Pairs to Definitely Split: Ace/Ace

On 03.03.10, In Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

Another pair that is most advantageous to split. Being dealt two Aces is not exactly the most normal of hands and it is probably the most fluid.

Obviously you do not want to play both Aces as 11’s since your hand total would be 22 and a bust. The other non-split option is to reduce one Ace to a 1, but then you hand total is 12—another stiff hand that is more difficult to win with.

A hard 12 is tricky because basic strategy says to stand if faced with a dealer’s 4-6. And while you will not lose every single time against those three up cards, you are defiantly the underdog in those instances.

So if there is another way out of being stuck with a hard 12 why not take it? Doubling your original wager and splitting those Aces will allow you to start two new hands, each with its own Ace.

The advantage is that you will be playing with two hands that each have a second chance built in. A third chance really when you count splitting them as the second chance to your hand—that makes reducing to a 1 as a fallback the hands’ third chances.

By splitting your Aces into their own hands you are playing with two soft hands. This is advantageous because if you hit one too high you can reduce the Ace from 11 to 1 and still have a shot at creating a good hand. Whereas if you were to split any other pair you do not have that fallback ability to reduce the value of a card like the Ace allows.

Being able to split a pair of Aces and then playing them as soft hands—with the ability to reduce the value of the Ace if necessary—is what makes splitting a pair of Aces so advantageous.

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Pairs to Definitely Split: 8/8

On 03.02.10, In Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

Now that I have covered the two pairs that you should never, ever split, I am going to discuss a pair that should always, always be split: a pair of 8’s.

A pair of 8’s has the potential to be a tricky hand. If you do not split them you have a terrible hand to play: a hard 16. Also known as one of the stiff hands.

A stiff hand is one that you pretty much have to stand on because your chances of busting are too great. A pair of 8’s being played unsplit would give you a hard 16.

To me a hard 16 is the worst stiff hand to be dealt. It is the stiff hand that is too high to really hit on because you can only take on a 5 or less to keep from busting. It is also one of only two hands in blackjack that basic strategy recommends surrendering if surrender is an option.

With all that being said about a hard 16, why would you not split a pair of 8’s?

If you are dealt a true hard 16 (6/10 and 7/9) there is nothing that you can do about your hand. You have no choice but to face your hard 16 and play it as best you can—which usually means standing and hoping the dealer busts.

But with a pair of 8’s you do not have to play your hand as a hard 16. You have a way out. You can split your pair of 8’s by doubling your original bet and playing with two hands.

If you split an 8/8, each hand will start with an 8 and you can hit to try to build a better hand. It is like allowing your hand to have a second chance, a chance to recover and not be a hard 16.

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Pairs You Do Not Split: 10/10

On 03.01.10, In Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

In my previous post I discussed why you never want to split a pair of 5’s. It simply boils down to what play is in the best interest of your strategy. And blackjack strategy is all about making the best play for the situation you find yourself in.

In the case of being dealt 10/10 you have two options. You can put forward another bet and split the pair into two new hands, each starting with a 10.

On the surface this seems like a smart play to make. You will be starting both hands on solid ground. If more low cards are flowing you have somewhat of a chance of building both 10’s up to strong hands. If the cards are flowing high then you have a chance of maybe creating two strong hands.

Or you choose the other play and stand on the pair as a hard 20.

This is the better play to make. A hard 20 is one of the strongest hands to be dealt. The only way the dealer can beat you is if he has a natural blackjack or if he hits to 21. So you have pretty strong chances of winning.

If you were to split the pair you run the risk of sacrificing a strong hand for only the chance of creating hands that you might be able to build up into strong hands. But why sacrifice a strong position for one that is unsure?

While blackjack is a gambling game, it is seen as ignorant to take unnecessary risks—even when gambling. The point of having a strategy in blackjack is to make the most advantageous play to win. Splitting a pair of 10’s is not nearly as advantageous as playing the hand out as a hard 20.

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Pairs You Do Not Split: 5/5

On 02.24.10, In Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

Many novice blackjack players do not always know what to do when they are dealt a pair. Should they play it as a hard hand or split it?

While a basic strategy chart can easily tell a player which way to play a pair, sometimes it helps to understand why a particular play should be made.

There are some pairs that you do not split. In those cases it is more advantageous to play them as a hard hand. A pair of 5’s is such a pair.

The reason that you do not want to split this pair is that its total as a hard hand is 10. And hard 10’s are advantageous to double down on. They are also half of 21. And while you cannot receive a 3-2 payout for a three card 21, it will still beat everything the dealer has unless he has a natural blackjack.

But the main reason not to split a pair of 5’s is because of its double down potential.

In a $10 game in which you split a pair of fives you have $20 on the line on two separate hands. If you win both hands you would be paid $40. But if you only won one hand you would be paid $20 on that hand and lose the other $10, breaking even in effect.

And it would be difficult to hit a 5 and build another good hand, let alone two good hands.

But if you were to keep the pair together and doubled down, yes, you would still have $20 on the line, but if you won you would be paid $40 without the worry of breaking even that is found in pair splitting.

This is why it is more advantageous to keep the two 5’s together and double down on them. You have a greater potential to win a larger amount. And that is the point of strategy, to find the best way to win the most and hang on to the money you already have.

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How to Play a Hard 16

On 02.17.10, In Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

Being dealt a hard 16 is one of those seemingly tricky hands. It is not a little hand, but it is not by any means a strong hand either. And that makes it difficult to play.

Naturally what play you choose is determined, or should be determined, by the dealer’s up card. However, many blackjack players will stand on a hard 16 regardless of what the dealer is showing. Standing is the correct play to make half of the time. But not all the time.

Let’s take a look at the basic strategy chart. You will see that it recommends standing when faced with a dealer’s 2 through 6. But it recommends to hit when faced with a dealer’s 7 through 10, a face card or an Ace.

Before you say that hitting a hard sixteen against anything is too big of a risk because the total is too high, look at some logic first.

If you assume that the dealer’s hole card is worth 10, then that means that he would have a total of 17 through 20, or even blackjack. And all of those hands will beat a hard 16. You hit because you know that the chances of losing are pretty solid if you stand against those dealer up cards. So you hit to try to improve your hand rather than going down without a fight.

This is why you stand when the dealer is showing anything less than a 7. Again, assuming that the dealer’s hole card is an Ace, he would have a 12 through 16. And he would have to hit all of those. You as a player are hoping that he will hit to busting.

And that’s why you stand—your chances of winning are greater in the dealer busting. But when he’s showing a 7 or higher he already has a chance of winning so you hit in hopes of making your hand more competitive.

So when you find yourself with a hard 16 and facing a 7 or higher remember to hit. Even though it seems like a gamble do it. You will have a better chance in the long run by hitting against those higher cards than in standing.

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Learning How to Card Count

On 02.10.10, In Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

If you play blackjack in a land-based casino, you can card count. Well, you can use it but casino staffs frown on it and you can get thrown out of the casino if you are caught. So while you can employ this skill, it is best to make sure that you have practiced it well enough before attempting to do so. You certainly do not want to get thrown out of a favorite casino.

That being said, the first thing you must know about learning to count cards in blackjack is to be patient with yourself. This is not a skill that is learned over night. It requires practice.

Next you must learn the counting values of a card counting system. The Hi-Lo count is one of the easiest to use. The counting values are as follows:

2-6 = low cards, counted as +1
7-9 = neutral cards, counted as 0
10, face, Ace = high cards, counted as -1

Begin practicing by counting your way through one deck. Once you can count through it quickly and in our head with no outward signs, practice counting with two decks. Once you have two decks down turn a TV or stereo on. Give yourself some distractions because casinos are full of them. You need to be able to count when surrounded by distractions. Start again with one deck and distractions. And then continue on to two.

It sounds really easy, but this is one of those easier said than done blackjack skills. You must practice. Yes, it will take time but the time will be well worth it once you start to use your card counting skills in a blackjack game.

The running count you have in your head during a blackjack game reflects the cards that have already been played. When your count goes positive, like a +3, it means that a good number of low cards have been played; they have to have been since they were played in order for you to count them. If you count goes negative it means that a larger number of high cards have been played.

Counting gives you the idea of how rich the remaining deck is in high or low cards. You can then adjust your betting accordingly. It is like a gauge. If your count is reflecting that many low cards have been played, then the remaining deck is rich in high cards. This is a good time to raise your wager. Conversely you would lower you bet when your count goes negative.

But what you need to keep in mind when teaching yourself how to count cards for blackjack is to be patient with yourself while learning. This is a skill not a trick after all.

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Why Basic Strategy Makes Insurance Not Necessary

On 02.03.10, In Blackjack Strategy, Online Blackjack, By Vivi

Basic Strategy was created and then tested to give players the best play possible for the hand that they are dealt against the dealer’s up card. And while this does not mean that you will win every time you play according to basic strategy, you will tend to win more in blackjack.

This is because basic strategy has taken into consideration the cards that dealers are more likely to bust on and which ones they are less likely to. This explains why you stand on stiff hands when faced with anything below a dealer’s 6. Those cards, 2 through 6, are the ones the dealer is more likely to bust on. This does not mean that they will but the chances are higher with a 6 than with a 10.

By playing blackjack according to basic strategy you can lower the house edge to about 0.05%. This happens over time. And some blackjack players feel that once they are winning more that they need to protect their strong hands against a dealer’s Ace.

Not only is the Ace the least likely card a dealer will bust on, it is necessary for having a natural blackjack. A dealer will offer you insurance.

As a basic strategy player you should decline.

Insurance is essentially a side beat that casinos have in blackjack that can help to not only increase their profit, but to also raise their edge. This is because the chance of winning versus the chance of losing creates, on average, an edge increase of 7%. And it is in the house’s favor.

Taking insurance has the potential to undo the work you have done to lower the house’s edge in blackjack to 0.05%. That impact has the potential to lower the house edge to below what the average blackjack game’s house edge is to begin with.

Most blackjack games will have an average of 2-5%. If you play basic strategy and lower the house edge to 0.05%, taking insurance will bounce the edge back to the house around 6.5%, which is likely to be worse than where you started.

When you are playing basic strategy never take insurance. If you watch you will see that serious players will not take it. And if they are not then neither should you.

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How to Play a Soft 17

On 01.27.10, In Blackjack Strategy, Online Blackjack, By Vivi

Being dealt a soft 17 can be a rather tricky hand to play with.

A good many players will play this hand as if it were a hard 17. And while a 17 has the potential to be a relatively strong blackjack hand, playing a soft hand like its hard counterpart is not always the most advantageous why to play it.

The Ace that makes a soft hand what it is creates a whole other way to play. This is why basic strategy has a different way to play soft hands.

But the first thing that you need to know is that a soft 17 is not the same as a hard 17. It gives you flexibility.

Let’s say that you have been dealt a soft 17. And we are going to assume, like a serious blackjack player should, that the dealer’s hole card is a 10—that is the worst case scenario. If the dealer’s up card is an 8, 9, 10 or Ace, you would normally be stuck if you had a hard 17. But a soft 17 allows you to switch to a more defensive strategy.

With the Ace’s ability to serve as a 1 or an 11, you can reduce a soft 17 to a hard 7 and hit. This is giving you another chance to build a stronger hand. You might be able to hit to a hard 18 or more, and give yourself a bit of a better leg to stand on. At any rate, it is better than simply playing a soft 17 like a hard 17.

In fact, hitting is what basic strategy advises. It also advises to take further advantage of a soft 17 by doubling down against a dealer’s up card of 3, 4, 5 or 6. That is when the dealer has the greatest chance of busting, and your strategy should put you in place to take advantage of it.

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The Next Best Hands to Blackjack and How to Play Them

On 01.20.10, In Blackjack Strategy, Online Blackjack, By Vivi

While we would all like to be dealt a natural blackjack every time we play, we know that it does not happen every time. Or even half of the time. But there are two other strong hands to hope for. Unfortunately, many novice players tend to misplay these hands due to the nature of their make-up.

After a natural blackjack, being dealt a hand that totals 20 is the strongest hand to have. The only hands that a dealer can have to beat you is a natural blackjack or to hit to 21. But in order for these two hands to be worth their total they must be played correctly.

Ace-9
This is the first hand that we will look at. Because of the Ace this does count as a soft hand even though its total is 20. And that is where most novice players make their mistake. Many will reduce the Ace from 11 down to 1 and play this hand as a hard 10, often doubling down. While doubling down seems to be the most advantageous play to make it is not.

What most novice players are missing is the most basic aspect of this hand: that the total is 20. Forget the soft or hard part and focus on the hand total, and play this as a hard 20. The chances of reducing to 10 and hitting to a total that is as strong as your original 20 or 21 are slim. It is better to just play an Ace-9 as a 20.

10-10
Like an Ace-9, this hand is often misplayed due to novice players thinking that there is a more advantageous play to make. In this case, novice players see that this is a pair, and think that the most advantageous play is to split them.

This is similar to reducing the Ace and doubling down with an Ace-9; the chances of building, not one, but two hands to equal the original 20 or better is slim. It is better to play this hand as a hard 20 for the same reasons that you want to play an Ace-9 as a hard 20.

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What to Do When Dealt a Hard 12

On 01.13.10, In Blackjack Strategy, Online Blackjack, By Vivi

Unfortunately the average blackjack player will be dealt a stiff hand around 43% of the time while playing. Stiff hands include hard 12 through hard 16. The reason it feels like we are dealt these hands more often is that they occur more often. There are more hard hands in blackjack than there are strong hands or low hands.

The best that you can do with a stiff hand is to play according to basic strategy. But if you are lucky enough to be playing in a game that allows for early or even late surrender, you can go with those plays and minimize your losses.

The frustrating aspect of hard hands is that it is difficult to make a winning hand with them and not bust while trying. But of the hard hands, hard 12 is the one that offers you the most opportunity.

According to basic strategy, it is best to hit a hard 12 against seven of the possible dealer up cards, whereas the other hard hands are only hitting on five of the dealer up cards.

With a hard 12 basic strategy recommends hitting against not only 7 and higher, but also hitting against a dealer’s up card of 2 or 3.

When hitting a hard 12 against a 2 or a 3, you have a 37% chance of winning the round. If you stand against a 2 or a 3 like you would with the other stiff hands, you only have a 35% chance at winning.

Blackjack strategy is about increasing our chances of winning and minimizing our losses. And while we have a greater chance of losing with a stiff hand, we have to do the best we can to keep our losses down. If there is a way to increase our chances of winning, we are likewise reducing our chances of losing.

In the case of a hard 12 against a 2 or 3, the best play to make to increase our chances is to hit. While we are only increasing our chances by 2%, it is 2% more than if we did nothing and stand.

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