(b) Blackjack switch shall be played with six or eight decks of cards, with backs of the same color and design and two additional cover cards. The cover cards shall be opaque and a solid color readily distinguishable from the color of the backs and edges of the playing cards as approved by the commission.

1. (1) Prior to the first card being dealt for each round of play, each player at the game of blackjack switch shall make two equal wagers, one for each blackjack hand to be dealt to that player, and each wager shall equal or exceed the posted minimum wager for the table. Each wager of a player shall be determined individually, and shall win if the:

   1. (i) point count of the player is 21 or less and the point count of the dealer exceeds 22;
   2. (ii) point count of the player exceeds that of the dealer without either exceeding 21; or
   3. (iii) player has a blackjack without switching cards and the dealer does not also have blackjack.

2. (2) Except as provided in subparagraph (1)(iii) of this subdivision, if the point count of the player is the same as the dealer, a wager made in accordance with this section shall be a push, unless the player has a point count:

   1. (i) of 21 in more than 2 cards and the dealer has a blackjack, in which case the wager shall lose; or
   2. (ii) exceeding 21, in which case the wager shall lose.
3. (3) If the point count of the dealer is 22 and the point count of the player is 21 or less, a wager made in accordance with this section shall be a push unless the player has a blackjack without switching cards pursuant to subparagraph (1)(iii) of this subdivision, in which case the wager shall win.
4. (4) All wagers at blackjack switch, including the optional match wager in subdivision (f) of this section, shall be made by placing gaming chips or plaques and, if applicable, a promotional coupon on the appropriate betting areas of the table layout.
5. (5) Once the first card of any round of play has been removed from the shoe by the dealer, no player shall make, alter, remove, or otherwise handle any wager that has been made until a decision has been rendered and implemented with respect to that wager, except as permitted in this section.
6. (6) Once an insurance wager or a wager to double down has been made by a player and confirmed by the dealer, no player shall alter, remove or otherwise handle the wager until a decision has been rendered and implemented with respect to that wager.
7. (7) After each round of play is complete, the dealer shall collect all losing wagers, return any pushes and pay all winning wagers. Except as provided in subdivisions (f) and (h) of this section, all winning blackjack switch wagers, including a blackjack, shall be paid at no less than odds of 1:1.

8. (8) After the cards have been shuffled, a gaming facility may prohibit any person, whether seated at the gaming table or not, who does not make a wager on a given round of play from placing a wager on the next round of play and any subsequent round of play at that gaming table until a re-shuffle of the cards has occurred.

   (d) Procedure for dealing the cards.

9. (1) All cards used in blackjack switch shall be dealt from a dealing shoe specifically designed for such purpose.
10. (2) The dealer shall remove cards from the shoe with the dealer’s left hand, turn the cards face up, and then place the cards on the appropriate area of the layout with the dealer’s right hand, except that the dealer has the option to deal cards to the first two betting spots with the dealer’s left hand.
11. (3) After each full set of cards is placed in the shoe, the dealer shall burn the first card from the shoe. Each new dealer who comes to the table also shall burn the first card from the shoe before the new dealer deals any cards to the players. The burn card shall be disclosed if requested by a player.

12. (4) At the commencement of each round of play, the dealer shall, starting on the dealer’s left and continuing around the table, deal the cards in the following order:

    1. (i) one card face up to each box on the layout in which a wager is contained;
    2. (ii) one card face up to the dealer;
    3. (iii) a second card face up to each box in which a wager is contained, which card shall be dealt so as to overlap the lower left-hand corner of the first card, as seen from the dealer’s point of view; and
    4. (iv) one card face down to the dealer.
13. (5) Immediately after the first four cards are dealt to each player, and before any card reader device is used and any additional cards are dealt to any player or the dealer, the dealer shall collect all losing match wagers and pay all winning match wagers in accordance with subdivision (e) of this section.

14. (6) After all match wagers have been settled, if the dealer’s first card is an ace, king, queen, jack or 10, each player may make an insurance wager and the insurance wager shall be settled pursuant to section 5324.10(e) of this Part. The dealer shall determine whether the hole card will give the dealer a natural blackjack prior to dealing any additional cards to the players at the table:

    1. (i) if the gaming facility elects to use a card reader device, the dealer shall insert the hole card into the card reader device by moving the card face down on the layout without exposing its value to anyone at the table, including the dealer. If the dealer has a natural blackjack, no additional cards shall be dealt and each player’s wager shall be settled; and
    2. (ii) if the gaming facility elects not to use a card reader device, the dealer shall determine the value of the hole card by discreetly peeking at the card without exposing its value to any other person. If the dealer has a natural blackjack, no additional cards shall be dealt and each player’s wager shall be settled.

15. (7) After all insurance wagers have been settled, the dealer shall, beginning from the dealer’s left, announce the point total of the first hand of each player, and ask if the player wishes to switch.

    1. (i) If the player decides to switch, the dealer shall exchange the second cards dealt to the two hands of that player with each other, and then announce the new point total of each hand.
    2. (ii) A player who has switched cards pursuant to this subdivision may revoke the decision and request the dealer to return the cards to their original positions, provided that no additional cards have yet been dealt to either of the player’s hands or to the dealer.
    3. (iii) Other than a return of the cards to their original positions pursuant to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, a player shall be permitted only one switch of cards per hand in each round of play.
16. (8) After the player has been offered a switch and has either declined or obtained the switch, the player shall, for the first of the player’s two hands, indicate whether the player wishes to stand, draw, surrender, double down or split pairs pursuant to section 5324.10 of this Part.
17. (9) As the player indicates decisions as to the first hand, the dealer shall deal face up whatever additional cards are necessary to effectuate such decisions consistent with this section and shall announce the new point total of that hand after each additional card is dealt.
18. (10) After the player completes decisions as to the first hand, the procedures in paragraphs (8) and (9) of this subdivision shall be repeated for the second hand of such player.
19. (11) After the player has completed the decisions for both hands, the procedures in paragraphs (8) through (10) of this subdivision shall be repeated for the player to the dealer’s right of that player at the table.

20. (12) After the decision of each player has been implemented and all additional cards have been dealt, the dealer shall expose the dealer’s hole card. Any additional cards required to be dealt to the hand of the dealer shall be dealt face up. After the dealer’s hand has been completed, the dealer shall announce the point count. A gaming facility may permit the dealer to deal, after the decisions of each player have been implemented and all additional player cards have been dealt, a second card face up to the dealer (the hole card); provided, however, that such card shall not be removed from the dealing shoe until the dealer has first announced “dealer’s card.” Any additional cards authorized to be dealt to the hand of the dealer shall be dealt face up at this time, after which the dealer shall announce the total point count for the hand of the dealer.

    (e) Match wager.

21. (1) A player at a blackjack switch table may make an additional optional wager, known as a match wager, that two or more of the initial four cards dealt to that player will form one of the following authorized matches:

    1. (i) one pair, or a pair, is a hand consisting of two cards of the same rank, regardless of suit;
    2. (ii) two pairs is a hand consisting of two pairs;
    3. (iii) three of a kind is a hand consisting of three cards of the same rank, without regard to suit; and
    4. (iv) four of a kind is a hand consisting of four cards of the same rank, without regard to suit.
22. (2) Prior to the first card being dealt for each round of play, any player who has placed the two blackjack wagers required by this subdivision may make a match wager by placing chips or plaques on the appropriate designated betting area of the layout, and in an amount that shall equal or exceed the posted minimum wager for a match wager at that table.

23. (3) A gaming facility shall pay winning match wagers at no less than the amounts listed in the following pay table:

    Match type	Six-deck game	Eight-deck game
    One pair	1:1	1:1
    Three of a kind	5:1	5:1
    Two pair	8:1	7:1
    Four of a kind	40:1	50:1

24. (4) If more than one type of match occurs in a player’s initial four cards, the match wager shall be paid only once, using the highest payoff occurring within those cards.
25. (5) A match wager shall have no bearing upon any other wager made by a player at the game of blackjack switch.

(c) Wagers; payout.