The full guide
What changes in this game?
Online Pontoon changes the hand ranking, hides both dealer cards and makes the player lose ties. Australian Pontoon is a separate game.
Version covered: The online RTG-style rules analysed by Wizard of Odds. Australian Pontoon uses a different shortened-deck rules family and must not share this strategy.
For comparison, ordinary blackjack uses standard 52-card decks, pays qualifying naturals according to the table, and normally pushes equal ordinary totals. Never assume every other rule stays the same.
| Feature | This reference version | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Dealer information | Both dealer cards are hidden; the dealer checks for pontoon. | There is no visible upcard column to use in an ordinary blackjack chart. |
| Hand ranking | Pontoon ranks first, then a non-busted five-card trick, then other hands by total. | A five-card 16 can beat an ordinary four-card 21. |
| Ties and payouts | Dealer wins ties; winning pontoons and five-card tricks pay 2:1 in this reference. | Two five-card tricks tie as a category even if their totals differ. |
| Available actions | Stand on 15+ or any five-card hand; double once on two to four cards and draw afterwards. | Card count and whether you have doubled affect the decision. |
How the strategy differs
Identify which Pontoon you mean
The online form described here uses standard 52-card decks. Australian Pontoon is related to Spanish 21 and removes the numbered tens. These are not minor local names for the same strategy. Find deck composition and hand ranking before interpreting any recommendation.
Rank the hand before comparing its total
A pontoon is an ace with a ten-value card under the rules, including qualifying split hands in the analysed RTG-style version. A five-card trick is any five-card hand that has not busted. Both outrank an ordinary 21. If both sides have five-card tricks, the dealer wins the category tie rather than comparing their numeric totals.
Use card count as a strategy input
With no dealer upcard, the strategy reference uses your hand and the number of cards. A four-card total has a different immediate opportunity to become a five-card trick from a two-card total. Drawing after a double is permitted in this reference, unlike the familiar one-card-only standard double.
Check split aces especially carefully
The analysed RTG-style rules allow drawing and doubling split aces and count a qualifying ace-ten as pontoon. The reference documents different ace and dealer rules for other implementations. Those changes affect strategy, so do not present a single pair instruction as universal across all online Pontoon games.
Before your first hand
- Separate online Pontoon from Australian Pontoon.
- Learn the ranking before comparing totals.
- Record card count and whether a double has been used.
- Check split-ace and dealer rules before choosing a chart.
Common questions
Can I stand below 15?
Not on a hand of fewer than five cards under this reference. A five-card hand is a separate permitted stopping condition.
Is a five-card trick always a winner?
No. Dealer pontoon outranks it, and a dealer five-card trick wins the tie.
Choose a matching strategy. Our interactive standard chart and practice trainer teach their own stated rules. They do not simulate this variation. Use the version-specific references below for variant decisions.
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Rules and strategy references
Public references checked 29 October 2026. The examples use the stated rules; they do not establish current casino availability, a universal house edge or a guarantee of results.
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