New Multi-hand Blackjack games released by Switch Studios for Microgaming

We're used to Microgaming having a number of games set to be released across any given month, since they have teamed up with a number of slots development studios around the world, we have seen a marked increase in the number of games hitting casinos each month. However, this past week was a special one even by Microgaming's lofty standards.

That is because their partnership with Switch Studios, who have been busily revamping Microgaming's table game output in recent times, has seen an incredible seven different types of Multi-hand Blackjack games released on a single day!

What are Multi-hand games?

In a typical game of blackjack, a player is dealt one hand and then plays against the house in order to try and beat the house's score to win the hand. The caveat being that if a player scores over 21 with their hand, they go bust and the house wins automatically. Similarly, if both the player and house score under 21, then it is the hand closest to 21 that wins.

It is easy to see why Blackjack is so popular given how simple it is to play and understand, however with the Multi-hand version of the game, players don't just play one hand, but they can elect to play several hands against the dealer in the same game.

Each hand that the player elects to play requires its own stake and is played through individually, with players making decisions on each hand they have decided to play. In this way, rather than a game lasting just one hand, one game with multiple hands can take a player considerably longer to work through (and offers them more than one chance to win against the dealer, who will only ever have the one hand).

So for example, if you are playing a Multi-hand version of Blackjack for £1 per game. If you then decide to play five hands against the dealers, then you would have to pay 5 x £1 (£5) to cover the entry cost for each hand. Remember too, each hand can generate its own costs, such as if you double down, or make a side bet (if it is available) or pay for insurance, so the cost per hand could increase from there too.

The big advantage for multi-hand games for players is that because they have several hands in play, they stand a chance of beating the dealer with at least some of them and if the dealer goes bust you could win across multiple hands.

What other games have Switch Studios released of late?

Switch Studios have been responsible for revamping a number of Microgaming table games and casino games and over the last couple of years they have released the following games as part of their exclusive deal with the Isle of Man-based company.

• Sic Bo - September 2020
• No Commission Baccarat - August 2020
• Classic Blackjack Six Deck - March 2020
• Vegas Single Deck Blackjack - December 2019
• Baccarat - December 2019
• Sapphire Roulette - August 2019
• European Blackjack - May 2019
• Roulette - March 2019
• American Roulette - November 2018

The nine different games have been hugely impressive in revamping the Microgaming Casino game offering across its casinos and now it seems the company has been working on producing a number of Multi-hand versions of many of these games, with a few new games added into the mix for good measure.

Let's now take a closer look at the seven new Blackjack Multi-hand variants that were released in this past week.

What were the seven new multi-hand card games released this past week?

The seven new Multi-hand Blackjack games released by Microgaming are listed below with some basic details about each of the games also added for each.

Classic Blackjack Six Deck - Multi-hand

• Blackjack Pays 3 to 2
• Dealer Stands on all 17
• Insurance Pays 2 to 1
• Hands Available - Five
• Minimum bet per hand - 1.00

Vegas Strip Blackjack - Multi-hand

• Blackjack Pays 3 to 2
• Dealer Stands on all 17
• Insurance Pays 2 to 1
• Hands Available - Five
• Minimum bet per hand - 1.00

Vegas Single Deck Blackjack - Multi-hand

• Blackjack Pays 3 to 2
• Dealer must Hit on Soft 17
• Insurance Pays 2 to 1
• Hands Available - Five
• Minimum bet per hand - 1.00

Vegas Downtown Blackjack - Multi-hand

• Blackjack Pays 3 to 2
• Dealer must Hit on Soft 17
• Insurance Pays 2 to 1
• Hands Available - Five
• Minimum bet per hand - 1.00

European Blackjack - Multi-hand

• Blackjack Pays 3 to 2
• Dealer Stands on all 17
• Insurance Pays 2 to 1
• Hands Available - Five
• Minimum bet per hand - 1.00

Classic Blackjack - Multi-hand

• Blackjack Pays 3 to 2
• Dealer Stands on all 17
• Insurance Pays 2 to 1
• Hands Available - Three
• Minimum bet per hand - 1.00

Atlantic City Blackjack - Multi-hand

• Blackjack Pays 3 to 2
• Dealer Stands on all 17
• Insurance Pays 2 to 1
• Hands Available - Five
• Minimum bet per hand - 1.00

All the games above are multi-hand versions of games that Switch Studios have released previously, which are available in single-hand versions too.

While there are some slight differences in each version of the games above, all of them tend to offer low variance gaming and a very high RTP of over 99% to players, as is the nature of Blackjack games which are, in terms of house edge, among the most player friendly games you can find at the casino.

However, it should be noted that the more hands you play against a casino and the more you divert your play from the strategy you should follow to ensure that you get the most chance of winning in these types of games, then the more the RTP percentage will drop a little. That said however, Blackjack games are still among the best value games you can play at a casino and they are hugely popular with players as a result.

Switch Studios have produced an outstanding range of games for Microgaming since being tasked with revamping the company's table gaming output and after this big release of Multi-hand Blackjack games, it is going to be interesting to see what other games the company has set for release in the near future.