h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Though very nearly identical, it's not the same game: in pontoon, which is played between gamblers as opposed to against the house, the bank (+deal) passes to a player making 'pontoon' (A + 10);

Likewise, as you hint in your footnotes, 'twist' and 'stick' are pontoon terminology and will get you very funny looks at a blackjack table. Almost everyone uses sign-language, but the technically correct verbal requests are 'card' and 'no card'.

I always wondered if there was actually any point in knowing all this

Well, now there is. I beg to differ on your definition of pontoon, though. In my card games book it's given as near-as-dammit the same game, so I won't change that bit, leastways not at the minute.

I'll put in the bit about 'card' and 'no card', though, although I can't recall ever actually having heard anyone say them.

B

Card-play _is_ exactly the same. It's a bit like the difference between auction and contract, though:

Pontoon uses only one deck of 52 cards, blackjack uses a shoe of 3 or more decks.

'Pontoon' gives the player the right to 'buy out' the bank (which would effectively nullify the house advantage in blackjack), whereas 'blackjack' pays 3:2. Where I worked, referring to blackjack as pontoon is usually even more frowned upon than 'twist' etc, otherwise I wouldn't labour the point (a game's a game, after all).

Had a quick look for the Dice rules, no joy as yet.

Usually, the only time you'll hear players call 'card'/'no card' is in rather a tetchy tone, for the benefit of the inspector, implying that the dealer can't be trusted to follow their hand signals.

I'll get back to you on roulette wheels when I've got 20 mins Fjx

Excellent - take your time, I've got 4 more weeks (plus a few extensions) to finish this project.

B