Blackjack Basics. Premise of the Game. Blackjack is pretty simple. The basic premise of the game. When to Double Down in Blackjack: Rules. Before you read these rules, consider the fact that any land casino or online casino you play in can have specific limitations on doubling. Get acquainted with the restrictions on the corresponding page before starting the match. Generally, having 9-11 is almost always a good position for doubling down. Blackjack Double Down Rules Rules can vary slightly between casinos, but generally Doubling Down can be used after the player draws their first two cards. Some venues, both online and real-world allow Doubling Down on a Blackjack, whilst others can restrict its use to totals of 9; 10; or 11.
- Blackjack Double Down Strategy
- How To Play Blackjack And Win
- Blackjack Double Down Rules
- Double Down In Blackjack Rules
- How To Play Blackjack At A Casino
In casino blackjack, the rules for doubling and splitting have one key difference. While both of these rules allow a player to increase his wager after the initial cards are dealt, splitting specifically requires the player to match the original bet amount with an equal wager on the second hand, while doubling down has no such restriction. The casino will gladly allow you to “double for less”, by adding an amount less than the original bet in return for drawing only one additional card. That’s not surprising, since doubling for less is never the correct strategy for a player at a regular game. If it is advantageous to double, it’s best to get as much money on the table as possible. Remember, you’re also giving up the ability to draw more than one card to your hand.
While doubling for less is always a mistake in a live game, tournament play is different. In fact, when used properly, doubling for less is a powerful technique for getting an extra edge over your opponents. In this article, we’ll look at two examples when it’s appropriate.
In the article on position, I discussed the importance of position in tournament play, and noted that players to your left are a bigger threat than players to your right. The reason is simple. On most hands, the players to your left get to see your bet and playing decisions before they make their own decisions. As a result, having a second opportunity to change the amount of your wager can be valuable. That means doubling and splitting are more useful than in regular table play.
Example 1: Stealing a shot at the lead
Let’s imagine that you are trailing a player to your left by $50, and you are nearing the end of the round. If you can’t afford to wait until the button passes you to make a move for the lead, doubling or splitting can be your best shot. Let’s say you bet $100, and your opponent matches that bet behind you. The cards are dealt and you have a hard 12, he has a hard 18, and the dealer shows a 4 upcard. Here’s a situation where basic strategy says you should stand. However, it’s also a great opportunity to steal the lead from your opponent. By doubling your 12, you can take the lead if successful. However, since this is generally a poor play, you should double for as little as possible to accomplish your goal. In this case, doubling for $55 or $60 is appropriate.
While this can be a strong play, there are several factors you should consider before pulling the trigger on the double. How many hands are left? How many hands will he be betting behind you? What is the maximum bet, and what are the bankrolls? Perhaps the most critical factor is how damaging a losing swing would be to your chances. If you bust the 12, and the dealer busts behind you, you are now $305 behind. If the max bet is $300, that’s a terrible handicap, and unless the round is nearly over, you should perhaps skip this opportunity and hope for a better shot later. On the other hand, if the max bet is $1000, and you both have plenty of chips, then a $305 deficit is no big deal, and this is probably a great time to take a shot.
Note that the same factors apply to your opponent after you double. If you succeed in drawing a good card to your hand, he may consider doubling his hard 18 behind you. While it’s almost a sure loser, if a negative swing is not a big deal it might be the right play for him.
Blackjack Double Down Strategy
Example 2: Forcing your opponent to make a choice
Here’s a powerful technique that I’ve never seen mentioned in print before. Though it’s far from unknown among tournament pros, I’ve seen very few players use it, although the situation comes up pretty frequently.
Back at the table, you’re still trailing Lefty by $50, but now it’s the last hand. You’ve bet $250, and Lefty matches it. You have an 11, Lefty has a pair of face cards, and the dealer shows an 8. You have a basic strategy double-down, and it is quite apparent that you should double if you want to have any reasonable chance of winning the round. In the last example, we had a poor double-down and wanted to minimize the cost by doubling for less.
This time, with a solid basic strategy double, most players would choose to double for the full amount. That would be a huge mistake! Consider what happens if you draw a poor card on your double. If your double ends up stiff, with a total of less than 17, Lefty can now lock you out of any chance to win. He can split the face cards, stand on any stiff, and you have zero chance of winning the round. It’s over!
To eliminate this possibility, you should double for less. If you double for anything between $55 and $195, you’ve created a difficult choice for your opponent. He can no longer lock you out with a split. If he splits, and the dealer beats both of you, you now advance instead of him. Since he can’t split for less, you force him to choose between “first high” and “first low”. He must decide whether he wants to cover you winning or the dealer winning, since he cannot do both. All this, just because you doubled for less than the full amount.
This tactic works wonders, no matter what the dealer upcard, and almost no matter what you draw on your double-down. Doubling for less is almost always preferable to doubling for the full amount any time your opponent has a pair that they would prefer to split rather than double.
This is a powerful play, and it arises often enough that it deserves a name. Since I’ve never seen it mentioned by other authors, I’ll go out on a limb and christen it “Ken’s Quandary”, with the quandary being your opponent’s, after you double down. Few plays will provoke a stronger grimace from across the table.
Best of luck out there, -Ken- Free fun slots with bonus games.
For more articles on blackjack tournaments and tournament strategy, you can:
Return to the Blackjack Tournaments Section, or
Move on to the next article The Rule of 2, 4, and 5.
Return to the Blackjack Tournaments Section, or
Move on to the next article The Rule of 2, 4, and 5.
This guide is up to disclose the essence of hit & stand solutions in Blackjack. These are the basic moves in this casino game. In the article below, we will point out situations that are the best for hitting or standing in the game without the need to learn any card counting tactics.
- ALSO READ: Blackjack Strategy & Card Counting Guide
What is Hit in Blackjack?
Hit is a decision in Blackjack that considers taking an additional card. If you choose this move, one more card will be added to your hand. You can hit until the value of your hand reaches or exceeds 21, as many times as you want, during the match.
For example, you have a 5 and a 6 in your initial hand. That means the value of your hand makes 11. There is no chance you will get busted if you hit, and you shouldn’t stand because 11 is obviously not enough to win the match.
Thus, if you hit and get 3, the value of your hand will be 14. The best decision here would be to hit again, as the majority of dealers stand on soft 17, so you are likely to lose if you stand. You can hit until you get 21 or get busted, and the best solution depends on the value of your hand and the value of the dealer’s hand. Below, we will explain the best situations to hit.
When to Hit in Blackjack?
There are situations when hitting in Blackjack will always be a better idea than choosing any other option. The tips on hitting below are based on the mathematical calculations of probabilities and can be used both by novice and advanced players. Here, we do not consider options like splitting or doubling down:
- Hit if your initial hand’s value makes 4-11 – the thing about an 11 maximum hand value is you have no other options, except taking one more card. The thing is, here you are 100% safe from getting busted and can get a good combination after one or more hits.
- If you get hard 12, hit on the dealer’s 2, 3, 7-Ace upcard – based on the mathematical calculations, you will have a better chance to get a good combination with this strategy, as the only way you can get busted is if you get 10.
- For 13-16, hit if the dealer has 7-Ace – the higher is the dealer upcard value, the more there are chances that your initial hand value is not enough to win.
When You Should Not Hit in BJ?
Here you can see the situations when you should avoid hitting:
- Do not hit if your initial hand value makes a hard 17-20 – this is already a good hand, which gives you high chances to win. On the other hand, hitting with 17 or higher will give you a high chance of getting busted.
- Never hit with soft 19 or soft 20 as well – there is an extremely low chance you will get a better combination in this game, and if dealer plays on a soft 17, you are already in a strong position.
- If you get soft 18, do not hit if the dealer has a 2, 7, or 8 upcard – a soft 18 is good enough to give you a chance to win already.
What is Stand in Blackjack
Stand is a decision in Blackjack that considers not taking any more cards in your hand. You choose to stand when you think you have the best value for your hand in the round. After you and the dealer stand, the value of both hands is calculated, and the winner is determined.
For example, when your initial hand makes 10-9, you are likely to stand instead of taking more cards. However, it also depends on the dealer’s hand, which can make 10-10, meaning that you will lose 100% if you stand. Below we will disclose when to stand or not to stand in detail. Reel steel games online free.
When to Stand in Blackjack?
Stand is one of the most important decisions in Blackjack, as you need to choose whether to risk-taking another card to improve your hand or stop at this spot and count on the dealer having a weaker hand. Here are some situations when you should definitely stand in Blackjack:
- If you have a hard 17-20, always stand – most dealers play soft 17, which means they stop hitting when they get as much as an Ace and a 6, so it is likely that you will win the match if you stand. On the other hand, if you have hard 17, you need 4 or less to improve your combination and not bust, and with hard 20, you need only an Ace to stay alive. It is obvious that the chances for this are rather low.
- Also, always stand if you have soft 20 or soft 19 – there are more chances that you will make your hand weaker than improving it. The thing is that in order to improve soft 19 (A, 8), you need another Ace or 10 on the next hit, and the chances of this happening are low. If you take two hits, the chance of getting more than 19 is low as well.
- When getting 13-16 with the dealer’s 2-6 you better stand. The thing is that in this situation, the dealer has to have a high-value second card to beat your hand. For example, if you have 16, and the dealer has 6, he has to have 10 or an Ace to equal or beat your hand. Even if the second card is of low value like a 2 or 3, you still have more chances to win.
When you should not stand in Blackjack?
There are also situations when standing will always be a bad idea:
- If you have 4-11, there is no chance standing would be a good idea. The thing is that if you hit in this situation, you only have chances to improve your hand, and you are safe from getting more than 21.
- Never stand if you have soft 12-16 – standing on this position would be a bad idea as most of the dealers play till soft 17, and even soft 16 can sometimes not be enough to win the match. It would be much better to hit in this situation, with high chances of improving your hand.
Hit & Stand Chart
This is one of the basic strategy charts, which is absolutely essential to beat the house edge when you play blackjack.
Hit & Stand Ultimate FAQ
This FAQ is composed of the most popular questions on hit & stand decisions in Blackjack.
Do you hit on a 12 in blackjack?
Only if the dealer does not have a 4-6 upcard. Otherwise, it is better to hit.
Should I hit or stand on 16?
It depends on whether you have soft or hard 16. If you have hard 16, hit if the dealer has 7-Ace, for soft 16 never stand.
How many times can you hit in blackjack?
As many times as you want until you get 21 or more value in your hand. However, in some BJ games, there is a 7 Cards Charlie situation – if you get 7 cards in your hand after hitting and you do not bust, your hand is valued as 21.
Does the dealer hit on soft 17?
Usually, all dealers stop on soft hand 17. However, it depends on the game you play. Clarify that in your online casino if you play online blackjack or from a dealer in a land-based casino.
Other Blackjack Strategies
How To Play Blackjack And Win
Along with the hit & stand solutions, there are also other, more advanced moves you can use to your benefit. You can choose among double down, split or surrender as well. Of course, you can limit your decisions with hit & stand, and still exploiting other moves in the right way will increase your chances to win when you use long-term strategies.
Double Down
Double down is a solution that allows you to increase your initial bet up to 100% (depending on Blackjack game rules), and add one more card to your hand. This is a good decision when you have a strong hand against the dealer’s weak one. It allows you to increase your winnings up to 2 times. The only shortcoming of this decision – you cannot hit after you double down.
Split
Split is a decision that allows you to turn one hand into two hands and play each hand separately. Splitting is allowed when you get pairs in your initial hand (5-5, 6-6, etc.). Las vegas airport slot machine odds.
Depending on the Blackjack game you play, you can split more than once during the game, split Aces, etc. This is a good move in some situations. To use this move to your benefit, you should consider the dealer’s hand as well.
Blackjack Double Down Rules
Surrender
Surrender is a decision that allows you to save 50% of your bet. It considers that you can stop the game if you have a weak hand against the dealer’s strong hand. This decision can be valuable if you want to cut your losses. It depends on the BJ game rules, whether it is possible to make the surrender move.
Double Down In Blackjack Rules
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How To Play Blackjack At A Casino
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