What makes any casino game interesting is when the play suddenly changes.

Blackjack Double Down Probabilities. This chart shows exact percentages for how often each double-down hand in blackjack will win, push, or lose. The figures quoted are for a 6 deck game where the dealer stands on all 17s. The dealer is assumed to have already.

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.

• Blackjack Rule Variations Introduction. Rule variations will have an effect on the player's expected return. The numbers below show the effect on the player's return under various rules and after taking into consideration proper basic strategy adjustments.
• Most Blackjack variants offer you to split cards when you get two cards of the same value. By splitting a pair of cards, you make two same hands and you are dealt two more cards, while your bet is doubled. By making this move, you can double your winnings but at the same time, you can double your losses.

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.

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? And are there times when going against conventional wisdom is less risky? Find out below.

When to Split 5s – If Ever

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.

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?

Blackjack Double Down Split

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:

1. What’s your second card’s value?
2. 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.

Blackjack is one of the most widely played games in any casino, brick-and-mortar or online. The game is popular for many reasons, including the fact that it is one of the easiest casino table games to learn to play and offers plenty of strategically-based decision-making to enhance winning opportunities.

While the most common decisions you would make in each round of blackjack include knowing when to hit or when to stand, other crucial strategic decisions include knowing when to split and when to double down.

Splitting Cards – What Is it and When Should You Do It?

The opportunity to split cards usually occurs when any player is dealt two identically-ranked cards, known as a pair, in the initial deal. The player can then split them into two new and separate bets and request another card for each. The two new hands will then each get a full bet, the same as if it were just a single blackjack hand.

Should it be on any two same-ranked cards, or is there a better way to go about splitting cards?

As a matter of fact, there is, and it’s loosely referred to as the aces and eights “rule.” In the case of a pair of aces, the player can either see the hand as a 2 (total), which is very bad, or as a soft 12, which can be just as bad. However, if the player splits the aces into two new bets, they automatically give themselves two separate opportunities to potentially hit a 21 or blackjack.

Similarly, if a player receives a pair of eights in their initial round, it adds up to a total of 16, which is considered to be one of the worst hands in blackjack. However, splitting the eights gives the player an opportunity to build on both hands.

If the player should receive either a 10 card or an 11 card, they will have a total of 18 or 19, which are both much better than going up against the dealer with a total of 16 only, should they choose not to split.

Double Down – What Does It Mean?

As the name implies, doubling down entails doubling your initial bet once you have received your first two cards. Of course, doubling down also depends on the rules of the particular game of blackjack that you happen to be playing.

It is always a good idea to ensure that you can double down in the game of blackjack you want to play before actually sitting down (or playing online). The double-down can be risky since you are putting down twice as much on your hand. If you lose, you lose twice as much. However, if you win, you instantly double your profits for very little extra work.

How the Double-Down System Works

To get your double-down going, you will need to signal to the dealer that this is your intention. In order to do this, simply place the same amount of chips next to your original bet. This is generally the accepted signal for a double-down in most brick-and-mortar or online casinos.

Some land-based and online casinos will also allow you to double down for less, meaning that you can still pull off a double-down move, but you won’t have to put down the same amount as your initial bet, a bit like a special deal.

Once the dealer has acknowledged your wish to double down, he/she will then place an additional card across your initial two cards. This is where the entire double-down procedure ends, as you will not be allowed to do anything else with this hand. In other words, whatever your total hand is with the three cards is the hand you will be playing, without any additional hits.

Letting the Dealer Know You Are Doubling Down and Not Splitting

In blackjack, the action for a double-down is exactly the same as the action for a split. This is usually not a problem if you are either doubling down or splitting. However, if you want to double down on a pair, you will need to let the dealer know that you are doubling down and not splitting the pair.

In order to do this, you will need to say the words “double down” when placing your additional bet. This will ensure that the dealer does not confuse your intention.

Letting the Dealer Know You Are Doubling Down and Not Splitting – Online

Of course, if you are playing blackjack online, you cannot actually say the words “double down” to the dealer since the dealer is effectively a computer program. However, you can simply hit the double-down button (in most instances of online blackjack), and your additional bet will be placed automatically.

Know the Rules

Not every game of blackjack will allow you to double down on your hand, and not every casino (brick-and-mortar or online) will follow the same rules regarding doubling down. The most common form of the double-down rule allows players to double down on their initial two-card hand. Let’s look at some variations of the blackjack double-down rule:

• The most common double-down rule covers your first two-card hand
• Some casinos will also allow you to double down on a blackjack
• Some casinos will restrict the double-down option to either hard 9, hard 10, or hard 11 – this means that your initial two-card total must be 9, 10, or 11
• Players can also double down after a split – this applies to most brick-and-mortar as well as online casinos

When to Double Down?

Doubling down is an enormously popular strategy in blackjack, and it is used by experienced players to potentially increase their profits very quickly. However, as with any technique or strategy, it is important to know what it is and when to use it for best effect.

Blackjack Double Down

There are inherent risks with using the double-down betting option that should be considered as well before attempting to use it in a real money blackjack game. While it does have the potential to instantly double your profits, the reverse is also true in that you could instantly lose twice as much as you would if a regular bet ended up as a bust.

When to Use It Strategically

One of the great things about playing blackjack is that there are plenty of opportunities to employ strategies to help improve your chances of success. Many experienced blackjack players also apply strategy to the double-down betting option, which can be combined with a card-counting technique for added effectiveness.

However, if you’re a novice blackjack player and wish to use the double-down betting option in your next blackjack game, you can simply follow these basic double-down guidelines:

Blackjack Split Vs Double Down

• Double down on 11: if your initial two-card hand totals 11, you should probably double down. One of the main reasons for this is that there is always a good chance that you will receive a 10 card as your third card, giving you an instant total of 21
• Double down on a hard 10 if the dealer shows a 4, 5, or 6
• Double down on a hard 9 if the dealer shows either a 5 or a 6

Blackjack Double Down Split

Double Down in Card Counting

Card counting is one of the most notorious blackjack techniques for all the wrong reasons. Many people believe that this is a form of cheating, but in reality, it is just a smart way of figuring out what the blackjack deck may be holding.

The way that card counting works is actually quite easy to understand. Different cards in the deck are given a value, either a minus value or a positive value (-/+), to determine what the deck may be holding. A negative deck, therefore, means that most of the cards in the deck will be low-value cards, while a positive deck tells you that there are more high-value cards still to play.

Card counting can, therefore, be used to determine when to double down and when to avoid the option. If the deck is quite negative, it tells you that doubling down could be a bad idea. For instance, if you have a two-card total of 11, you would probably normally double down in hopes of receiving a 10 card.

On a negative deck, there is more of a chance of getting a low-value card such as a 4, 5, or a 6. If the dealer is showing a 10 card, your chances of losing your double-down bet are much higher.

Being Safe with Double Down in Blackjack

As you can see, the double-down technique can be very effective in providing instant double profits, should everything go right. However, there is always the chance that things could go horribly wrong (there are no guarantees in blackjack), and you could lose twice as much.

What Is Double In Blackjack

Ultimately, it is all about knowing as much as you can about the game, applying a solid blackjack strategy such as card counting, watching the dealer to see what he is showing as well as what he may be hiding with his hole card, and watching other players to see how strong their hands are (which could tell you how strong or weak the deck is).