In this guide we cover how to play the mini-game of blackjack in Red Dead Redemption 2, from the rules and locations you can play the game to help you get started playing blackjack.
RDR2 Blackjack Locations
Where to play Blackjack in Red Dead Redemption 2
- Blackjack is the second card mini-game available in the Red Dead Redemption 2. It is much simpler than poker: to win the round, you must have the cards that are dealt to you add up to 21, or as close as possible. Blackjack is played against the dealer, so there are fewer variables involved than in poker.
- You can play RDR2 Online Blackjack for any reason: you may be in it for the love of the game or you might simply want to tick off a challenge. But playing RDR2 Blackjack isn't the real kicker, it's finding a table to play it. And having a massive map does little to help. So, here are the four locations where you can find a game of RDR2.
- Sorry if this has been asked by someone else, but does anyone have any tips on the gambler challenge where you need to win 3 hands of blackjack by doing 3 hits or more? I got close once, out of maybe 50 hands, but nothing close ever since. Is there a trick to like bet a certain amount to increase the chances of certain cards showing or not?
As my blackjack appendix 9 shows, a 2-card soft 18 vs A has an expected value of hitting of -0.100359, and of standing -0.100502. So with two cards it is very slightly better to hit. So with two cards it is very slightly better to hit. Also, surely there's no 'How to play Blackjack' to complete Gambler Challenge #8? It's a ridiculous, pure luck challenge, and the only way to beat it is to spam 'Hit' until you get lucky. In fact the only possible decision you could have when doing that challenge is if you get dealt a mid-range pair, and have to decide whether or not to split.
Below are the areas in the map where you can find and play blackjack.
- Main camp: times vary, but you can play at your main camp with other gang members.
- Rhodes: In the saloon at the south end of the town.
- Van Horn: The saloon is centered in the middle of the town.
- Blackwater: located in the center of the town on the main street in the saloon.
Note: You can only play blackjack in Blackwater if you have progressed enough in the main story.
RDR2 Blackjack Rules & Overview
The game of blackjack is to beat the dealer by having the total value of your hand of cards be closer to 21 than theirs without it going over ('busting'). The game is played with only you and the dealer, but other players are playing as well.
Before cards are dealt in a round, each player chooses how much they want to bet on their hand. The players and dealer are then dealt two cards each. Players' cards are dealt face-up, but one of the dealer's cards is initially hidden.
Each player has one turn in which they may choose to receive another card (hit). and more additional cards until they either bust out or stand with the total score of their hand of cards.
Once all players' turns are finished, the dealer will reveal their hidden card. The dealer's turn has a fixed strategy: if the score is less than 17, the dealer is required to hit. If it's 17 or higher, the dealer must stand.
Players will win if their score is closer to 21 than the dealer's score, or if the dealer busts out. Players lose if they bust, or the dealer's score is closer to 21. If a player and the dealer have the same score, then the hand is a 'push' and the player's chips will be returned.
RDR2 Blackjack Card Values
- Number cards 2 to 10: face value.
- King: 10.
- Queen: 10.
- Jack: 10.
- Ace: 1 or 11. The value used for each ace is whichever puts the hand's score closest to 21 without busting.
If the first two cards of a player's hand are an ace and any ten-value card (10, King, Queen, or Jack) that player has a blackjack because their cards total 21. A blackjack is an automatic win unless the dealer also has blackjack, in which case the hand is a push.
A blackjack win pays 3:2 instead of the usual 1:1 payment for winning a hand.
RDR2 Blackjack Betting
After receiving your first two cards, you have up to four options. The list below describes the many ways to play.
Hit
The dealer adds another card to your hand.
Stand
Ends your turn without taking another card.
Double Down
You can choose to double down as long as you only have two cards in your hand. This doubles the value of your current bet, and gives you one - and only one - additional card. If you don't have enough chips to cover the additional bet, you can't double down.
Split
If your first two cards have the same value, you will have the option of splitting your hand. This separates your cards into two hands which are played independently. The new hand has a bet value equal to your initial bet - if you don't have enough chips to cover the cost of this additional bet, you will not be allowed to split.
If a split hand has an ace and a ten-value card, it is not considered a blackjack. Doubling down is allowed on split hands.
Blackjack Insurance
If the dealer's face-up card is an ace, you will be given the option of buying insurance. The maximum insurance is half of your current bet. The dealer will then check their hand for a blackjack. If they have one, you win 2:1 on your insurance bet but lose your initial bet, and the round is over. If the dealer does not have blackjack, all insurance bets are lost, and the round continues as normal.
Even Money
If you have a blackjack when insurance betting starts and you bet the maximum insurance, this is known as taking even money. In this situation, whether the dealer has blackjack or not, you are guaranteed a payout of 1:1. If the dealer has blackjack, you will win the insurance bet and push your original stake. If the dealer does not have blackjack, you lose the insurance bet, but payout for your blackjack. Both resolve to a payout of 1:1.
We hope this beginners guide will help anyone starting off a good idea on how to play the game and the rules for it. For the other Mini Games and Activities in Red Dead Redemption 2, see all the Table Games Guides and check out the complete Guides Section.
In this Red Dead Redemption 2 Table Games Guide, we will guide you on how you can play all the table games that are present in Red Dead Redemption 2. There are four different table games in Red Dead Redemption 2 which include Poker, Five Finger Fillet, Blackjack and Dominoes. You will be able to take part in them as soon as you complete some initial story missions.
Once you have played a table game in a story mission, it will be unlocked all over the map for you to play them whenever you want. Dominoes is unlocked right from the start of Chapter 2. The remaining ones get unlocked after a few missions as well. We have curated this Red Dead Redemption 2 Table Games Guide in which we have detailed the locations of these table games and some tips and tricks that will help you beat them easily.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Table Games – Tips and Tricks
Our Red Dead Redemption 2 Table Games Guide details everything that you need to know about playing different table games in Red Dead Redemption 2. The game itself has more detailed instructions on each of these table games in the Help section in the Pause Menu.
Five Finger Fillet
You can play Five Finger Fillet in Strawberry. Look for the marker FFF: Guts near the Strawberry Stagecoach.
In Five Finger Fillet, the goal is to place one hand on the table and then quickly stab a knife between all of your fingers without stabbing yourself. When you start the game, a series of buttons will be displayed on the screen. You will need to quickly press these buttons to complete one lap around the whole hand.
If you press the wrong button or wait too long before inputting a button, you will stab your hand and lose the round. You can place a bet before the match begins. If you win the match, you will win the bet however if you lose the match, you will need to pay the winner. As you keep winning, tougher enemies will come to the game with higher stakes.
There are three types of games in Five Finger Fillet, Classic, Guts, and Burnout. In the Classic mode, you must complete a set of laps in the fastest lap possible in five attempts. In Guts, you must try to complete as many laps in 20 seconds with unlimited tries. In Burnout, you must complete as many laps in 30 seconds without stabbing yourself. There is only one chance.
Rdr2 Blackjack Double Down
Before starting a game, you will be given a specific amount of time to practice. Make sure you use that time to polish your skills with the game a bit. You can also perform tricks by pressing L1 when it appears after every successful lap. This is a very easy game if you practice a bit.
Poker
You can play Poker in the saloon of Saint-Denis. Other than that, the game will be introduced to you in chapter 4 ‘A Fine Night of Debauchery' while playing the main story of the game.
In Poker, the goal might seem very simple but achieving it is not. In Poker, to win the game players will need to have the best cards at the end of the game or convince others that they have the best cards so they drop out before the game ends. Each player at the start of the game is given two hole cards that are not known to others.
After the game begins, different cards are placed at the center of the table which are seen by everyone. These are called community cards and players must then work towards building the best card sets until the end of the game using their hole cards and the community cards. Between matches, players can also bet or increase bets to raise the stakes even more. Once all betting rounds are complete, all players show their cards in a showdown and the winner takes the winnings.
There are different types of rankings that you can opt for if you want to win such as Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair and High Card. Players who do not want to continue a game can always fold or go All-In depending on their situations.
Blackjack
You can play Blackjack in Rhodes. Once there, head inside the Saloon and you can play Blackjack on the table there.
Blackjack is won by beating the dealer by having a total value of our cards in hand by 21 or near to 21. Exceeding 21 will cause you to lose the game. Before a match, the player and the dealer set a bet and then both of them are given two cards each. Player's cards are known to everyone but one of the dealer's cards is hidden from everyone.
After the bet is set, each player can choose to receive more cards until their turns run out. Once the turns are over, they show their cards and the player closest to 21 is the winner. The dealer's hidden card is also revealed after player turns are over. If the sum is less than 17, the dealer will add another card to your deck.
If the score is greater than 17, the dealer will end the turn without taking another card. Once you have the closest score to 21 you will win the game. If you go over 21, which is called busting, you will lose the game.
Dominoes
To play Dominoes, head to Saint-Denis and look for the park with the Dominoes marker in it. Occasionally, you will be able to play Dominoes in your own camp as well.
There are different ways to play Dominoes. They include Draw, Block, All Threes and All Fives. In Draw, the first player to down all of their Dominoes is the winner. Each player has 28 unique tiles in their sets. When a match starts each player places seven, face down dominoes. The player with the highest double starts the game.
Rdr2 All Blackjack Locations
Line of play is set by this player and after that remaining players must choose and place dominoes having matching numbers or pips against other tiles. The game continues until players use their last tile from their set of 28 dominoes. To conclude a round, players must eliminate all their tiles. The first one to reach a score of 60 is the winner.
In Block, the same rules are followed as Draw except that players cannot draw new tiles. In All Threes, points are earned at the end of each turn by adding the number of pips at each open end of the chain. If this number is a multiple of 3, the player will score that specific number of points. All Fives follow the same rules only the sum has to be a multiple of 5.
For more Red Dead Redemption 2 guides, check out Red Dead Redemption 2 Points of Interest Guide, Honor System Guide, and Hunting Requests Guide.
Rdr2 Blackjack Challenge
This concludes our Red Dead Redemption 2 Table Games Guide. If you want to add anything to this guide, feel free to use the comments section below.
