British Blackjack – 7 Card Blackjack Game Rules & How To Play

British blackjack is completely different from the traditional game of blackjack or 21. It goes by many names, such as Irish Switch, English Blackjack, Two Four Jacks, Black Jack Pick Up 7 and many more.  

So, what exactly is British blackjack, what are its rules, and how do you play it? Keep reading this article as we expand more on the British blackjack game.

What Is British Blackjack? 

British blackjack is often played with one deck of cards, though you can use more if you have more players. It is generally played with two players, each receiving seven cards instead of the usual two.

Instead of each player making a hand as close to 21 as possible, British blackjack aims to get rid of the cards in your hand by matching the rank or the suit of the previous card played.

For example, if the first player played an Ace of Hearts, the next player may put down any Ace card or any card of hearts.

7 Card Blackjack Rules

The rules of British blackjack are relatively simple to follow. You only need to remember the following:

• The game can be played by a minimum of two players.
• The player to the left of the dealer always starts.
• You only place a card if it matches the card already played or revealed from the stack by rank or suit. You draw from the deck if you do not have such a card.
• One player can play consecutive cards at a time.
• If you can play all your cards in one go, you must shout, “Cards!” Failure to do so incurs a penalty of drawing two more cards.
• If you play out of turn or play a wrong card, this is considered a blunder punishable by drawing two extra cards from the deck and removing the card you have played.
• If you have a single card remaining, you must say, “Last Card”, or you risk getting two more cards. You can also just tap the table to signify you have one last card to play.
• But, if your last card is any of the power cards (Ace, 2, 7, 8, 10 or a Jack), you must draw another card from the deck as you are not allowed to finish with power cards.
• Sometimes, a 10, King and a 3 card can be used as a reverse card instead of a 7.
• In other variations, red Jacks do not cancel black Jacks; they work the same. 

These rules can differ depending on the casino or the table, so be sure to check beforehand. 

How To Play British Blackjack

The gameplay of British blackjack is very different from traditional blackjack. The dealer distributes seven cards to each player, including themselves, and the rest of the cards in the deck are put face down in a stack.

Then, the first card from the deck is revealed, and the next player in line – often from the dealer’s left side- must place a card atop that matches the revealed card’s rank or suit. 

The card can be of the same value or higher if you are matching the suit, not lower. For example, if the first card is a 5 of hearts, you can only place a 5 of another suit, or 6 of hearts, 7 of hearts, 8 of hearts or higher, etc.

Other cards to keep in mind that have special meanings and powers are an Ace, 2, 7, 8, 10 and a Jack. They are called power cards, and the following are their roles:

• 2 = If another player plays a 2 of any suit, the next player after them must pick up 2 cards from the pile. However, if the next player also has a 2 from their cards, they can place it down instead of taking two cards, making the next player draw four cards from the pile. This can go on until someone cannot play a 2 and has to pick up the accumulated total from the deck.
• 8 = If a player plays an 8, that means the player after them skips their turn. 
• 7 or 10 = A 7 or 10 reverses the direction of play. For example, if the play direction was going from left to right, the 7 or 10 card reverses it from right to left. In some games, the 7 is the power card, and in some, it’s the 10 – be sure to check beforehand.
• Black Jack = The black Jack forces the next player to pick up 5 cards from the deck. If you have two black Jacks, you can play them both at the same time, so the next player has to pick up 10 cards.
• Red Jack = A red Jack cancels the black Jack. If a player before you plays a black Jack, you can avoid picking up cards by playing a red Jack. If they played two black Jacks, you could place two red Jacks because one red Jack cancels one black Jack. If you do not have two red jacks, you can place one and pick up just 5 cards.
• Ace = You can play an ace at any time, regardless of the card or suit already played, and you can decide what suit is in play. However, it does not work on the other power cards. 

A player’s turn can run for as long as they’re able to keep matching the card. If they cannot go at all, they can draw from the facedown deck. A winner is whoever eliminates all their cards first.

Play Blackjack Online For Real Money 

Now we have gone through the rules and the gameplay of British blackjack or 7 card blackjack; you may be interested in playing it for real money in online casinos. 

Unfortunately, King Casino does not have this particular variation, but we have plenty of other blackjack games you can play.

Sign up to King Casino to play blackjack online for real money. We also have a range of other incredible casino games, such as roulette and baccarat. There are also live casino variations of each.

Click the ‘Join’ button on the home page, and follow the steps on-screen to get started.

*All values (Bet Levels, Maximum Wins, etc.) mentioned in relation to this game are subject to change at any time.