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Pontoon is a fun and fast card game. It’s like Blackjack but with a few different rules. It’s very popular in the UK and is now becoming known in the United States too. The game is easy to learn and exciting to play, especially with a group of friends.
What Is Pontoon?
Pontoon is a card game where the goal is to get a hand that’s worth 21 points or less, but still higher than the dealer’s hand. It is best played with 5 to 8 players, though just 2 people can also play. The game is based on an older French game called Vingt-et-un and shares many rules with Blackjack.
Basic Rules of Pontoon
Before you start, choose a banker. This is usually done by each player drawing one card the person with the highest card becomes the banker. The banker deals one face-down card to each player, starting from their left, and one for themselves.
Then, each player places a bet (except the banker). After that, a second card is dealt to each player, again face-down. Players are allowed to look at their own cards, but not others.
How Scoring Works
- Face cards (King, Queen, Jack) = 10 points
- Number cards = their number
- Aces = 1 or 11 points (whichever helps your hand)
Your goal is to get as close to 21 as possible without going over that’s called a bust. If your score is higher than the dealer’s and under 21, you win. But if it’s equal to the dealer’s, the banker wins in a tie.
Special Hands in Pontoon
There are two very strong hands in Pontoon:
- Pontoon – This is the best hand. It happens when your first two cards are an Ace and a 10-point card (like a 10, Jack, Queen, or King).
- Five Card Trick – This is when you take five cards without going over 21. This hand beats any regular 21, no matter how it was made.
If the banker has a Pontoon, everyone else loses automatically.
Your Playing Options
Once you know your cards, here’s what you can do:
- Buy – You can say “I’ll buy one” to get a face-down card. You must place another bet, 1 to 2 times your original bet.
- Twist – Say “Twist me one” to get a face-up card without changing your bet.
- Stick – If you’re happy with your hand, say “Stick” to keep your cards and not get any more.
- Split – If you have two cards of the same value, you can split them into two separate hands. You’ll need to double your bet, and the dealer will give each hand one more card. You then play both hands separately.
You can buy or twist as many times as needed until you get five cards, reach 21, or decide to stick.
How the Game Ends
Once all players are done, the banker reveals their cards and plays their hand using the same rules. The winner is the person with the best hand that doesn’t go over 21 but remember:
- Pontoon beats everything
- Five Card Trick beats any hand with fewer cards
- Higher score wins unless the banker ties then banker wins
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