Split 8s
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The only time I would ever think you could justify not splitting 8s is if you’re counting and the count is really negative AND it’s late in the shoe. And if the count ever got negative enough for you to attempt this, chances are you’ve probably already walked away from the table due to the poor count. So yes, always split 8s against a 10. The Split S is taught to be used in dogfighting when the pilot has the opportunity to withdraw from battle. It can be an effective tactic to prevent an enemy behind (between four o’clock and eight o’clock positions) from gaining a missile lock-on while one is disengaging from a fight. In the interview, Patrick offers this explanation (in his words) as to why he wouldn’t split a pair of 8s against a dealer 10 and instead would surrender the hand: “If you’re playing blackjack for $10 a hand and you are dealt two eights and the dealer has a king showing, the book says to split. So you split and you put another $10 up there. USA Casino Expert is an independent community of gambling industry professionals Do You Split 8s In Blackjack founded in 2017. The main goal of our team is to provide recommendations on the choice of safe, reliable Do You Split 8s In Blackjack and trusted online casinos, welcome bonuses and gambling for players from the United States. Whenever you split a pair of eights each eight receives a new card and becomes a separate hand. You can then act on that hand according to the rules of blackjack by hitting, standing, or doubling down. You can even split the eights a second or third time. This is how aces and eights are handled at the blackjack table according to basic strategy.
*Split 8s
*Split 8s Against Ace
*Why Split 8s In Blackjack
*Split 8s Against 10
In the game of 21, when players are dealt a starting hand of two cards of equal numerical rank, they are allowed to split them into two separate hands by posting an additional bet to cover the second hand. If players split pairs of Aces, they are dealt only one additional card per Ace and are generally not permitted to take a hit or resplit afterward. They are allowed to play all other pairs however they like, though. Bonus Amount
*Bonus$300
*Bonus⋆80 Free Spins
*Bonus$300
There are several reasons for players to split. They do it to improve their hand, to increase their profits when the dealer is at disadvantage, and cut their losses when the dealer holds the edge with stronger upcards.
This brings us to the subject of today’s article – splitting pairs that consist of 8s. Those who are new to blackjack are taught early on to always split this pair but do you know why? If the answer is no, we urge you to continue reading to find out and learn about the few exceptions to this basic strategy rule. Why Basic Strategy Recommends Us to Split 8s
Pairs of 8s give players the worst hand total they can possibly get at the blackjack table, hard 16. This is not a strong enough hand to stand on because if we do, the dealer ends up outdrawing us by arriving at their standing total of 17 or above. Meanwhile, hard 16 is a high enough total to cause us to bust most of the time when we take a hit.
Needless to say, doubling down on one such terrible hand is a preposterous idea but when it consists of paired 8s, players have more flexibility. Here we have the option to split and play two separate hands, each with a much better starting point of 8. In fact, splitting 8s is recommended by basic strategy most of the time with very few exceptions. This applies to most blackjack variations regardless of deck number, the dealer’s standing rules, and other playing conditions.
But as is the case with all rules, there are exceptions to be made. Players are recommended to surrender their pairs of 8s but only against an Ace in double-deck and multiple-deck games where the dealer hits soft 17.
Why Basic Strategy Recommends Us to Split 8sIt is important to warn you that no matter what you do with this pair, it gives you negative expectation over the course of time. This is a losing hand by default but splitting makes it better – it helps us lose less money in the long run, especially if we face a powerful dealer whose upcard is a 10.
Sure, sometimes the dealer will flip over another 10 for a total of 20 and we will lose two hands instead of one. This is just something you should come to terms with as splitting the 8s inevitably saves you money in the long term. Then again, when the dealer is in a weaker position with upcards 5 or 6, for example, splitting the 8s gives us an edge over the house.Surrendering Instead of Splitting 8s against a 10 – Yes or No?
Some blackjack authors would recommend surrendering this pair against a dealer who shows a ten-value card. They argue that you risk ending up with two inferior hands instead of one when the house has an edge over you with the dealer’s 10. On the surface, their line of reasoning appears to be sound but in fact, this is a very poor piece of advice. If you follow it consistently, you will end up poorer, too.
It is obvious the dealer always holds an edge over your 8s with their 10. As a matter of fact, they will reach their standing total of 17 or higher around 77% of the time (excluding the cases when they beat you with a blackjack). The likelihood of them busting in this case is rather low – they end up busting on 23 out of every hundred hands on average, which makes you the obvious underdog no matter what you choose to do with your 8s.
You will lose money regardless of whether you stand, hit, split or throw in the towel by surrendering. So why does basic strategy recommend us splitting the 8s against the 10 as the optimal play? We can answer this question by comparing the long-term losses we incur with each possible move.
Surrendering Instead of Splitting 8s against a 10 Additional TipsWhen we hit and stand on a hard total of 16 against a dealer who shows a ten-value card, we can expect to win this hand roughly 23% of the time. In fact, there is a very thin margin with hitting and standing in this case. These two playing decisions yield almost the same expected losses. Doubling down on this hand is obviously out of the question. And we lose half of our initial wager on each pair of 8s we surrender against the 10.
Our only chance is to split the pair and start two new hands with an 8 each, in which case we improve our long-term winning rate to 38% whereas our loss rate drops from 77% to 62%. You may be investing more money into this play but you still end up incurring smaller losses when splitting the 8s against the 10. What these percentages tell us is the following:
*If we flat bet with a base unit of $1, we lose $77 – $23 = $54 on average every hundred rounds when we hit or stand on our paired 8s.
*If we surrender the 8s against the 10, we incur net losses of $50 every hundred hands on average when we bet in increments of $1 per hand.
*When we split the 8s against the 10, our average net losses per dollar over the course of one hundred hands are equal to $62 – $38 = $24 * 2 = $48.
The conclusions these figures lead us to are as follows: we lose $6 less when we split the 8s instead of hitting or standing on them. Splitting the 8s is also cheaper than surrendering as you end up saving $2 on average every hundred hands. Obviously, we are still dealing with a negative-expectation bet here but splitting helps us lose the least money on average which makes it the optimal decision in this case.Surrendering the 8s against an Ace
We already told you there are exceptions where double-deck and multiple-deck H17 games are concerned. You are supposed to surrender your pair of 8s in these games but only on condition the dealer has an Ace.
The Ace puts the dealer in a very powerful position because they stand a good chance of beating you with a starting point of 11. Take a quick peek at the table below to see what returns you can expect from each possible playing decision. It is accurate for six-deck H17 games with DAS, late surrender (LS) and no RSA. Playing Decision for 8s vs. an AceAverage Expected LossesInsurance-$0.07Surrender-$0.50Stand-$0.59Hit-$0.54Double Down-$1.08Split-$0.51
As you can see yourself, everything is in the negative again, which is to say a pair of 8s against an Ace is a sure loser in the long-term. What we should not forget, however, is that basic strategy helps us minimize our losses in such unfavorable situations which is what we achieve when we surrender the pair.
This decision is considered optimal here because it causes you to incur the smallest losses when compared to the rest of the moves in multiple-deck H17 games. If late surrender is altogether unavailable, you should split the 8s as obviously, this is the second-best play. What about Resplitting 8s?
Unlike pairs of Aces, which players are generally not allowed to resplit or hit, resplitting is a viable option when you receive a starting hand consisting of 8s. Some casual players frown at the thought of resplitting because they hate the idea of investing more money into a single round of play.
The thing is if splitting a pair, especially one like 8s, is a good idea so is resplitting it if you happen to catch another 8 on the draw. Depending on the table conditions, players may be allowed to double down after they split the pair.
Doubling after the split gives them the opportunity to further increase their action against dealers who are vulnerable to busting with small upcards. For instance, when you split your 8s and pull a 2 or a 3, you end up with totals 10 and 11, which are very good for doubling down. Provided that DAS is permitted at the table, the option to split the 8s becomes all the more appealing, so you should use this play more often with your pairs.How to Play Pairs of 8s in No-Hole-Card Games
Further exceptions can be made for splitting pairs of 8s when one is playing blackjackvariations under the European rules. At many blackjack tables across Europe and the United Kingdom, the dealers receive only one upcard and do not draw a hole card, which naturally boosts the casinos’ edge.
The fact these games are often played under rules that are far from being liberal does not help players much either. Understandably, players must approach some of their hands in a different manner under such table conditions, including their pairs of 8s. In games without hole cards, the correct strategy is to:
*Split a pair of 8s against upcards 2 through 9
*Hit the pair of 8s against upcards 10 and Ace
Pairs of 8s in No-Hole-Card Games Additional TipsAs was noted, European blackjack variations typically offer poorer playing conditions. The strategy recommended above is accurate for S17 games where you can double only on 9, 10, and 11, double after splitting, and the dealer does not peek for blackjack (which is impossible so and so due to the absence of hole cards). Hitting is recommended against the 10 and the Ace because it is again the cheapest playing decision in the long term.
All in all, you will inevitably find yourself in negative-expectation situations while at the blackjack table. This certainly is the case with pairs of 8s which always end up costing you money in the long run. The main idea behind applying the basic strategy plays here is not to help you win – there is no winning with this hand over the long haul. Here you stick to the optimal moves merely for the purpose of loss reduction.
If you’ve spent any time studying blackjack basic strategy, you’ve probably heard that you should always split aces and eights. The goal of this post is to explain why this is the appropriate move in almost any variation of blackjack. It doesn’t matter what the dealer’s face-up card is, by the way. Splitting aces and eights is always the right move.A Note on “Basic Strategy”
If you’re new to blackjack, you might not have heard what basic strategy is. In brief, it’s a table of the mathematically correct moves to make in any blackjack situation.
You have 2 pieces of information, which are cross-referenced on a blackjack basic strategy chart:
*What’s in your hand
*Half of what’s in the dealer’s hand
In your hand, you have a soft total, a hard total, and possibly a pair of cards of the same rank.
In the dealer’s hand, you know one of his or her cards. In almost all blackjack variations, the dealer gets one card face-up.
The correct decision in any of these situations is the one with the highest mathematical expected return.
If you make the correct mathematical decision on every hand, you reduce the house edge that the casino has over you to its lowest possible number—usually between 0.5% and 1%, depending on the rules at the casino.How Splitting Cards in Blackjack Works
One of the options you have in blackjack is “splitting” a pair of cards of the same rank. When you do this, you start 2 hands. The first card of each of those hands is one of the 2 cards from your original hand.
You also must put up another bet when you split your hand. You then play each hand independently of each other.
You could win both the new hands, lost both the new hands, or lose with one and win with the other.
Basic strategy tells you that you should never splits 4s, 5s, or 10s. It also tells you that you should always split aces or 8s.Why You Do the Things You Do in Basic Strategy
Basic strategy has been derived by mathematicians and computer programs who run simulations of millions of hands. They look at the results of those hands to determine the playing decision which wins the most or loses the least amount of money in each situation.
But some of the thinking behind basic strategy makes sense, too.
Here’s an example:Split 8s
You should never split 10s, no matter what the dealer’s upcard is.
Why not?
You have a hard total of 20. The only possible hand that could beat that 20 is a 21. It’s such a good hand that it’s hard to imagine improving your chances by creating 2 new hands—even though any hand which starts with a single 10 is going to turn out pretty good.
Let’s think about how many cards left in the deck will improve on a hard total of 20.
If you get a 10 on your new hand, that’s great. You now have what you would have had originally. You have 14 cards left in the deck which are worth 10 points. (There are 16 of those cards to begin with, but you already have 2 of them.)
If you get an ace, that’s even better. You get 3 to 2 on your payout. That’s not as likely as getting another 10, though. There are only 4 aces in the deck.
All the other cards, though, give you a worse hand. That’s a total of 32 cards which will give you a hand that’s not as good as your original hand. That’s about a 65% chance of getting a hand with a total not as good as you started with.
And some of those cards are rough, too. You get a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, and you have a stiff hand. That’s a hand that’s unlikely to beat the dealer unless you hit it. But it’s also a hand that has a good chance of going bust if you hit it.
This kind of thinking—about how good your total is, and about how the remaining cards in the deck might affect that total—is crucial to an understanding of basic strategy.
Let’s look at one more example:
You should also never split 5s. That’s a hard total of 10.
That’s a lousy total as it stands, but it’s a total you can’t bust with an additional card. Any card will improve your total, and a lot of those cards will give you a hand you’ll feel good about standing on. You have 16 cards worth 10 left in the deck, and 4 aces. That’s 20 cards that will give you a total of 20 or 21.
If you get a 7, 8, or 9, you also have a solid total you can feel good about. That’s another 12 cards, for a total of 32 cards which will improve your total.
Even if you get a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, it’s not the end of the world. You’re liable to get a stiff hand, but it’s not as likely as getting a good hand.
But what would happen if you split those 5s?
You’d wind up with 2 hands with a starting card of 5. It’s impossible to get a card on top of that to make you feel good about your hand. If you get an ace, you have a soft 16, and that’s probably the best you can hope for. If you get a 10, you have a total of 15, which is awful. It won’t beat the dealer, and it’s likely to bust when you take another card.
The other, lower value cards don’t help much either. A 9 gives you a total of 14, which is also awful. An 8 gives you a total of 13. Nothing to write home about there, either.What Happens When You Split Aces
A hand of 2 aces that you don’t split is just a soft total of 12. That’s not terrible, because it’s hard to bust. But it’s not likely to win.
On the other hand, if you take a mediocre hand and turn it into 2 really good hands, you’ve accomplished something.
And let’s face it—anyone with a brain in his or her head knows that an ace is the best possible starting card in blackjack. If you get a 10 on top of that ace, you have a blackjack, which pays off at 3 to 2.
In fact, in a lot of casinos, you can split those aces and then immediately double down on them.
Remember, you have 16 cards worth 10 points each in the deck—more than any other specific total. Most of the cards aren’t worth 10 points, but enough of them are that you can be optimistic about getting that natural at least some of the time.
But if you miss your 10, you still wind up with a good hand almost every time. If you get a 9, you have a total of 20, which is a great hand. If you get an 8, you have a total of 19, which is good. Even a 7 leaves you with a total of 18.Split 8s Against Ace
If you get a 6 or less, you don’t have such a great hand. But because one of the cards is an ace, you’re going to be able to try to improve that hand with little fear that it’s going to bust.What Happens When You Split Eights
First, if you have a hand made up of 2 eights, you have a hard total of 16. Glorious goodwood festival. That’s a lousy hand. You’re probably going to stand rather than take an additional card. Either way, you’re unlikely to win. If you stand, the dealer will probably wind up with a better total than you. If you hit, you’re probably going to bust.
On the other hand, if you split this into 2 new hands, each with a starting card of 8, a lot of good things can happen.
16 of the cards in the deck are worth 10 points, so you have a reasonably good chance of getting a total of 18 on your new hand. Louisiana derby results 2020.
If you get a 9, you have a total of 17, which is also a big improvement.
If get another 8, which is unlikely, since you already have 2 of them, you’re no worse off than you were to begin with.But What If the Dealer Has a 9 or 10 Upcard?
Thoughtful blackjack players might wonder why you would split 10s or 8s in the face of a dealer’s upcard of 9 or 10. After all, the odds are good that the dealer will beat you. Aren’t you just losing twice as much money by splitting in this situation?
The crucial factor to keep in mind is whether you’ll win more in the long run or lose more in the long run by making a
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The only time I would ever think you could justify not splitting 8s is if you’re counting and the count is really negative AND it’s late in the shoe. And if the count ever got negative enough for you to attempt this, chances are you’ve probably already walked away from the table due to the poor count. So yes, always split 8s against a 10. The Split S is taught to be used in dogfighting when the pilot has the opportunity to withdraw from battle. It can be an effective tactic to prevent an enemy behind (between four o’clock and eight o’clock positions) from gaining a missile lock-on while one is disengaging from a fight. In the interview, Patrick offers this explanation (in his words) as to why he wouldn’t split a pair of 8s against a dealer 10 and instead would surrender the hand: “If you’re playing blackjack for $10 a hand and you are dealt two eights and the dealer has a king showing, the book says to split. So you split and you put another $10 up there. USA Casino Expert is an independent community of gambling industry professionals Do You Split 8s In Blackjack founded in 2017. The main goal of our team is to provide recommendations on the choice of safe, reliable Do You Split 8s In Blackjack and trusted online casinos, welcome bonuses and gambling for players from the United States. Whenever you split a pair of eights each eight receives a new card and becomes a separate hand. You can then act on that hand according to the rules of blackjack by hitting, standing, or doubling down. You can even split the eights a second or third time. This is how aces and eights are handled at the blackjack table according to basic strategy.
*Split 8s
*Split 8s Against Ace
*Why Split 8s In Blackjack
*Split 8s Against 10
In the game of 21, when players are dealt a starting hand of two cards of equal numerical rank, they are allowed to split them into two separate hands by posting an additional bet to cover the second hand. If players split pairs of Aces, they are dealt only one additional card per Ace and are generally not permitted to take a hit or resplit afterward. They are allowed to play all other pairs however they like, though. Bonus Amount
*Bonus$300
*Bonus⋆80 Free Spins
*Bonus$300
There are several reasons for players to split. They do it to improve their hand, to increase their profits when the dealer is at disadvantage, and cut their losses when the dealer holds the edge with stronger upcards.
This brings us to the subject of today’s article – splitting pairs that consist of 8s. Those who are new to blackjack are taught early on to always split this pair but do you know why? If the answer is no, we urge you to continue reading to find out and learn about the few exceptions to this basic strategy rule. Why Basic Strategy Recommends Us to Split 8s
Pairs of 8s give players the worst hand total they can possibly get at the blackjack table, hard 16. This is not a strong enough hand to stand on because if we do, the dealer ends up outdrawing us by arriving at their standing total of 17 or above. Meanwhile, hard 16 is a high enough total to cause us to bust most of the time when we take a hit.
Needless to say, doubling down on one such terrible hand is a preposterous idea but when it consists of paired 8s, players have more flexibility. Here we have the option to split and play two separate hands, each with a much better starting point of 8. In fact, splitting 8s is recommended by basic strategy most of the time with very few exceptions. This applies to most blackjack variations regardless of deck number, the dealer’s standing rules, and other playing conditions.
But as is the case with all rules, there are exceptions to be made. Players are recommended to surrender their pairs of 8s but only against an Ace in double-deck and multiple-deck games where the dealer hits soft 17.
Why Basic Strategy Recommends Us to Split 8sIt is important to warn you that no matter what you do with this pair, it gives you negative expectation over the course of time. This is a losing hand by default but splitting makes it better – it helps us lose less money in the long run, especially if we face a powerful dealer whose upcard is a 10.
Sure, sometimes the dealer will flip over another 10 for a total of 20 and we will lose two hands instead of one. This is just something you should come to terms with as splitting the 8s inevitably saves you money in the long term. Then again, when the dealer is in a weaker position with upcards 5 or 6, for example, splitting the 8s gives us an edge over the house.Surrendering Instead of Splitting 8s against a 10 – Yes or No?
Some blackjack authors would recommend surrendering this pair against a dealer who shows a ten-value card. They argue that you risk ending up with two inferior hands instead of one when the house has an edge over you with the dealer’s 10. On the surface, their line of reasoning appears to be sound but in fact, this is a very poor piece of advice. If you follow it consistently, you will end up poorer, too.
It is obvious the dealer always holds an edge over your 8s with their 10. As a matter of fact, they will reach their standing total of 17 or higher around 77% of the time (excluding the cases when they beat you with a blackjack). The likelihood of them busting in this case is rather low – they end up busting on 23 out of every hundred hands on average, which makes you the obvious underdog no matter what you choose to do with your 8s.
You will lose money regardless of whether you stand, hit, split or throw in the towel by surrendering. So why does basic strategy recommend us splitting the 8s against the 10 as the optimal play? We can answer this question by comparing the long-term losses we incur with each possible move.
Surrendering Instead of Splitting 8s against a 10 Additional TipsWhen we hit and stand on a hard total of 16 against a dealer who shows a ten-value card, we can expect to win this hand roughly 23% of the time. In fact, there is a very thin margin with hitting and standing in this case. These two playing decisions yield almost the same expected losses. Doubling down on this hand is obviously out of the question. And we lose half of our initial wager on each pair of 8s we surrender against the 10.
Our only chance is to split the pair and start two new hands with an 8 each, in which case we improve our long-term winning rate to 38% whereas our loss rate drops from 77% to 62%. You may be investing more money into this play but you still end up incurring smaller losses when splitting the 8s against the 10. What these percentages tell us is the following:
*If we flat bet with a base unit of $1, we lose $77 – $23 = $54 on average every hundred rounds when we hit or stand on our paired 8s.
*If we surrender the 8s against the 10, we incur net losses of $50 every hundred hands on average when we bet in increments of $1 per hand.
*When we split the 8s against the 10, our average net losses per dollar over the course of one hundred hands are equal to $62 – $38 = $24 * 2 = $48.
The conclusions these figures lead us to are as follows: we lose $6 less when we split the 8s instead of hitting or standing on them. Splitting the 8s is also cheaper than surrendering as you end up saving $2 on average every hundred hands. Obviously, we are still dealing with a negative-expectation bet here but splitting helps us lose the least money on average which makes it the optimal decision in this case.Surrendering the 8s against an Ace
We already told you there are exceptions where double-deck and multiple-deck H17 games are concerned. You are supposed to surrender your pair of 8s in these games but only on condition the dealer has an Ace.
The Ace puts the dealer in a very powerful position because they stand a good chance of beating you with a starting point of 11. Take a quick peek at the table below to see what returns you can expect from each possible playing decision. It is accurate for six-deck H17 games with DAS, late surrender (LS) and no RSA. Playing Decision for 8s vs. an AceAverage Expected LossesInsurance-$0.07Surrender-$0.50Stand-$0.59Hit-$0.54Double Down-$1.08Split-$0.51
As you can see yourself, everything is in the negative again, which is to say a pair of 8s against an Ace is a sure loser in the long-term. What we should not forget, however, is that basic strategy helps us minimize our losses in such unfavorable situations which is what we achieve when we surrender the pair.
This decision is considered optimal here because it causes you to incur the smallest losses when compared to the rest of the moves in multiple-deck H17 games. If late surrender is altogether unavailable, you should split the 8s as obviously, this is the second-best play. What about Resplitting 8s?
Unlike pairs of Aces, which players are generally not allowed to resplit or hit, resplitting is a viable option when you receive a starting hand consisting of 8s. Some casual players frown at the thought of resplitting because they hate the idea of investing more money into a single round of play.
The thing is if splitting a pair, especially one like 8s, is a good idea so is resplitting it if you happen to catch another 8 on the draw. Depending on the table conditions, players may be allowed to double down after they split the pair.
Doubling after the split gives them the opportunity to further increase their action against dealers who are vulnerable to busting with small upcards. For instance, when you split your 8s and pull a 2 or a 3, you end up with totals 10 and 11, which are very good for doubling down. Provided that DAS is permitted at the table, the option to split the 8s becomes all the more appealing, so you should use this play more often with your pairs.How to Play Pairs of 8s in No-Hole-Card Games
Further exceptions can be made for splitting pairs of 8s when one is playing blackjackvariations under the European rules. At many blackjack tables across Europe and the United Kingdom, the dealers receive only one upcard and do not draw a hole card, which naturally boosts the casinos’ edge.
The fact these games are often played under rules that are far from being liberal does not help players much either. Understandably, players must approach some of their hands in a different manner under such table conditions, including their pairs of 8s. In games without hole cards, the correct strategy is to:
*Split a pair of 8s against upcards 2 through 9
*Hit the pair of 8s against upcards 10 and Ace
Pairs of 8s in No-Hole-Card Games Additional TipsAs was noted, European blackjack variations typically offer poorer playing conditions. The strategy recommended above is accurate for S17 games where you can double only on 9, 10, and 11, double after splitting, and the dealer does not peek for blackjack (which is impossible so and so due to the absence of hole cards). Hitting is recommended against the 10 and the Ace because it is again the cheapest playing decision in the long term.
All in all, you will inevitably find yourself in negative-expectation situations while at the blackjack table. This certainly is the case with pairs of 8s which always end up costing you money in the long run. The main idea behind applying the basic strategy plays here is not to help you win – there is no winning with this hand over the long haul. Here you stick to the optimal moves merely for the purpose of loss reduction.
If you’ve spent any time studying blackjack basic strategy, you’ve probably heard that you should always split aces and eights. The goal of this post is to explain why this is the appropriate move in almost any variation of blackjack. It doesn’t matter what the dealer’s face-up card is, by the way. Splitting aces and eights is always the right move.A Note on “Basic Strategy”
If you’re new to blackjack, you might not have heard what basic strategy is. In brief, it’s a table of the mathematically correct moves to make in any blackjack situation.
You have 2 pieces of information, which are cross-referenced on a blackjack basic strategy chart:
*What’s in your hand
*Half of what’s in the dealer’s hand
In your hand, you have a soft total, a hard total, and possibly a pair of cards of the same rank.
In the dealer’s hand, you know one of his or her cards. In almost all blackjack variations, the dealer gets one card face-up.
The correct decision in any of these situations is the one with the highest mathematical expected return.
If you make the correct mathematical decision on every hand, you reduce the house edge that the casino has over you to its lowest possible number—usually between 0.5% and 1%, depending on the rules at the casino.How Splitting Cards in Blackjack Works
One of the options you have in blackjack is “splitting” a pair of cards of the same rank. When you do this, you start 2 hands. The first card of each of those hands is one of the 2 cards from your original hand.
You also must put up another bet when you split your hand. You then play each hand independently of each other.
You could win both the new hands, lost both the new hands, or lose with one and win with the other.
Basic strategy tells you that you should never splits 4s, 5s, or 10s. It also tells you that you should always split aces or 8s.Why You Do the Things You Do in Basic Strategy
Basic strategy has been derived by mathematicians and computer programs who run simulations of millions of hands. They look at the results of those hands to determine the playing decision which wins the most or loses the least amount of money in each situation.
But some of the thinking behind basic strategy makes sense, too.
Here’s an example:Split 8s
You should never split 10s, no matter what the dealer’s upcard is.
Why not?
You have a hard total of 20. The only possible hand that could beat that 20 is a 21. It’s such a good hand that it’s hard to imagine improving your chances by creating 2 new hands—even though any hand which starts with a single 10 is going to turn out pretty good.
Let’s think about how many cards left in the deck will improve on a hard total of 20.
If you get a 10 on your new hand, that’s great. You now have what you would have had originally. You have 14 cards left in the deck which are worth 10 points. (There are 16 of those cards to begin with, but you already have 2 of them.)
If you get an ace, that’s even better. You get 3 to 2 on your payout. That’s not as likely as getting another 10, though. There are only 4 aces in the deck.
All the other cards, though, give you a worse hand. That’s a total of 32 cards which will give you a hand that’s not as good as your original hand. That’s about a 65% chance of getting a hand with a total not as good as you started with.
And some of those cards are rough, too. You get a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, and you have a stiff hand. That’s a hand that’s unlikely to beat the dealer unless you hit it. But it’s also a hand that has a good chance of going bust if you hit it.
This kind of thinking—about how good your total is, and about how the remaining cards in the deck might affect that total—is crucial to an understanding of basic strategy.
Let’s look at one more example:
You should also never split 5s. That’s a hard total of 10.
That’s a lousy total as it stands, but it’s a total you can’t bust with an additional card. Any card will improve your total, and a lot of those cards will give you a hand you’ll feel good about standing on. You have 16 cards worth 10 left in the deck, and 4 aces. That’s 20 cards that will give you a total of 20 or 21.
If you get a 7, 8, or 9, you also have a solid total you can feel good about. That’s another 12 cards, for a total of 32 cards which will improve your total.
Even if you get a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, it’s not the end of the world. You’re liable to get a stiff hand, but it’s not as likely as getting a good hand.
But what would happen if you split those 5s?
You’d wind up with 2 hands with a starting card of 5. It’s impossible to get a card on top of that to make you feel good about your hand. If you get an ace, you have a soft 16, and that’s probably the best you can hope for. If you get a 10, you have a total of 15, which is awful. It won’t beat the dealer, and it’s likely to bust when you take another card.
The other, lower value cards don’t help much either. A 9 gives you a total of 14, which is also awful. An 8 gives you a total of 13. Nothing to write home about there, either.What Happens When You Split Aces
A hand of 2 aces that you don’t split is just a soft total of 12. That’s not terrible, because it’s hard to bust. But it’s not likely to win.
On the other hand, if you take a mediocre hand and turn it into 2 really good hands, you’ve accomplished something.
And let’s face it—anyone with a brain in his or her head knows that an ace is the best possible starting card in blackjack. If you get a 10 on top of that ace, you have a blackjack, which pays off at 3 to 2.
In fact, in a lot of casinos, you can split those aces and then immediately double down on them.
Remember, you have 16 cards worth 10 points each in the deck—more than any other specific total. Most of the cards aren’t worth 10 points, but enough of them are that you can be optimistic about getting that natural at least some of the time.
But if you miss your 10, you still wind up with a good hand almost every time. If you get a 9, you have a total of 20, which is a great hand. If you get an 8, you have a total of 19, which is good. Even a 7 leaves you with a total of 18.Split 8s Against Ace
If you get a 6 or less, you don’t have such a great hand. But because one of the cards is an ace, you’re going to be able to try to improve that hand with little fear that it’s going to bust.What Happens When You Split Eights
First, if you have a hand made up of 2 eights, you have a hard total of 16. Glorious goodwood festival. That’s a lousy hand. You’re probably going to stand rather than take an additional card. Either way, you’re unlikely to win. If you stand, the dealer will probably wind up with a better total than you. If you hit, you’re probably going to bust.
On the other hand, if you split this into 2 new hands, each with a starting card of 8, a lot of good things can happen.
16 of the cards in the deck are worth 10 points, so you have a reasonably good chance of getting a total of 18 on your new hand. Louisiana derby results 2020.
If you get a 9, you have a total of 17, which is also a big improvement.
If get another 8, which is unlikely, since you already have 2 of them, you’re no worse off than you were to begin with.But What If the Dealer Has a 9 or 10 Upcard?
Thoughtful blackjack players might wonder why you would split 10s or 8s in the face of a dealer’s upcard of 9 or 10. After all, the odds are good that the dealer will beat you. Aren’t you just losing twice as much money by splitting in this situation?
The crucial factor to keep in mind is whether you’ll win more in the long run or lose more in the long run by making a
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