STEKIUS
Twenty-one online at STEKIUS: beat the bank
Play nowTwenty-one is the classic card game of the holidays: one player is the bank and all the others try to get close to 21 without going over. It takes a cool head, a little luck and a good feel for when to stop.
At STEKIUS Twenty-one is a free social game: it is played only with virtual chips, which have no money value and cannot be cashed out or exchanged for money. No real money is played and no real money or prizes are won. You play for fun, with friends or with AI players, and below you will find all the rules.
The bank and the pot
One player is the bank. The bank puts table chips into the pot, and the pot belongs to the bank. Then the bank plays against each player separately, in turn. When your turn comes, you bet part of the pot and get two cards.
The bank changes when the pot is empty, after five rounds, or when the pot grows to three times its starting size. Whatever is left in the pot at that moment, the bank keeps. That way everyone gets the chance to be the bank and to try the other side of the table too.
How you play your hand
With the first two cards in your hand you decide: you draw more to get closer to 21, or you stop. If you go over 21, you bust and lose your bet at once, without the bank having to play.
Your cards stay face down. When you stop, the bank draws its own cards without knowing what you have, and stops whenever it likes. Then the cards are turned over: the higher total wins, and a tie goes to the bank. That is why the bank has a small advantage, and why everyone wants to be the bank.
The value of the cards
Twenty-one is played with its own values, which differ from other card games:
- The 7, 8, 9 and 10 count as their number.
- The Jack counts 2, the Queen 3 and the King 4.
- The Ace counts 11.
- Two Aces together make 21, and five picture cards also make 21.
Banco
Banco means you bet the bank’s whole pot on one hand. It is allowed from the third round on. It is the boldest move of the game: if you win, you empty the pot and the bank changes; if you lose, the pot grows.
The table chips
Every Twenty-one table has its own virtual chips. All the players, people and bots, start with the same table chips, and your own site chips do not move while you play. The table plays for as long as the host chose, and anyone left without table chips is out.
You can leave whenever you like, with no penalty. Then your site chips change by a small percentage of what you won or lost at the table. When the time is up, the same happens for everyone. The table starts to count after a few hands, so that someone who leaves at once changes nothing. All of these are virtual chips: they are not bought to win and they never become money.
Responsible play
Twenty-one here is a social game for groups, like when we played it at home with beans or matches. It is not gambling and offers no chance to win money. Success in a game with virtual chips does not mean success in games with real money.
Tips
- With 17 or more the risk of busting is high; think carefully before you draw.
- Remember that a tie goes to the bank: reaching it is not enough, you have to beat it.
- When you are the bank, do not draw blindly; think about how many players have already bust.
- Banco is spectacular, but keep it for the good moments.
Questions
Is real money played?
No. It is a free social game with virtual chips that have no money value. They cannot be cashed out or exchanged for money or prizes.
How much is the Ace worth?
The Ace counts 11, and two Aces together make 21.
Who wins a tie?
The bank. To win you need a higher total than the bank, without going over 21.
Can I leave in the middle?
Yes, whenever you like and with no penalty. Your chips change by a small percentage of what you won or lost at the table.
When does the bank change?
When the pot is empty, after five rounds, or when the pot has tripled.
