Stravaganza is a Other game offered by Playtech games provider.

Stravaganza is one of the most simple online casino games you are likely to find. It is all but identical to the standard casino game of Blackjack in that you are trying to beat the cards the dealer has in numerical value. The cards are worth the following; number cards are worth the number shown on the card, court cards are worth 10 points and an Ace is worth one point. However, in Stravaganza you can not go bust - the aim is to get as high as possible.

To begin with, place your bet - anything from $1 to $300. You then begin the game by pressing deal. You will be dealt two cards; calculate their numerical value and decide whether or not to sit or to deal another card. If your cards total less than five, you can get all of your money back and not play on. If your hand is worth less than nine, you can get half of your money back if you wish to fold the hand. If you sit, you play on but only with your original bet. The best option is to play on, however - though it increases your bet, it isn't possible to go bust in this game, so the more points the better.

When you have made your selection, your game will either stop or, if you elected to play on, your third card will be dealt. When this is done, the cards of the dealer are revealed, and whoever has the highest valued points cards wins. It's an extremely simple, if limited to only three cards.

There are bonuses available. If you get three of a kind (fives and over), you get both your original winnings and three times your original stake. If your three cards are all court (sometimes referred to as picture; the Jack, Queen and King) cards you win an extra 1.5 times your original stake. The only other rule is that if, in the hand of the dealer, a red ace is dealt, the dealer automatically wins.

Although this game can be entertaining, the complete lack of any skill can get annoying after awhile. Without the human interaction and the threat of going bust, even Blackjack can be boring - so a simplified version of it, such is Stravaganza, is never going to be as impressive as the original game.

However, the jackpot is progressive and when I was playing stood at $20,000 - an excellent sum for basically touching buttons with your mouse. There is a little strategy involved in Stravaganza, but for anyone above the most basic skill level when it comes to card games, it can quickly become boring.