Blog Posted on 16/03/2023 | Author: Karen Macarthur
Splitting in Blackjack: When You Should and Shouldn’t Do
When playing Blackjack games, you have several betting options at your disposal. You can choose to hit if you have a good point total and opt to stand if your hand isn’t worth playing. The other wagering options in Blackjack games are surrender, double down and split.
As experienced Blackjack players would tell, doubling down and splitting aren’t always the best options in Blackjack games. Please continue reading to know when it’s a good idea to split and when to abstain.
What exactly is splitting in Blackjack games?
Before explaining the instances when you should and shouldn’t split, let’s look at some basics. Simply put, splitting in Blackjack games refers to splitting your initial two cards into two different hands. Naturally, you can only do this when the value of your first two cards is the same. In other words, you’re allowed to split while holding a pair.
Place a wager equal to your initial stake amount when opting to split. This contrasts the Blackjack double-down bet, where you are allowed to wager less. Also, it’s important to note that only players can split in Blackjack games. As for the splitting hand signal, you use your two fingers to point at your stake amount.
When to split in Blackjack?
Below we’ve listed the instances when splitting may be a good wagering option to go with:
Pair of Aces
If you’ve played Blackjack online or mobile Blackjack before, you’d know there are 16 ten-valued cards in a standard Blackjack deck. Given the number of ten-valued cards, splitting an initial hand of two Aces can be a good idea.
If you refrain from splitting your pair of Aces, one Ace will be given a value of 1, and the other will be counted as 11. In such instances, only a nine-valued card will get you the perfect point total of 21. At the same time, having a 10-valued card would require valuing both Aces as 1s, making your hand value 12.
Pair of eights
A pair of eights isn’t considered a good hand in Blackjack games. This is irrespective of whether you’ve split that hand or not.
Playing your initial hand of two eights means your chances of exceeding the highest point total of 21 and going bust are high. But if you split, you can form a competitive hand.
When shouldn’t you split in Blackjack?
As experienced Blackjack players say, surrender in Blackjack isn’t always a good option. And the same applies to splitting in the game. Here are the situations when you shouldn’t split in Blackjack games:
Pair of tens
A pair of tens is considered a very good hand in Blackjack games. And if you split, the chances of you forming a hand better than a pair of tens are low.
Pair of fours
With a pair of fours, there aren’t any chances of you going bust on your next hit. Here, the most you can get is 19, a good point total. If you go with splitting, only three cards can give you a better point value than a pair of fours. They are five, six and seven.
Advantages and disadvantages of splitting cards in Blackjack
The main benefit of splitting cards in Blackjack games is that you’ll have twice as much money. And this can be a good thing if the dealer’s hand seems to be weak. Given that the dealer goes bust at the end of the gameplay round, you’ll receive twice as much in potential winnings.
But don’t get too enthusiastic. Like other forms of casino gambling, you need to weigh the risk when splitting in Blackjack. While you can win twice as much by splitting, you can also lose double your stake if the dealer forms a better hand than you. This, in turn, will only consume your Blackjack bankroll faster.
The risk of splitting is why many experienced players say you shouldn’t split every pair. Pay careful attention to the circumstances. And if you’re unsure, it may be best to avoid splitting.
Try out when you must split in Blackjack
The best way to get familiar with this wagering option is to try it out. On our platform, you’ll find demo versions of popular online Blackjack games where you can try out Blackjack splitting for free. We’ve got excellent articles on Blackjack history, multi-hand Blackjack rules and other aspects of the game for beginner players.
Once ready, you can shift to playing the real money version of Blackjack. With us, you can try your hands at several exciting Blackjack variations. Have an entertaining Blackjack experience there!
