What makes any casino game interesting is when the play suddenly changes.
A basic round of blackjack involves players deciding whether to hit or stand on the cards they are dealt. It's fun to beat the dealer, to be sure, but there's more to the game than that.
Some players feel all the challenge is in counting cards. And given how casinos love to frustrate card counters by changing or shuffling shoes, card counting may be the most challenging strategy of all.
Whether you count cards or not, the moment the dealer hits you with a pair of aces or 8s, you should know to split right away.
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. It was a $10 table, and the guy at 1st base was apparently down to his last $10, so when he was dealt a pair of 8s, he chose to stand instead of split. (If I remember correctly, the dealer had a 6) He ended up losing the hand and leaving the table. Should you split 8s when card counting in blackjack? If the deck count is positive – meaning there are more tens in the deck than usual – some may also opt against splitting eights, especially when the dealer's up card is something like a five or a six. With more tens in the deck, there is a higher chance of the dealer busting their hand. Welcome to our site! Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00AM - 5:00PM EST. We specialize in handmade leather accessories for the military flight jacket enthusiast. We provide quality reproduction patches for all branches of service, from the 1940's, 1950's, 1960's and beyond. Looking for a custom made. 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.
But what if you're dealt 10 points? You have two 5s in your hand and conventional blackjack strategy says to 'never split 5s.' Some adventurous players do it anyway. 10 points is a strong hand, and the next card you're dealt could be an ace or 10-point card.
You'd have to be insane to split 5s. I'd rather double down on a pair of 5s if I'm feeling adventurous.
So, what are the best hands to split or double down when playing blackjack for real money? And are there times when going against conventional wisdom is less risky? Find out below.
When to Split 5s – If Ever
Betting board template. I'll start with the insane situation. I cannot think of a reasonable rationale for splitting 5s, but a friend once asked me to imagine a scenario where it's at least not as stupid an idea as it sounds.
Assuming you're counting cards and the casino is in a laissez-faire mood about shuffling the shoe, you'd be okay to split 5s if you're really confident you have a lot of low value cards left.
When Do You Split 8s Blackjack
It seems like there are a lot of possible combinations to play with here. Splitting 5s really means you're playing two 5-point hands. Imagine what you'd have to do if your hand begins with a 2 and 3. You have no choice but to hit.
If the next card is an ace, you're sitting with either 6 or 16. You must hit and hope for an ace or 2-5 card.
I have a friend who calls this 'climbing out of the hole.' You're clawing your way up into winning territory. When I start with such a weak hand, it feels like I have to take three or four hits to resolve the hand.
Unless you just want to risk your wager and chew through cards, I can't think of a reason to split 5s. But if you forced me to do it at least once, I would only do it if I believed there were a lot of low-value cards left.
Who wouldn't want to beat the odds, right?
When to Double Down on 5s
Assuming your sanity doesn't leave you in the middle of the game, is it a good idea to double down on a pair of 5s?
Our card-counting friends might say it's worth the risk if you're feeling adventurous and are confident the next card will be a 7 or better. Standing on a soft 17 is better than guessing whether you've got more low cards coming. But don't make this decision in a vacuum.
When you're dealt a pair of 5s, conventional strategy says if the dealer's up card is anything from 2 through 9, you should double down.
Basic Strategy for Doubling Down
Most basic strategy guides on doubling down fail to keep it simple. Doubling down doesn't work the same way for everyone. When a strategy is based on assumed table rules, you should really think it over carefully.
If a strategy guide says, 'this works when you have six decks in the shoe,' or 'when the dealer must stand on soft 17,' that means the strategy may not work as well for you in other situations.
The 'basic' part of basic strategy begins with knowing what rules you're playing under. If you're in a highly coveted single deck game, put that eight-deck strategy card aside and vice versa.
The casino may restrict doubling down to high-value hands of 9 or higher. To keep it simple, if you're playing by these rules, only double down on an ace+7 hand. A more experienced player may feel up to the challenge of calculating the odds for other combinations.
If the casino allows you to double down on any hand, your safest strategy is to double down on hard 11 against any dealer up card and a hard 10 if the dealer's showing a 2 through 9. There are other guidelines for doubling down, but they assume certain rules are in play.
Give yourself time to learn the game.
When Is It Best to Double Down With an Ace?
Everyone should know to split aces in blackjack. But when should you double down if you're holding an ace?
When you double down, you only get one more card. When this strategy pays off, you only need one more card.
There are two things to consider:
- What's your second card's value?
- What's the dealer's up card value?
If you were dealt an 8 or higher card with your ace, don't double down. Period. You're sitting on 19 or better. If you have an ace and you're sitting on 18, you might be able to get away with doubling down if the dealer's up card is a 3, 4, 5, or 6.
The lower your second card is, the more likely you can get away with doubling down. But the dealer's up card should play into your decision. If the dealer is showing a deuce or anything better than a 6, don't double down.
Should You Always Split 8s?
Basic blackjack strategy says 8s are a safe and wise split. It's hard to go wrong with splitting 8s. The math says this works out well in the long run.
So, there you are with a pair of 8s and you split, and the dealer hits you with a 5. You kick yourself for walking away from an easy 21.
If you're counting cards and you believe there are a lot of low value cards left in the deck, splitting 8s may not be the wisest move. You only need a 2 through 5. That's a narrow range of cards, but if you're sure more of the higher value cards have been played, your chances of surviving are better.
When you're dealt a pair of 5s, conventional strategy says if the dealer's up card is anything from 2 through 9, you should double down.
Basic Strategy for Doubling Down
Most basic strategy guides on doubling down fail to keep it simple. Doubling down doesn't work the same way for everyone. When a strategy is based on assumed table rules, you should really think it over carefully.
If a strategy guide says, 'this works when you have six decks in the shoe,' or 'when the dealer must stand on soft 17,' that means the strategy may not work as well for you in other situations.
The 'basic' part of basic strategy begins with knowing what rules you're playing under. If you're in a highly coveted single deck game, put that eight-deck strategy card aside and vice versa.
The casino may restrict doubling down to high-value hands of 9 or higher. To keep it simple, if you're playing by these rules, only double down on an ace+7 hand. A more experienced player may feel up to the challenge of calculating the odds for other combinations.
If the casino allows you to double down on any hand, your safest strategy is to double down on hard 11 against any dealer up card and a hard 10 if the dealer's showing a 2 through 9. There are other guidelines for doubling down, but they assume certain rules are in play.
Give yourself time to learn the game.
When Is It Best to Double Down With an Ace?
Everyone should know to split aces in blackjack. But when should you double down if you're holding an ace?
When you double down, you only get one more card. When this strategy pays off, you only need one more card.
There are two things to consider:
- What's your second card's value?
- What's the dealer's up card value?
If you were dealt an 8 or higher card with your ace, don't double down. Period. You're sitting on 19 or better. If you have an ace and you're sitting on 18, you might be able to get away with doubling down if the dealer's up card is a 3, 4, 5, or 6.
The lower your second card is, the more likely you can get away with doubling down. But the dealer's up card should play into your decision. If the dealer is showing a deuce or anything better than a 6, don't double down.
Should You Always Split 8s?
Basic blackjack strategy says 8s are a safe and wise split. It's hard to go wrong with splitting 8s. The math says this works out well in the long run.
So, there you are with a pair of 8s and you split, and the dealer hits you with a 5. You kick yourself for walking away from an easy 21.
If you're counting cards and you believe there are a lot of low value cards left in the deck, splitting 8s may not be the wisest move. You only need a 2 through 5. That's a narrow range of cards, but if you're sure more of the higher value cards have been played, your chances of surviving are better.
A simpler way to make the call is to look at the dealer's up card. Some people won't split 8s if the dealer is showing a 9 or 10.
The simplest strategy is to always split your 8s. When you gain more experience, you may cut some losses by judiciously not splitting 8s.
Conclusion
Basic strategy should simplify your decision-making as much as possible. Some basic strategy guides don't simplify things enough.
As you gain experience and see what could have been done with your hand, go back and study the exceptions in basic strategy guides. Wait until you're truly ready to play a more challenging game.
Splittingaces and eights is part of blackjackbasic strategy. Rules vary across gambling establishments regarding resplitting, doubling, multiple card draws, and the payout for blackjack, and there are conditional strategic responses that depend upon the number of decks used, the frequency of shuffling and dealer's cards. However, regardless of the various situations, the common strategic wisdom in the blackjack community is to 'Always split aces and eights' when dealt either pair as initial cards.[1] This is generally the first rule of any splitting strategy.[2]
Splitting[edit]
The object of blackjack is for a player to defeat the dealer by obtaining a total as close to 21 as possible without accumulating a total that exceeds this number.[3] In blackjack, the standard rule is that if the player is dealt a pair of identically ranked initial cards, known as a pair, the player is allowed to split them into separate hands and ask for a new second card for each while placing a full initial bet identical to the original wager with each. After placing the wager for the split hands the dealer gives the player an additional card for each split card. The two hands created by splitting are considered independently in competition against the dealer.[4][5] Splitting allows the gambler to turn a bad hand into one or two hands with a good possibility of winning. It also allows the player to double the bet when the dealer busts.[2] Some rules even allow for resplitting until the player has as many as four hands[4] or allow doubling the bet after a split so that each hand has a bet double the original.[6][7] The standard rules are that when a bet is doubled on a hand, the player is only allowed to draw one more card for that hand.[8][9]
Aces[edit]
A pair of aces gives the blackjack player a starting hand value of either a 2 or a soft 12 which is a problematic starting hand in either case.[2][10] Splitting aces gives a player two chances to hit 21.[11] Splitting aces is so favorable to the player that most gambling establishments have rules limiting the player's rights to do so.[2][10] In most casinos the player is only allowed to draw one card on each split ace.[8][10] As a general rule, a ten on a split ace (or vice versa) is not considered a natural blackjack and does not get any bonus.[6] Prohibiting resplitting and redoubling is also common.[2] Regardless of the payout for blackjack, the rules for resplitting, the rules for doubling, the rules for multiple card draws and the dealer's cards, one should always split aces.[10][12][13]
Eights[edit]
If a player is dealt a pair of eights, the total of 16 is considered a troublesome hand. In fact, the value 16 is said to be the worst hand one can have in blackjack.[10] Since sixteen of the other fifty cards have a value of 10 and four have a value of 11, there is a strong chance of getting at least an 18 with either or both split cards. A hand totaling 18 or 19 is much stronger than having a 16.[6] Splitting eights limits one's losses and improves one's hand.[10][11][12] Probabilistic research of expected value scenarios shows that by splitting eights one can convert a hand that presents an expected loss to two hands that may present an expected profit or a reduced loss, depending on what the dealer is showing.[14] A split pair of eights is expected to win against dealer upcards of 2 through 7 and to lose less against dealer upcards of 8 through ace.[15] If a player hits on a pair of eights, he is expected to lose $52 for a $100 bet. If the player splits the eights, he is expected to lose only $43 for a $100 bet.[16]
History[edit]
Blackjack's 'Four Horsemen' (Roger Baldwin, Wilbert Cantey, Herbert Maisel and James McDermott), using adding machines, determined that splitting eights was less costly than playing the pair of eights as a 16.[17] They were part of a 1950s group that discovered that strategy could reduce the house edge to almost zero in blackjack.[18] Now a typical strategy involves the following sequence of playing decisions: one decides whether to surrender, whether to split, whether to double down, and whether to hit or stand.[19]
One of the earliest proponents of the strategy of splitting eights is Ed Thorp, who developed the strategy on an IBM 704 as part of an overall blackjack strategic theory published in Beat the Dealer: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One in 1962.[18][20][21] Thorp was the originator of the card counting system for blackjack.[18]
Notes[edit]
- ^Gros, p. 60
- ^ abcdeOrtiz, p. 56
- ^Gros, p. 48
- ^ abGros, p. 51
- ^Jensen, pp. 22–23
- ^ abcSchneider, p. 47
- ^Gros, p. 52
- ^ abSchneider, p. 49
- ^Gros, p. 50
- ^ abcdefJensen, p. 53
- ^ abJensen, p. 56
- ^ abHagen and Wiess, pp. 68
- ^Schneider, p. 48
- ^Hagen and Wiess, pp. 66–67
- ^Scoblete, Frank. 'Why Splitting Eights At Blackjack Is An Iron Clad Rule'. Golden Touch Craps. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
- ^Tamburin, Henry (25 October 1999). 'Splitting Aces and Eights'. Casino city Times. Retrieved 24 July 2009.
- ^Snyder, Arnold (2005). 'Blackjack Basic Strategy: Aces and Eights'. Player Magazine (republished).
- ^ abcGros, p. 44
- ^Jensen, p. 51
- ^Thorpe, Beat the Dealer as cited in Snyder, Arnold citation below
- ^Levinger, Jeff (10 February 1961). 'Thorpe, 704 Beat Blackjack'(PDF). The Tech. Retrieved 30 May 2009.
References[edit]
- Dunki-Jacobs, Frits. Betting on Blackjack: A non-counter's Breakthrough Guide to Making Profits at the Tables. Adams Media. pp. 28–34. ISBN1-58062-951-2.
- Gros, Roger. The Winner's Guide To Casino Gambling. Carlton Books Limited. pp. 44–69. ISBN1-85868-899-X.
- Hagen, Tom & Sonia Weiss (2005). The Everything Blackjack Strategy Book: Surefire ways to beat the house every time. Adams Media. pp. 66–68. ISBN1-59337-306-6.
- Jensen, Marten (2003). Beat Multiple Deck Blackjack. Cardoza Publishing. pp. 22–23, 51–56. ISBN1-58042-069-9.
- Ortiz, Darwin. Casino Gambling For The Clueless. Carol Publishing Group. pp. 55–59. ISBN0-8184-0609-7.
- Schneider, Meg Elaine. The Everything Casino Gambling Book (2nd ed.). Adams Media. pp. 47–49. ISBN1-59337-125-X.
- Thorp, Ed (1966). Beat the Dealer: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One. Vintage. ISBN0-394-70310-3.
Do You Always Split 8s In Blackjack
