Why You Should Double Down

On 06.11.10, In Blackjack Rules, Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

A lot of the time novice blackjack players are nervous or hesitant about making a double down play in blackjack. It does not matter whether they are playing online blackjack or blackjack in a casino, they still get nervous about it.

The cause behind this is because the blackjack player has to put out more money, he has to double his wager. If he has wagered $10 on a hand and wants to double down, he has to increase his wager to $20. And not all novice blackjack players are comfortable with this right away.

But they need to become comfortable with this play because it can definitely benefit their blackjack odds. Doubling down in blackjack at opportune times can increase a player’s blackjack odds by 0.9%. That is quite the boost to one’s blackjack odds for one type of play.

The reason for this is because the player benefits when the house has to pay them for winning. When the house wins they do not receive a payout. Every time the house pays you, your blackjack odds go up. And if they have to pay you twice as much, it increases you odds even more.

But you only increase your blackjack odds with a double down if you are making the play at the most advantageous times. And when are those?

It all comes back to basic strategy. A basic strategy chart can tell you when the most opportune times to double down are. Usually it is when you have a 9, 10 or 11 as follows:

9 vs. dealer’s 3-6
10 vs. dealer’s 2-9
11 vs. dealer’s 2-10

If you are still learning your basic strategy, take a chart with you or have it open in a window next to the online casino’s window. Utilizing blackjack tips that go along with basic strategy can help increase your blackjack odds.

Make the most of your bankroll and increase you blackjack odds by knowing when to double down and making a double down when basic strategy tells you to.

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Playing First and Busting

On 05.28.10, In Blackjack Strategy, Online Blackjack, By Vivi

Like any casino game—does not matter if it is online or not—blackjack is constructed so that the house starts off with the edge. While the 3-2 payout helps to boost the player’s online blackjack odds, the game has two aspects that feed into the house’s edge more naturally than rules that favor the house.

Those two aspects are playing out your hand before the dealer and busting. And they can go hand in hand really.

Let’s look at an ordinary game of online blackjack. It is just you and the dealer. You are dealt your two cards and the dealer has an up card and a hole card. Once the cards are dealt you must play out your hand before the game can continue. There is no way around it.

I know, this seems so trivial. How can playing out your hand first impact your online blackjack odds?

Well, let’s say that you hit and hit again and wind up busting. At that point your wager, your money, belong to the house. And it does not matter whether or not the dealer busts. In fact, the dealer can bust when playing out its hand after you have already busted and your money will still be collected for the house.

And that is the disadvantage of playing out your hand first. And because you are playing first and could lose your money before the dealer plays out its hand, it is considered a disadvantage. Disadvantages are what lower the player’s blackjack odds, while advantages, such as doubling down, increase the player’s odds.

In a way you could consider playing first the trade-off to receiving 3-2 on a natural blackjack. But then that really is not that fair of a trade since you play first in every game while you do not receive a 3-2 payout in every game. And that is why playing first and busting feed into the house’s odds.

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A Trick for a Pair of 4s

On 04.23.10, In Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

It is best to play blackjack according to basic strategy. While using basic strategy is the best way to impact the house edge and make the best statistical play possible each round, it does not often allow for a lot of maneuvering or for any little tricks.

But there are times that a blackjack player can deviate from basic strategy a little bit to take advantage of a house rule. One such rule is being allowed to double down after splitting pairs, but there is only one real hand that can take advantage of this rule, and that hand is a pair of 4s.

Normally basic strategy advises to hit on a pair of 4s rather than split them. This is because there is not advantage to splitting them.

However if you are allowed to double down after splitting there are two instances with a pair of 4s that you should split, and that is when you are faced with a dealer’s 5 or 6.

Once you split those 4s you will receive another card so that each hand will have two cards again. If you are dealt a 5, 6 or 7 you will have a hand total of 9, 10 or 11. If the dealer is showing a 5 or 6 it stands that there is a pretty good chance the deck is running with lower cards, which will help when splitting those 4s.

If, after splitting and receiving a second card for each hand, you have a new hand total of 9, 10 or 11 it is time to double down. Again, if you look at a basic strategy chart you will see that the best play for a hard 9, 10 or 11 is to double down. This is because doubling down on a 9, 10 or 11 is offensive in blackjack and you stand a good shot at making twice the winnings.

So to review, when the house allows you to double down after splitting pairs and you are dealt a pair of 4s, it the best play to split those 4s. If after splitting those 4s either one of your new hands has a total of 9, 10 or 11 you need to double down.

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Best Times to Double Down in Blackjack

On 03.10.10, In Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

Regardless of whether blackjack is played online or in a land-based casino doubling down is a highly advantageous play to make. The key is knowing when to double down and why those times are the best to do so.

First the double down play is a blackjack play in which the player doubles his or her original bet and receives only one more card before standing. Because only one more card is received it is important to already have a good starting hand total.

Doubling down, per basic strategy, should be done when dealt the following hard hands against the specified dealer up cards:

- Hard 9 vs. dealer’s 3-6
- Hard 10 vs. dealer’s 2-9
- Hard 11 vs. dealer’s 2-10

The reason it is most advantageous to double down on these hands is because, statistically speaking, this hands have good potential of becoming strong hands with one card. And even if the blackjack player receives a low card and their hard hand becomes a stiff hand, the dealer still has a decent shot of busting—which is what is desired when faced with a stiff hand.

Doubling down allows a blackjack player to earn double their payout if they win. It is taking full advantage of being dealt a good starting hand total.

If you had bet $10 and been dealt one of the above hands, would you rather be paid $10 for winning or $20?

If a blackjack player is in the position to take full advantage of their hand and make the more on a payout, then he or she should. And that is the point of doubling down in blackjack.

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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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Know Which Hands to Double Down On

On 01.06.10, In Blackjack Strategy, Online Blackjack, By Vivi

In blackjack there come points in time during the game when the player can go on the offensive—when their hand is stronger than the dealer’s. But how do you know when to go on the offensive? When you are dealt a starting total of 9, 10 or 11 is when you take your blackjack strategy to the offensive side.

The best play to make when you find your starting hand total to be one of those three is to double down. Doubling down sends a message to the dealer that you are confident and that your hand is strong—that you have a better chance of out-drawing the dealer and that you are going to do so with one card.

Granted, we not always win when we double down, but it is a fun play to make.

Doubling down is when you double your original bet and only receive one more card. Many players are a bit intimidated by only receiving one more card, but when you consider that you are already starting with a 10 or 11, you already have half of what you need to total 21. And if you are starting with 9 you are already halfway to having 20—another strong hand.

And by having the potential of creating a strong hand and winning with that hand, you have the chance of doubling your winnings since your bet was doubled.

Having a starting total of 11 is the strongest of the three. It offers you the most opportunities to double down. If you have a starting total of 11 and the dealer’s up card is a 2 through 10, double down. The only time you do not double down is when the dealer’s up card is an Ace.

In regards to having a starting total of 10, you will want to double down when the dealer’s up card is a 2 through 9.

And when you have a starting total of 9, you need to double down when the dealer’s up card is a 3 through 6.

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