Blackjack Strategy 101 — Do You Split or Double Down?

Playing blackjack requires skill and strategy. However, we can’t say we have found a perfect system for winning at blackjack. It’s a combination of a couple of things, and all you can do is improve your knowledge and minimize the house edge.

No matter if you’re playing in land-based or online casinos, the game usually goes in the casino’s favour. So, how do you actually win? Below, you will see some of the basic rules you can use to your advantage. If you want more blackjack strategy info, click here.

Memorize the Blackjack Strategy Chart

If you’re new to the game, the safest way to make the right decision is to perfectly memorize the blackjack strategy chart. These charts list all the possible outcomes you might come across during a game. However, relying solely on these charts can’t always guarantee a winning outcome.

Basic blackjack strategy is good for boosting your odds, but if you’re planning on becoming an active player, you will need more advanced strategies. However, we would recommend you to avoid card counting, as it can get you eliminated from the game.

When to Double Down

This is a blackjack feature that allows you to double your wager even after you’ve been dealt the cards. In return, you will be dealt only one additional card. Doubling down makes sense only if the value of your hand is equal to 10 or 11.

In that case, you will have a 30% chance of hitting a 10, which means you would make a high hand. If the original value of your cards goes above 11, don’t double down.

When to Split

Splitting is another feature in the game of blackjack. If you opt for splitting, here’s what will happen — after you were dealt the cards, you will get the opportunity to split them if they are a pair. You can decide to split your cards only at that moment — you won’t get another opportunity during the game.

If you split your cards, they will be divided into two hands. Moreover, you will need to match the original wager with a second bet. Now, this can go both ways — you can double your winnings but, at the same time, you can double your losses, if you make the wrong decision.

While this will certainly bring more excitement to the game, if you’re a blackjack beginner, you should stick to this rule — split only if you have a pair of eights and a pair of aces. Otherwise, you might risk losing more as the game progresses.

Should You Surrender?

Basically, this is the first thing you should ask yourself, mainly because you can surrender only at the beginning of the game after you were dealt the cards. If you’ve taken the hit card, you won’t have the opportunity to surrender. However, you should remember that some casinos simply don’t offer the option to surrender.

Hopefully, you’ve found this article helpful. Keep in mind that all of this depends on the blackjack variation you choose to play. If you’re a beginner, you should stick to the classic blackjack, and then move onto other, more progressive variants of the game.