side and then again deals these to each player, following the same procedure.
The advantage to playing on a pontoon is that it provides for a fast and convenient game, where many hands can be dealt at one time. Because of this, in no limit games, especially Texas Hold’em and Caribbean Stud Poker, the pots are generally smaller than they would be in a full casino setting. Also, because most games on a pontoon are simply a variation of regular poker games, it is very easy to develop a good strategy and learn how to handle your position during the hand-building portion of the game. Also, because the cards are dealt out on a floating table top, there is no concern over whether cards will come to an end before others, as is the case with most traditional casino games.
Blackjack is a game that can be played on a pontoon. In a blackjack game, after the dealer wins with a total amount of the starting stack (not including any initial bet made by the player), the player with the most chips wins. This means that in no limit Texas Hold’em or Caribbean Stud Poker, the player with the most chips after the dealer wins has the advantage. In blackjack, the player who makes the biggest single bet AFTER the dealer wins has the advantage.
In a pure game of blackjack, a player can minimize his risk by playing on a pontoon. A player can double his money by betting on multiple cards. It is much easier to judge the odds of winning on a pontoon boat than on a casino table. Blackjack on a pontoon boat is a great way to enjoy the excitement and possibility of large winnings without putting your money at risk in a high-risk casino game.