Correct Strategy for Splitting in Blackjack is Often Counter-intuitive
By a vast majority, the most popular game at Jackpot Capital online casino is slots. Many players love the idea of going from game to game which gives them tremendous freedom to vicariously experience ancient and futuristic cultures, high adventure and low comedy, and everything in between.
Many gamers love to play on our magnificent mobile gaming platform. This platform lends itself both to longer sessions at home or short bursts of gaming while on the move during your busy day. When players access the mobile platform for a short session—a short session might last as little as five minutes—they often play progressive jackpot slots.
When gamers have more time, they like to play slots that also have big jackpots but not the seven figure, life changing progressive jackpots.
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What about Blackjack?
We have said all these nice things about slots for two reasons. One, slots are fun to play and give gamers a lot of gaming pleasure. Secondly, we feel that since slots are a true game of chance, albeit with a great deal of creativity, many gamers choose to play slots as relaxation.
But, we really would like to encourage gamers to try out the games of skill. We have run three parts of a four part series on best strategy in blackjack. This article will focus on splitting and it will conclude the series. Without saying anything negative about slots, we would like to encourage players to try out blackjack. Once you have the basic strategy in front of you, and you aren’t playing in order to unwind—that is the most common reason people play slots—you might find that you really enjoy blackjack.
Many players discover to their pleasure that they like the challenge of making the right play on every hand in blackjack. Some of the plays that are statistically the best plays are somewhat counter-intuitive so you need to learn them individually.
Splitting Pairs in Blackjack
Blackjack allows players to split pairs. You have to add a bet equal to your first bet and that creates two hands. Some games allow you to double down after splitting and some games allow you to split again if you get the same card a third or even a fourth time.
If you do get the same card twice more after splitting you’ll wish you were playing poker!
The All Important Dealer’s Card
As with all blackjack strategy, the card the dealer is showing is very important. Millions of blackjack hands have been studied by statisticians and the following are their conclusions as to best strategy for splitting in blackjack.
When You Have a Pair of Twos
If the dealer is showing a 2, you split this pair only if the game you’re playing allows doubling down after a split. The dealer has a weak hand but it is far from hopeless. If you get an 8 or a 9 after you split, you’ll double down.
If the dealer is showing 3 through 7, you split. It is obvious why you split when the dealer shows 3-6 (this is a weak hand for the dealer and she might easily bust) but the strategy for when the dealer has a 7 is counter-intuitive. Statistically, it is better to risk adding a hand in this case rather than simply hitting or surrendering.
However, it is not good strategy to split twos if the dealer is showing 8 through ace. It is also not good strategy to surrender. Many blackjack players surrender too often. It is a strategy for when you have such a weak hand that the chances of winning are very small.
When You Have a Pair of Threes
This is almost the same as the strategy for when you have a pair of twos. There are two interesting differences. If the dealer is showing a three, you split if doubling is allowed after a split. That’s because the dealer has a weak hand and you can double down with an 8 or a 7. In addition, you split if the dealer is showing an 8 and doubling down is allowed.
This is also counter-intuitive but it is the statistical result of analyzing many hands.
When You Have a Pair of Fours
This hand is a bit complicated. If the dealer has a 2 or 3, you hit. You hope to get 18 points and for the dealer to bust. If the dealer has a 4, you split if you can then double down. If the dealer has 5 or 6, you split if you can then double down but if you can’t, you double with 8 points. Finally, if the dealer has 7 through ace, you simply hit.
When you have a pair of fives, you double down.
When You Have Two Sixes
Two sixes are 12 points which is in the danger zone but splitting makes it possible to have an even worse hand if you get 16 points twice. However, the dealer will often have a weak hand as well. If the dealer has 2-6, you should split and hope to win a double bet when the dealer busts. If the dealer has a 7, you split if you can then double and if the dealer has 8-ace, you hit.
When You Have Sevens
At this point, the best strategy starts to get easier and more intuitive. With sevens, you split if the dealer has 2-7, you split with the option to double if the dealer has 8 points, you hit if the dealer has a 9 or an ace, and you surrender if the dealer has a 10-point card.
The last three are also counter-intuitive but they are borne out by statistical analysis.
When you have a pair of eights, you always split. Sixteen points is a very poor hand and splitting is better than surrendering. Is your head spinning yet? Hang on, there's more....
When You Have Nines
You split in all but three cases. If the dealer has a 7, a 10-point card, or an ace, you stand. When the dealer has a seven, you could beat him if he ends up with 17 points. When the dealer has 10 points or an ace, his hand is very strong and it is poor tactics to increase your bet.
When you have a pair of 10-point cards, you always stand.
When you have a pair of aces, you always split.
The Challenge of Blackjack
As we said earlier, the games of skill present challenges that the games of chance don’t present. We hope that now that you have the full strategy for blackjack, you’ll try it out. So many players have found that they really like blackjack. You might find that out too!
Blackjack when you're in the mood for thinking - slots when you're in the mood for entertainment.
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