How to Play Pontoon
Pontoon is a British card game that is very similar to conventional American blackjack where players are trying to get closest to 21, without going over. The game is originally derived from the French card game Vingt-et-un.
This game can be played with two or more players, but 5-8 players are generally recommended for premium play. The game uses a standard 52 card deck of playing cards (using 2 decks is recommended for games with more than 8 players). Players will also need either money or chips, to place their wagers.
How to Deal Pontoon
The highest win is 21, Pontoon or 5-card bonus; Pontoon beats all combinations, which give 21; Dealer should stick on hand with 17 points. This quite popular variation is similar to other types of Blackjack, such as Spanish 21, Double Exposure, Super Fun 21. You can also find interesting card games in Alternative Blackjack class, available only. Free Online Pontoon Card Games - UK Blackjack Pontoon is a variation of blackjack popular in the United Kingdom and in Australia, but the word has different meanings in each of those countries. This article concerns itself mostly with the UK version of pontoon, since that's the most commonly played free version of the game that's available online.
Before the game begins, one player is chosen to be the banker. The banker has an advantage in Pontoon so the first banker is usually chosen by having all players cut for a high card. The player with the highest card becomes the initial banker. The minimum and maximum bets are usually also decided before the game begins.
To begin the game, the banker deals one card face down to each player. The banker should start by dealing to the player to the left of the dealer and should end on the dealer. All players, besides the banker, can look at their card.
Starting with the player to the left of the dealer and going around the table clockwise, each player (other than the banker) places their initial bets within the agreed upon betting limits. After all bets have been placed, the dealer will deal each player a second face down card, which all players can look at. Each player should now have two face down cards.
How to Score Pontoon
The scoring of Pontoon is almost identical to the game of blackjack. All numbered cards are worth their face value in points. For example, the 6 of diamonds is worth 6 points. All paint cards (Jacks, Queens, and Kings) are worth 10 points each. The final card, the Ace, is worth either 1 point or 11 points, at the decision of the card holder.
Pontoon is scored by adding up your total points and trying to reach 21, without going over. If you achieve more than 21 points, you have busted and lose the hand. For example, if you were dealt a Jack and a 4, you'd have a total of 14 points. The game is won by reaching a total higher than the banker, without going over 21. If a player and the banker have equal points at the end of the hand, the banker always wins.
There are a few special card combinations in Pontoon that should be mentioned. The two important combinations are Pontoons and Five Card Tricks. Aside from these special combinations mentioned below, every other hand in the game is simply scored at its numerical value.
Pontoon
Pontoon is when a player is dealt two initial cards that toal 21 points, similar to blackjack. This is the best hand in the game and can only be achieved by receiving both an Ace and a 10 point card (10, Jack, Queen, or King). Pontoon hands receive a double stake at the end of the hand. If you wagered $5 and got a Pontoon, you'd be paid $10 on top of your $5 wager.
Five Card Trick
The second best hand in this game is called a Five Card Trick. A player has a Five Card Trick when they end up with 5 cards, without going over 21 points. A Pontoon beats a Five Card Trick. A Five Card Trick beats a three or four card 21, even if the Five Card Trick is less than 21. Five Card Tricks are also paid double stake when the hand is over.
Three or Four Card 21's
The third best hand in Pontoon are hands with 3 or 4 cards, that total 21. They beat all natural totals of less than 21 but do not beat Pontoons or Five Card Tricks. The next best hand would be 20, then 19, then 18, etc.
Player's Options
If the banker does not have a Pontoon (in which all players lose immediately), each player has several options for improving their hand. You should first begin by checking to see if you have a Pontoon. If you do, place the Ace face up on top of your bottom 10 point card. This hand is an automatic winner and you have no more options.
If your total is less than 21, you have the option of getting additional cards. Your first option is to buy another card by saying 'I'll Buy One'. You must increase your stake by placing a bet 1x-2x the size of your initial wager on the table. The dealer will then deal you another card face down. You can continue to buy cards until you reach 5 cards or go over 21. The second option for increasing your cards is to twist by saying 'Twist Me One'. With this option, your stake is not affected and the dealer simply gives you an additional card, face up. You can continue to twist until you reach 5 cards or go over 21.
If the total of your cards is at least 15, you have the option to stick by saying 'Stick'. By sticking, you are opting to keep your current cards and total and you will not have the option of receiving any more cards.
The final major player option is to split. If you are dealt two cards of equal value, you have the option of splitting the cards into two separate hands. To split, you must turn over your matching cards face up on the table and place an additional bet equal to your initial wager, for your new hand. The banker will then deal a face down card to each of your two hands. You now play these hands with the same options mentioned above, including the option to split another two matching cards. Note that you cannot split a non-matching 10 point combination such as a Jack and a Queen. Both cards would have to be Jacks to be able to split this kind of hand.
Banker's Options
After all players, other than the banker, have had their turns, the banker turns his two cards face up on the table. Note that the hands of the other players still aren't visible. They are still face down unless they have busted, twisted, split, or declared a Pontoon.
The banker now has the option of adding more cards to his hand. He can continue to add face up cards to his hand until he is satisfied with his total or goes over 21 points. If the banker busts, all players are paid their winnings (even money on hands that aren't Pontoons or Five Card Tricks). If the banker ends up with a total below 21 and stays, all players will turn their cards over to determine the winners. Remember that the banker always wins in a tie situation.
The Next Hand
After all wagers have been settled, the dealer adds all of the used cards to the bottom of the deck, without shuffling them. This provides players a strategy option to remember which cards are out of play. However, if there was a Pontoon in the previous hand, the cards are then shuffled.
If a player other than the banker is dealt a Pontoon in the previous hand and the banker is not dealt a Pontoon, that player becomes the new banker and the game proceeds.
More Blackjack Related Games:
US Players and Credit Card, BitCoin Deposits Accepted!
Introduction
Pontoon is the British version of the internationally popular banking game Twenty-one, perhaps now best known in the form of the American Casino version Blackjack. The game Pontoon and its name are derived from the French Vingt-et-un (21). The variation Shoot Pontoon makes the betting more interesting, by incorporating the betting mechanism of Shoot.
Players, Cards and Objective
Pontoon can be played by any number of players from two upwards - it works well with 5 to 8 players - using a standard 52 card pack. For a large number of players, say 8 or more, two 52 packs can be mixed together. The players also need a supply of money or chips for betting.
The cards have values: ace is worth 1 or 11 at the holder's choice, kings, queens, jacks and tens are worth ten, and the remaining cards are worth their pip value. Each player's basic aim is to form a hand whose total value is as near as possible to 21, without going above 21. Onlineslots.
One player is designated as the banker. The banker has an advantage, so the first banker is chosen at random (whoever cuts the highest card). In each hand, each of the other players bets on having a better hand than the banker.
How Do You Play The Card Game Pontoon
- The best hand of all is a Pontoon, which is 21 points in two cards - this can only consist of ace plus a picture card or ten.
- Next best after a Pontoon is a Five Card Trick, which is a hand of five cards totaling 21 or less.
- A hand of three or four cards worth 21 points beats everything else except a Pontoon or Five Card Trick.
- Hands with 20 or fewer points and fewer than five cards rank in order of their point value - the nearer to 21 the better.
- Hands with more than 21 points are bust and are worthless.
If the banker and a player have equal valued hands, then the banker wins.
Example:A-J (Pontoon) beats 7-3-4-2-2 (Five Card Trick) which beats 9-8-4 (21) which beats 9-A (20) which beats 9-6-A (16)
The Deal and Initial Stakes
The banker deals one card face down to each player, starting with the player to dealer's left, going round the table and ending with the dealer. All the players except the banker may look at their card.
Now starting again with the player to dealer's left and going around clockwise, the players other than the banker place their initial bets in front of them. A minimum and maximum for initial bets must be agreed before the start of the game, and each player may bet any amount within these limits, but must bet at least the minimum.
The dealer now deals a second card face down to each player, and all the players look at their two cards. If the banker has a Pontoon this is immediately exposed, and the banker collects double the amount staked from each of the players.
The Players' Turns
If the banker does not have a pontoon then, beginning with the player to dealer's left and continuing clockwise, the players each have a turn to try to improve their hand if they wish by acquiring extra cards. When it is your turn, you have the following possibilities:
- Declare a Pontoon
- If your two cards are an ace and a ten point card, you declare it by putting them on the table with the ten point card face down and the ace face up on top of it.
- Split your cards
- If your two cards are equal in rank, you may split them into two hands by putting them face up on the table and placing another bet equal to your initial bet. The banker immediately deals another card face down to each of your hands, and you then play the hands one at a time, as separate hands with separate stakes. If either of the new cards dealt is equal to the first two you may choose to split again, creating three or even (theoretically) four separate hands, each with its own stake. Note that you cannot split two ten point cards unless they are actually equal - two queens can be split but a queen and a jack cannot.
- Buy a card
- If the total value of your cards is less than 21, you may say 'I'll buy one'. You must increase your stake by adding an amount at least equal to and not more than twice your initial stake (so for example if you had bet 6 initially you could add to it any amount from 6 to 12, making a maximum of 18 in total). The dealer then deals you another card face down. If your total is still less than 21 you may buy a fourth card; this time you may add to your stake any amount between your initial stake and the amount you added previously. So if your initial bet was 6 and you bought a third card for 10, you may buy a fourth for any amount from 6 to 10. If your four cards still total less than 21 you may buy a fifth card in the same way.
- Twist
- If the total value of your cards is less than 21 you may say 'Twist me one'. Your stake is unaffected, and the dealer deals you one card face up to add to your hand. If your total remains below 21 you may ask for a fourth card to be twisted and then a fifth, in the same way.
- Stick
- If the total value of your cards is at least 15 you may say 'stick'. You stay with the cards you have, your stake stays as it is and it is the next hand's turn to play.
If at any time buying or twisting a card causes the total value of your hand to be more than 21 you are bust; you must immediately throw in your hand face up, and the banker takes your stake and adds your cards to the bottom of the pack.
You can begin by buying one or more cards and continue by twisting, but once you have asked for a card to be twisted you can no longer buy cards - any further cards you want can only be twisted.
When your hand reaches five cards without going over 21 you have a Five Card Trick, and you are not allowed any more cards.
At any time when your total hand value is at least 15 and not more than 21 you can choose to stick, keeping your cards and stake as they are, and the turn passes to the next hand.
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When you have split your hand, you play the two hands one after the other - once you have stuck or gone bust on the first hand you play the second one.
The Banker's Turn
When all the players except the banker have had their turns the banker's two cards are turned face up. The other players' cards will not be visible at this point, except where they have split, twisted, declared pontoons or gone bust.
The banker may add more cards to the initial two by dealing them face up one at a time. At any point, when satisfied with the hand the banker can stay - i.e. stop dealing and play with the cards as dealt. The possible outcomes are:
- The dealer goes bust
- If a card is dealt that takes the dealer's hand over 21, the dealer loses and pays out an amount equal to their stake to all the players who have not gone bust, paying a double stake to any hand that was a Pontoon or Five Card Trick.
- The dealer stays on 21 or less, with four or fewer cards
- The dealer pays an amount equal to their stake to any player who has a higher value hand than the dealer, and collects from those who have equal or less. Pontoons and Five Card Tricks are paid double. For example a dealer who stays on 18 will say 'paying 19'. Everyone then exposes their cards and those who have 19 or more win, those with Pontoons and Five Card Tricks win double and the rest lose. A dealer who makes 21 will be paying Five Card Tricks and Pontoons only. Note that unless you have a Pontoon or a Five Card Trick, it makes no difference whether you have 2, 3 or 4 cards. 19 in two cards is exactly equal in value to 19 in four cards.
- The dealer makes a Five Card Trick
- The dealer pays Pontoons only. Any player with a Pontoon receives double their stake from the dealer. Everyone else (including anyone who had a Five Card Trick) loses double their stake to the dealer.
The New Deal
If no one had a Pontoon, the dealer adds all the used cards to the bottom of the pack and without shuffling deals a new hand. This makes it possible to improve one's chances by remembering which cards are out of play.If there was a Pontoon, the cards are shuffled and cut before the next deal.
If a player other than the banker achieves a Pontoon without splitting their hand, and the banker did not have a Pontoon, then that player becomes the new banker from the next deal. If there are two or more such players, the one nearest to the dealer's left takes over the bank.
The bank can also change hands after any hand if the existing banker wishes to sell the bank to another player at a mutually agreed price.
Variations
For a relatively simple game, Pontoon has surprisingly many variations. Here is a selection:
- Some play that only aces can be split, not other pairs of cards.
- Some play that you must have at least 16 points (rather than 15) to stick.
- Some play that after everyone else has made their initial bet, the banker looks at his own first card and can choose to double the bets. This is sometimes indicated by the banker putting out a stake equal to double the highest of the other players' bets. The effect is that the final payments are doubled, but this doubling does not affect the payments for Pontoon or Five Card Trick - these remain at double the amount staked, not four times.
- The payout for a pontoon varies - some agree to pay a single or a treble stake, rather than double. Some play that the players are paid double but the dealer only collects a single stake for a pontoon.
- If you have 4 cards totaling 11 or less, you are certain to make a five card trick. In this case some play that you cannot buy a fifth card, only twist one.
- Some play that a hand of three sevens held by a player (not the banker) is a Royal Pontoon, which beats everything and is paid treble stakes.
- Some play that a Pontoon consisting of an ace and a picture beats a Pontoon which is an ace and a ten. Some play that A-10 is not a pontoon at all, but just an ordinary 21. Some play that A-K or A-Q is a 'natural' pontoon, which beats a 'plain' pontoon of A-J or A-10.
- Many play that any player whose two cards total a 'hard' 13 (not A-2, which can be 3 or 13) is allowed to 'burn' their hand. These two cards are shown and discarded, and two new cards dealt. The player's bet remains as it is. Some play that it is two cards making a hard 14 (not A-3) that can be burned, rather than 13, so with a pair of sevens you can either burn or hope for a third seven to make a Royal Pontoon. It is possible to burn after burning and to burn either hand after splitting.
Shoot Pontoon
The following description is based on information supplied by Jeffrey Burton.
Shoot Pontoon is Pontoon modified by incorporating the betting mechanism of Shoot in addition to the normal betting. Both Shoot and Shoot Pontoon were popular in Britain in the mid 1950's.
The banker now has the option of adding more cards to his hand. He can continue to add face up cards to his hand until he is satisfied with his total or goes over 21 points. If the banker busts, all players are paid their winnings (even money on hands that aren't Pontoons or Five Card Tricks). If the banker ends up with a total below 21 and stays, all players will turn their cards over to determine the winners. Remember that the banker always wins in a tie situation.
The Next Hand
After all wagers have been settled, the dealer adds all of the used cards to the bottom of the deck, without shuffling them. This provides players a strategy option to remember which cards are out of play. However, if there was a Pontoon in the previous hand, the cards are then shuffled.
If a player other than the banker is dealt a Pontoon in the previous hand and the banker is not dealt a Pontoon, that player becomes the new banker and the game proceeds.
More Blackjack Related Games:
US Players and Credit Card, BitCoin Deposits Accepted!
Introduction
Pontoon is the British version of the internationally popular banking game Twenty-one, perhaps now best known in the form of the American Casino version Blackjack. The game Pontoon and its name are derived from the French Vingt-et-un (21). The variation Shoot Pontoon makes the betting more interesting, by incorporating the betting mechanism of Shoot.
Players, Cards and Objective
Pontoon can be played by any number of players from two upwards - it works well with 5 to 8 players - using a standard 52 card pack. For a large number of players, say 8 or more, two 52 packs can be mixed together. The players also need a supply of money or chips for betting.
The cards have values: ace is worth 1 or 11 at the holder's choice, kings, queens, jacks and tens are worth ten, and the remaining cards are worth their pip value. Each player's basic aim is to form a hand whose total value is as near as possible to 21, without going above 21. Onlineslots.
One player is designated as the banker. The banker has an advantage, so the first banker is chosen at random (whoever cuts the highest card). In each hand, each of the other players bets on having a better hand than the banker.
How Do You Play The Card Game Pontoon
- The best hand of all is a Pontoon, which is 21 points in two cards - this can only consist of ace plus a picture card or ten.
- Next best after a Pontoon is a Five Card Trick, which is a hand of five cards totaling 21 or less.
- A hand of three or four cards worth 21 points beats everything else except a Pontoon or Five Card Trick.
- Hands with 20 or fewer points and fewer than five cards rank in order of their point value - the nearer to 21 the better.
- Hands with more than 21 points are bust and are worthless.
If the banker and a player have equal valued hands, then the banker wins.
Example:A-J (Pontoon) beats 7-3-4-2-2 (Five Card Trick) which beats 9-8-4 (21) which beats 9-A (20) which beats 9-6-A (16)
The Deal and Initial Stakes
The banker deals one card face down to each player, starting with the player to dealer's left, going round the table and ending with the dealer. All the players except the banker may look at their card.
Now starting again with the player to dealer's left and going around clockwise, the players other than the banker place their initial bets in front of them. A minimum and maximum for initial bets must be agreed before the start of the game, and each player may bet any amount within these limits, but must bet at least the minimum.
The dealer now deals a second card face down to each player, and all the players look at their two cards. If the banker has a Pontoon this is immediately exposed, and the banker collects double the amount staked from each of the players.
The Players' Turns
If the banker does not have a pontoon then, beginning with the player to dealer's left and continuing clockwise, the players each have a turn to try to improve their hand if they wish by acquiring extra cards. When it is your turn, you have the following possibilities:
- Declare a Pontoon
- If your two cards are an ace and a ten point card, you declare it by putting them on the table with the ten point card face down and the ace face up on top of it.
- Split your cards
- If your two cards are equal in rank, you may split them into two hands by putting them face up on the table and placing another bet equal to your initial bet. The banker immediately deals another card face down to each of your hands, and you then play the hands one at a time, as separate hands with separate stakes. If either of the new cards dealt is equal to the first two you may choose to split again, creating three or even (theoretically) four separate hands, each with its own stake. Note that you cannot split two ten point cards unless they are actually equal - two queens can be split but a queen and a jack cannot.
- Buy a card
- If the total value of your cards is less than 21, you may say 'I'll buy one'. You must increase your stake by adding an amount at least equal to and not more than twice your initial stake (so for example if you had bet 6 initially you could add to it any amount from 6 to 12, making a maximum of 18 in total). The dealer then deals you another card face down. If your total is still less than 21 you may buy a fourth card; this time you may add to your stake any amount between your initial stake and the amount you added previously. So if your initial bet was 6 and you bought a third card for 10, you may buy a fourth for any amount from 6 to 10. If your four cards still total less than 21 you may buy a fifth card in the same way.
- Twist
- If the total value of your cards is less than 21 you may say 'Twist me one'. Your stake is unaffected, and the dealer deals you one card face up to add to your hand. If your total remains below 21 you may ask for a fourth card to be twisted and then a fifth, in the same way.
- Stick
- If the total value of your cards is at least 15 you may say 'stick'. You stay with the cards you have, your stake stays as it is and it is the next hand's turn to play.
If at any time buying or twisting a card causes the total value of your hand to be more than 21 you are bust; you must immediately throw in your hand face up, and the banker takes your stake and adds your cards to the bottom of the pack.
You can begin by buying one or more cards and continue by twisting, but once you have asked for a card to be twisted you can no longer buy cards - any further cards you want can only be twisted.
When your hand reaches five cards without going over 21 you have a Five Card Trick, and you are not allowed any more cards.
At any time when your total hand value is at least 15 and not more than 21 you can choose to stick, keeping your cards and stake as they are, and the turn passes to the next hand.
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When you have split your hand, you play the two hands one after the other - once you have stuck or gone bust on the first hand you play the second one.
The Banker's Turn
When all the players except the banker have had their turns the banker's two cards are turned face up. The other players' cards will not be visible at this point, except where they have split, twisted, declared pontoons or gone bust.
The banker may add more cards to the initial two by dealing them face up one at a time. At any point, when satisfied with the hand the banker can stay - i.e. stop dealing and play with the cards as dealt. The possible outcomes are:
- The dealer goes bust
- If a card is dealt that takes the dealer's hand over 21, the dealer loses and pays out an amount equal to their stake to all the players who have not gone bust, paying a double stake to any hand that was a Pontoon or Five Card Trick.
- The dealer stays on 21 or less, with four or fewer cards
- The dealer pays an amount equal to their stake to any player who has a higher value hand than the dealer, and collects from those who have equal or less. Pontoons and Five Card Tricks are paid double. For example a dealer who stays on 18 will say 'paying 19'. Everyone then exposes their cards and those who have 19 or more win, those with Pontoons and Five Card Tricks win double and the rest lose. A dealer who makes 21 will be paying Five Card Tricks and Pontoons only. Note that unless you have a Pontoon or a Five Card Trick, it makes no difference whether you have 2, 3 or 4 cards. 19 in two cards is exactly equal in value to 19 in four cards.
- The dealer makes a Five Card Trick
- The dealer pays Pontoons only. Any player with a Pontoon receives double their stake from the dealer. Everyone else (including anyone who had a Five Card Trick) loses double their stake to the dealer.
The New Deal
If no one had a Pontoon, the dealer adds all the used cards to the bottom of the pack and without shuffling deals a new hand. This makes it possible to improve one's chances by remembering which cards are out of play.If there was a Pontoon, the cards are shuffled and cut before the next deal.
If a player other than the banker achieves a Pontoon without splitting their hand, and the banker did not have a Pontoon, then that player becomes the new banker from the next deal. If there are two or more such players, the one nearest to the dealer's left takes over the bank.
The bank can also change hands after any hand if the existing banker wishes to sell the bank to another player at a mutually agreed price.
Variations
For a relatively simple game, Pontoon has surprisingly many variations. Here is a selection:
- Some play that only aces can be split, not other pairs of cards.
- Some play that you must have at least 16 points (rather than 15) to stick.
- Some play that after everyone else has made their initial bet, the banker looks at his own first card and can choose to double the bets. This is sometimes indicated by the banker putting out a stake equal to double the highest of the other players' bets. The effect is that the final payments are doubled, but this doubling does not affect the payments for Pontoon or Five Card Trick - these remain at double the amount staked, not four times.
- The payout for a pontoon varies - some agree to pay a single or a treble stake, rather than double. Some play that the players are paid double but the dealer only collects a single stake for a pontoon.
- If you have 4 cards totaling 11 or less, you are certain to make a five card trick. In this case some play that you cannot buy a fifth card, only twist one.
- Some play that a hand of three sevens held by a player (not the banker) is a Royal Pontoon, which beats everything and is paid treble stakes.
- Some play that a Pontoon consisting of an ace and a picture beats a Pontoon which is an ace and a ten. Some play that A-10 is not a pontoon at all, but just an ordinary 21. Some play that A-K or A-Q is a 'natural' pontoon, which beats a 'plain' pontoon of A-J or A-10.
- Many play that any player whose two cards total a 'hard' 13 (not A-2, which can be 3 or 13) is allowed to 'burn' their hand. These two cards are shown and discarded, and two new cards dealt. The player's bet remains as it is. Some play that it is two cards making a hard 14 (not A-3) that can be burned, rather than 13, so with a pair of sevens you can either burn or hope for a third seven to make a Royal Pontoon. It is possible to burn after burning and to burn either hand after splitting.
Shoot Pontoon
The following description is based on information supplied by Jeffrey Burton.
Shoot Pontoon is Pontoon modified by incorporating the betting mechanism of Shoot in addition to the normal betting. Both Shoot and Shoot Pontoon were popular in Britain in the mid 1950's.
At the start of the game, the dealer forms a kitty by putting in any amount of money, between agreed minimum and maximum limits.
After all the players have bet on their first card, then starting again with the player to dealer's left, they each have a turn to make a shoot bet. Shoot bets are kept separate from the players' normal bets, and are placed between the player and the kitty. You are never forced to make a shoot bet but if you do, it can be any amount you choose, provided that the total of all the shoot bets is not more than what is in the kitty. Thus if the first player shoots half the kitty, the second player can shoot any amount up to half the kitty; if the first player decides to shoot the whole kitty, the remaining players cannot for the time being place any shoot bets at all.
After the shoot bets have been placed, the dealer deals everyone a second card face down. If the dealer has a Pontoon, all the shoot bets are added to the pot and the players each pay double their stake to the dealer. Otherwise each player has the same options as in normal pontoon, but with some extra betting opportunities:
- The fourth card
- Buying or twisting a third card is the same as in normal pontoon - no extra bets are allowed. If a player has a three card hand totaling less than 21 and wishes to ask for a fourth card, either by twisting it or (if the third card was bought) by buying it, then before receiving the card, the player is allowed to place a shoot bet. As before, this bet can be any amount which does not make the total of shoot bets greater than what is currently in the kitty. You can place a shoot bet before receiving your fourth card even if you did not shoot at your previous opportunity; conversely, shooting before your second card does not compel you to shoot before your fourth card. There is no further opportunity to shoot after you see your fourth card, even if you decide to take a fifth.
- Splitting
- When a player splits having made a shoot bet, the shoot bet remains on the hand containing the first card, and the player has the option to place a new shoot bet (not necessarily of the same amount) on the other hand, subject to the usual limitation that the total of all shoot bets must not be more than the kitty.
- Going bust
- If a hand goes bust, that hand's shoot bet, if any, is immediately added to the kitty - thus increasing the amount that subsequent hands can shoot.
At the end of the hand, after the dealer has played, all outstanding shoot bets are settled at the same time as the normal pontoon bets. Players who have a better hand than the dealer are paid an amount equal to their shoot bets out of the kitty, and players whose hands are equal to or worse than the dealer's have their shoot bets added to the kitty.
Before each new deal the dealer has the option to add more money to the kitty, but must not take anything out of it. If there is nothing in the kitty at the end of a hand the dealer must either put up a new kitty or offer the bank for sale to the highest bidder. When the deal passes to a new player, either because they had a Pontoon or because it was sold, the old dealer retrieves anything that was left in the kitty, and the new dealer puts up a new kitty.
Other Pontoon web pages and Software
Pontoon rules are available on the Card Game Heaven web site.
The Pogg's Pontoon Guide provides information on the casino version of Pontoon, its strategy and places to play online.
Derek Lazenby's free Nickel Odeon Casino program for Windows includes a Pontoon game to play against the computer.
