Kind of like how soft hands require a little extra thought to play at first, so too do pairs in blackjack. The biggest trap in dealing with a pair is the just knowing that it is a pair, and that you have an extra playing option that is not available with hands that are not pairs.

Because of having this extra playing option to split a pair into two new hands and possibly win twice as much in a single round, players make the mistake of splitting every pair. Unfortunately this is not good blackjack strategy.

Just because it is a power and the player has the power to split it does not mean that every pair should be split.

For example a pair of 5s and a pair of 10s should not be split. The pair of 5s can be played like a hard 10 and be doubled down on. Doubling on a pair of 5s has better odds of winning and making a profit than splitting the 5s does. Likewise, a pair of 10s is stronger as a hard 20 than split. This is because there are only two hands with which the dealer can beat you with: hitting to 21 or having a natural blackjack.

But then there are pairs that should always be split simply because the player has a better chance of building two stronger hands than beating the dealer by standing on the pairs. Those two pairs are a pair of Aces and a pair of 8s. It is more advantageous to split those two pairs.

Basic strategy is a good pair splitting strategy tool. It should be used as the base of your blackjack strategy because it tells players the most advantageous play to make.

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.