Making the Most of Your Split Play in Blackjack

[admin]

Though televised Texas Hold ‘Em tournaments have taken hold of public consciousness like no other casino game, blackjack remains one the most popular all over the globe. This owes much to the favorable effect that skill and correct strategy have on balancing the odds. Undoubtedly, the 3:2 payout for a blackjack helps too.
Casino rules everywhere permit players to split a pair and play them as independent hands in sequence.

The advantage of this rule is most evident when one receives a pair of eight’s initially for a total of sixteen. Without the ability to split, the casino patron is in a bind: sixteen is not usually good enough to win but there is a good chance of busting if he draws a third card.

Indicating a split by laying both eight’s face up and putting a second pile of chips matching the original bet in the circle revives the player’s chances. What happens now?

For the standard scenario where the shoe contains six to eight decks, the dealer must hit on soft 17, the casino allows double after split, multiple split on Ace with a limit to one card per Ace, re-splits, and late surrender, the elements of correct split strategy include:

• Always split Aces. That should be clear.

• Stand on a pair of ten’s regardless of what the dealer face-up card shows. Only an Ace after the split can possibly better your hand and you are already assured that the dealer does not have a 21.

• Stand on a pair of nine’s as well if the dealer shows the high-risk ten and Ace cards or the seven. In the latter case, the most he has is 17 which means he must hit.

• As a general rule, split your pairs of two’s, three’s, sixes, sevens and eights but hit if the dealer face-up card is high-value: seven to Ace. This is entirely logical for the low-value pairs because any card drawn after the split must improve your hand or at worst permit a re-split. With pairs of six, seven or eight, on the other hand, you risk losing to a concealed 9 or 10.

• When holding just a pair of four’s, you also need to hit when the house card showing is four or lower. There is only an even chance that splitting the four’s will beat the dealer hand. Hence, a split could result in winning with one hand and losing with the other. Why bother to split just to wind up with nothing?

• The five-pair is a special case. By all means, draw another card if the dealer has an Ace or 10-value card showing. But opt for a double down if the face-up card is 9 or lower.

• If the cards you draw do not allow you to re-split, stand on a hand that adds up to 17 or more no matter what the dealer’s face-up card. is

• Stand as well on a total of 13 to 16 if the dealer show card is six or less. If, on the other hand, his face-up card is seven or higher, you have a decision to make: hit or surrender? To counter the chance that the dealer’s seven (or higher) has formidable backing in the hidden card which would give him 14 or higher, do withdraw another card. Surrender is the better part of valor, however, if the dealer shows a 9, 10, face or Ace because there is a better-than-even chance that his two-hand total is already more than a match for yours.

• With a 12, split if the dealer has four, five or six visible. Drawing a ten-value card or an Ace with either split should beat whatever hidden card he has. Opt to hit if his visible card is low or seven and higher. You have nothing to lose.

At Acehero.com, quite possibly the only gambling forum in the world that truly rewards our members for their valued opinions, our discussion threads cover discoveries about winning play and concrete advice about handling, for instance, the split play in Blackjack.