Casino Blackjack Tips
The Advantages of Splitting Pairs in Blackjack
The game of blackjack has a simple concept – to reach as close to 21 as possible, and be closer than the house dealer. Yet, there are nuances within the game that can be confusing to any player new to an online casino, or indeed a traditional bricks and mortar one. One such feature is the act of splitting pairs, an option that, if chosen wisely, can provide players with a great chance to avoid all odds of missing their objective.
A pair in Blackjack is exactly what it sounds – two cards dealt together of equal value. These pairs can be of any suit or denomination, but the worth must be equal. The dealer will ask the player if he wishes to split the pair, which effectively means to play with two hands beginning with the same denomination. Naturally, this gives players an edge over the House, as it doubles the odds of success. However, it also doubles the cost of the round as the player will have to match his stake in order to continue.
Like any rule when it comes to casino games, it is not quite as cut-and-dry as this. For example, if a pair of aces has been split, some casinos will only permit one extra card to be drawn per ace. Should the player then receive a 10 card on top of the split ace, while the value is 21 it is not considered blackjack due to the split. Ergo, should the dealer also receive 21 he will win the round with a stronger ace. In the case of a split ace, the payout will also only be 1:1 rather than the normal 3:2 in blackjack. It is always worth checking with each casino as the payout ratio does vary, even on regular games rather than split cards.
Of course, it might not always be advantageous to split the pair. There are a number of theories that reason that only certain pairs should always be split, like eights and aces. Similarly, splitting other pairs depends on not only the pair that a player holds but also the dealer’s up card.
For example, if a player has a pair of twos or threes, he should only split if the dealer shows an up card of between 2 and 7. If the player holds a 4 he should split when the dealer holds a 4 or 5 and if the player holds a 5 he should double-down when the dealer shows an up card of 2-7.
Again, these rules are dependent on certain factors, like the odds laid on by a casino, when they allow you to split or double-down and how many decks the casino games use. Generally speaking, while the fewer decks the better for the player’s odds, the fewer decks the less likely the casino will allow splitting and doubling. It may all seem like splitting hairs, but they key here is find out all there is to discover about the casino in which you are playing and the rules they employ before any cards are dealt.