GAME RULES

How to play Battle 21

Learn Tactical and Classic blackjack, Heads-up Poker and Cash Game Poker.

Practice games are free and do not use your balance.

Tactical BlackJack

General

  • Tactical is Battle 21’s one-versus-one blackjack game with match chips and poker-style betting between the players.
  • The basic principle is the same as ordinary blackjack: the player whose final hand is closer to 21 wins.
  • Every match starts with exactly 1,000 match chips per player. The selected entry stake does not change this amount—whether the stake is €5 or €500, each player still starts with 1,000 chips.
  • Match chips are game counters only. They have no cash value and cannot be cashed out or withdrawn.
  • The match ends when one player owns all 2,000 chips. Winner takes all: the match winner receives 99% of the combined entry-stake prize pot and the platform retains 1% as rake.
  • The ante starts at 50 chips per player and rises every ten minutes: 100, 200, 400, 500 and finally 1,000. A new level applies from the next hand. If either player has fewer chips, both antes match the shorter stack.
  • The button changes player after every hand. It controls the order of dealing and decisions.

Blackjack basics

  • The basic goal in blackjack is to make a hand as close to 21 as possible without going over 21.
  • Cards 2–10 are worth their printed value. Jacks, queens and kings are worth 10. An ace is worth either 1 or 11, whichever gives the stronger hand.
  • For example, A + 3 is displayed as 4/14. If the best value is exactly 21, the table displays only 21.
  • Unlike ordinary blackjack, going over 21 does not immediately end a Tactical hand. A player may continue acting and bluffing.

Cards

  • Both players receive two starting cards, dealt one at a time. The first recipient alternates with the button each hand.
  • You can see all your own cards. Your opponent can see only your first public card until showdown.
  • Your second starting card and every later card taken with HIT remain hidden from your opponent. The number of cards is always public.
  • The button identifies the player who bets second and chooses HIT or PASS first.
  • A hand may contain a maximum of 10 cards.

Actions

  • HIT takes one new private card. PASS keeps the current hand and takes no card.
  • When a hand is exactly 21, HIT is no longer available. The player must choose PASS.
  • The button chooses HIT or PASS first. The other player must then make their decision before the game can continue.
  • After both players have chosen HIT or PASS, another betting round begins.
  • If both players choose PASS, one final betting round is played and the cards are then revealed.

Betting

  • The player without the button acts first in every betting round.
  • CHECK continues without adding chips. BET opens the betting for at least 10 chips.
  • When facing a bet, FOLD gives up the hand, CALL matches the outstanding bet and RAISE increases it.
  • A legal raise pays the outstanding call and adds at least 10 more chips, up to the effective available stack.
  • No new phase begins until the current player has submitted one valid action. If the 30-second timer expires, the game makes the appropriate automatic action instead.

All-in

  • A player is all-in when all of their remaining match chips have entered the pot.
  • After an all-in has been called, there are no further betting decisions.
  • HIT and PASS rounds continue until both players choose PASS. The cards are then revealed automatically.

Winning the hand

  • The higher total at or below 21 wins the hand. Any total at or below 21 beats a total over 21.
  • If both players are over 21, the lower total wins—for example, 22 beats 26.
  • Equal final totals are a tie and the pot is split equally.
  • FOLD ends the hand immediately and awards the complete pot to the other player without revealing the folded hand.

Decision timer

  • A player has 30 seconds for each decision.
  • If time expires during betting, the automatic action is CHECK when legal and otherwise FOLD.
  • If time expires during a card decision, the automatic action is PASS.

The shoe

  • Tactical uses one shuffled six-deck shoe containing 312 physical cards.
  • Starting cards and every HIT are drawn in order from that same shoe.
  • The shoe is replaced only when 52 or fewer cards remain before a new hand begins.

Classic BlackJack

Classic overview

  • Classic is a direct one-versus-one blackjack contest without match chips, betting or bluffing rounds.
  • Players choose the value of each hand, the number of hands and whether the table uses Winner Takes All or Cash Game rules before the match begins.
  • In a fixed-length match, the player acting first alternates after every hand. The match always contains an even number of turns so both players act first equally often.
  • Unlimited Hands tables play one hand at a time. The first player is selected randomly for every new hand; over a sufficiently long series, both players therefore act first equally often even if they repeatedly play only one hand at a time.
  • Each player receives two cards. You see your own cards, while only one of your opponent’s starting cards is visible before the showdown.

Turns and cards

  • The active player may take as many cards with HIT as they want during their turn and then ends the turn with STAND.
  • After the first player stands, the other player takes their complete turn. The hands are revealed after both players have stood.
  • A hand may contain no more than 10 cards. HIT is unavailable when the hand is exactly 21 or already contains 10 cards.
  • The active player has 15 seconds to choose. If the timer expires, STAND is selected automatically.
  • Cards use normal blackjack values. Aces count as 1 or 11, whichever creates the stronger total.

Winning a hand

  • The higher total at or below 21 wins. Any total at or below 21 beats a total over 21.
  • If both hands are over 21, the lower total wins—for example, 22 beats 26.
  • Equal totals are a tied hand.

Winner Takes All

  • The player who wins more hands across the selected match length receives 99% of the combined prize pool. The platform retains 1% as rake.
  • The match ends early when one player has an uncatchable lead. Remaining hands are not played if they can no longer change or tie the result.
  • If the match is tied after the selected number of hands, two-hand overtime pairs are played.
  • The overtime score starts again from 0–0 at the beginning of every two-hand pair. Tied hands award no point to either player.
  • After two overtime hands, the player with more wins in that pair wins the match. Therefore, one tied hand followed by a win is enough to decide the match.
  • If an overtime pair finishes 1–1 or 0–0, its score is cleared and a new two-hand pair begins from 0–0.

Cash Game

  • Each hand settles separately. The winnings from a completed hand become available immediately, while any buy-in reserved for later fixed hands stays locked.
  • A hand winner receives 99% of that hand’s combined entry value and the platform retains 1% as rake.
  • A tied hand returns the complete current-hand stake to each player. No rake is charged and the platform makes no profit from that hand.
  • For example, two €6 fixed buy-ins over six hands reserve €12 in total and allocate €1 from each player to every hand.

Cash Game: Fixed Hands

  • The selected hand count is exact. A six-hand Cash Game plays all six hands regardless of the score after an earlier hand.
  • The complete fixed-hand buy-in is reserved once before play and divided across the selected hands without losing atomic currency units.
  • If one player misses the reconnect deadline, that player forfeits the current unfinished hand and every remaining hand to the connected opponent.
  • Already completed hands remain final. The disconnected player does not receive a refund for forfeited hands.

Unlimited Hands: automatic play and sit out

  • On a two-player Unlimited Hands Cash Game table, the next hand starts automatically when neither player is sitting out and both have enough balance for its buy-in. Each new hand has its own buy-in.
  • While a hand is in progress, select Sit out next hand if you do not want to enter or pay for the following hand. You may cancel that selection before the current hand ends.
  • The current hand and its result finish normally. Then the sitting-out player can choose Continue playing or Leave table. No new buy-in is charged while the table waits for that choice.
  • The sitting-out player has 60 seconds to decide. If the time runs out, the two-player table closes without starting or charging for another hand.
  • The other player does not have to select sit out. While waiting, they can also leave the table.

The shoe

  • Classic uses one shuffled six-deck shoe containing 312 physical cards.
  • Starting cards and every HIT are drawn in order from that same shoe.
  • The shoe is replaced only when 52 or fewer cards remain before a new hand begins.

Heads-up Poker

Two-player no-limit Hold’em with a fixed match buy-in.

Heads-up Poker

  • Two players enter a no-limit Texas Hold’em match. Each starts with 1,000 match chips; these chips are game counters, not a cash balance.
  • The small and big blinds begin at 15/30 chips and increase every ten minutes. The button and blind positions alternate between players after each hand.
  • The match ends when one player has all the chips. The winner receives 99% of the combined entry stakes; the remaining 1% is the match rake.

Cards and actions

We play by Texas No-Limit Hold’em rules. Learn more about Texas No-Limit Hold’em.

Cash Game Poker

Two to six players, a table stack, re-buys and sit out.

Cash Game Poker

  • A Cash Game table seats two to six players. Your chosen buy-in becomes your table stack; its size is shown in chips before you join.
  • The blinds stay at 15/30 chips. Each completed hand settles separately, and you may leave and cash out between hands. Your exact remaining table currencies return to your wallet.
  • The table takes 2% of a pot as rake only if a flop was dealt. No flop, no rake.
  • If your stack reaches zero, the re-buy dialog lets you choose a new amount or return to the lobby. Re-buy is not automatic.

Sitting out in Cash Game

  • Select Sit out next hand during a hand to finish the current hand but receive no cards or new blinds in the next one.
  • After the result, you may cash out or remain at the table. Missed blinds are posted when you resume playing.
  • At a two-player table, the next hand waits for your decision for up to 60 seconds. If you do not choose, your remaining stack is cashed out automatically.
  • At a larger table you may remain sitting out while the other players continue.

Cards and actions

We play by Texas No-Limit Hold’em rules. Learn more about Texas No-Limit Hold’em.

Disconnects and reconnecting

Two-player matches

  • Tactical BlackJack, Classic BlackJack and Heads-up Poker pause when a player is detected as disconnected. Turn and blind timers do not continue while the match is paused.
  • A player has a total reconnect budget of 60 seconds. Closing the table starts that countdown immediately. A lost connection may take a short time to detect before the countdown is shown.
  • If only one player exhausts the reconnect budget, that player forfeits. If both players exhaust it, the server applies the mutual-disconnect settlement instead of declaring either player the winner.
  • In fixed-hands Classic Cash Game, a disconnect forfeiture includes the unfinished hand and the remaining scheduled hands. Completed hands remain final.

Poker Cash Game

  • A player disconnected during an active hand has 30 seconds to reconnect. The acting timer pauses while the active player is disconnected.
  • If the deadline expires, the disconnected seat forfeits eligibility for the current pot. Funds not committed to that pot are cashed out to the player’s wallet in their original currencies.
  • If every remaining contender disconnects, the unfinished pot is abandoned and settled by the server. Between hands, an inactive seat may be removed and its stack cashed out.

Currencies and exchange-rate risk

  • Table stakes are shown in USD so players can compare equal game values. USD display values are estimates; Battle21 does not hold a separate USD balance for your cryptocurrency.
  • Use the balance menu to choose one funding currency or Total balance. Total balance may combine enabled currencies in the displayed order. Lobby filters can restrict tables and opponents to selected currencies.
  • Players in the same game may use different supported currencies. Each player’s stake is locked using a fresh USD quote when the game is funded. No cryptocurrency is exchanged or converted.
  • The winner receives the original currencies contributed to the game, less the applicable rake in each currency. The currency mix can therefore differ from the currency the winner used.
  • Cryptocurrency prices may change before a stake is locked and after winnings are paid. Battle21 does not guarantee an exchange rate or compensate players for currency-price gains or losses.