The split in blackjack is an important aspect of the game to understand Credit: Getty The blackjack split bet is an important tool in the player’s duel with the dealer. Find out what it’s all about. The likelihood of a pair of fours busting is really low – in fact, blackjack players have a 30% chance of improving this hand. If your dealer holds a card worth five or six, you may consider splitting fours, but any totals above that make splitting a bad decision. There’s one more hand that you can treat the same in virtually all forms of blackjack: a pair of Fours. Even some of the top players will recommend you never split Fours; if the dealer’s upcard is a Five or a Six, they’ll tell you to double down instead. But there are a few rare occasions where it makes sense to split those Fours. When you are allowed to Double Down After Split, you’re going to split 2’s and 3’s when the house has the upcards of 2 through 7. You’re going to split fours (4,4) when the house shows a 5 or 6, and 6’s are split when the house shows 2 through 6. When DDAS is not available, you will absolutely be splitting less. Never split fours. Splitting a pair of fours just gives you two weak hands, so it makes no sense. Remember that splitting requires you to double your original wager — this means splitting fours is usually a money-losing proposition.

In blackjack, the option to split your cards can be vital in order to increase your chances of winning, and lowering the house edge. For long-term success, understanding the advantages, disadvantages and when to pounce on the opportunity to split, is crucial. Splitting, as explained on our terminology page, refers to the option of dividing our hand into two separate hands, upon being dealt a matching pair.

We can split our hand if we are dealt two cards of the same value. For example, we can split two Aces, two Fours or two Kings. Depending on the rules, some blackjack games allow us to split non-matching face cards, because they are still valued at 10 points. For instance, we might be allowed to split a King and a Queen.

When splitting, we must place an additional bet equal to our original wager to cover the second hand. Our original matching cards will then be physically separated from each other to form two hands, and we will then be dealt an additional card for each new hand. Now, we play out our hands one at a time, just as we would if we had bet two hands at the start of the round, and we can opt to hit, stand, double down and even split again if the opportunity arises (although some games do not allow us to split again after already having split).

Note: If you are playing in a land-based casino, you must refrain from touching your cards at all times.

Again, depending on the style of 21 we are playing, there can be some slight variations in the rules regarding splitting, but there is always a level of restriction to limit or balance the tactic. The main rule which changes from game to game is the continual splitting option, where if we receive two of the same cards and opt to split them, and then receive another card of the same value, we may or may not be able to split again (and again).

Blackjack for online players

Split cards in play

Most styles of blackjack will let you double down on split hands, and also re-split your hands further if the possibility arises. However, as explained, some casinos have rules which restrict additional options. Here are the two common rule variations:

• If you split a pair of Aces, you will only be dealt one more additional card and you cannot hit, double down or split your hands any further and must work with the cards you’re dealt.
• If you split your hand once, further splits or double downs are not allowed.

If we are playing a standard game of blackjack, then standard rules stipulate we can generally split our hands up to a maximum of three times, which would mean we would be playing a total of four hands. Having said that, always check the rules before you begin playing either online or at a B&R casino to avoid confusion. It is important to try and make sure you have enough chips left so if you are dealt a couple of hands in which you’d be best served to split, you aren’t out of cash.

When to split

A common misconception for many in regards to splitting cards is that they should do so every time they receive a matching pair of the same value. Like all blackjack moves, splitting should be carefully considered and the dealer’s up-card should always be taken in to consideration.

Splitting Aces

A pair of Aces is undoubtedly the most popular hand to split. By rule of thumb, we should always choose to split two Aces if we are dealt such a hand. In doing so, we are giving ourselves a greater chance to draw at least one blackjack hand. Alternately, if we opted to keep both Aces for a total value of either two or 12 points, this would eliminate and waste the potential for two separate hands reaching a natural blackjack. In some games, if we hit blackjack (whether it be after splitting or without splitting), we are paid out immediately, regardless of what the dealer has.

Note: Due to the popularity of splitting Aces in blackjack, should a split Ace be dealt a card valued at ten, some casinos and their rule variations will not regard that as a natural blackjack, and will not payout 3:2, but rather 1:1 Try to avoid such rules.

Even players with little or no knowledge of basic strategy in blackjack understand one thing:

You always split aces and 8s in blackjack.

Of course, you can always find contrarians who disagree with everything, no matter how solid the math behind it is. This post is for people who want to understand in detail why you should always split aces and 8s in blackjack.

A Pair of Aces in Blackjack Is a Soft Total of 12

I don’t know a single blackjack player who gets excited about having a hard or soft total of 12. It’s a hand that’s going to bust a lot of the time when you hit it, because there are at least 16 cards worth 10 points in the deck. (That’s almost 1/3 of the cards in the deck.)

On the other hand, if the 1^st card of a hand is worth 11 points, you stand a good chance (1/3 again) of winding up with a total of 21. Even if the game doesn’t pay off at 3 to 2 for blackjack after splitting, that’s still an excellent hand that the dealer probably won’t beat. The best the dealer can do is push.

The thing about splitting, though, is that you must put up another bet. Low rollers who are under-bankrolled sometimes don’t like this. They don’t WANT to risk additional money on a single hand, even if that hand becomes 2 new hands.

They’re making a mistake, and a big one. Not splitting aces does serious damage to the house edge for the game.

In fact, the house is so convinced of how strong a play this is that they have strict rules about what you can do after splitting. For example, you’re not allowed to take more than one additional card after splitting aces. And no one understands the math behind these casino games than the casinos themselves, trust me.

Casinos also usually restrict you from doubling down after splitting. You usually can’t resplit aces if you get another ace again, either.

None of those minor rules variations, matter, though. It’s still always the correct strategy to split a pair of aces at the blackjack table.

A Pair of 8s in Blackjack Is a Hard Total of 16

If you think blackjack players are unenthusiastic about a total of 12, watch them shift uncomfortably in their chairs when they have a hard total of 16. There’s no good way to play a hard total of 16. If you stand, the dealer will probably beat you with a higher total. If you hit, you’ll probably bust.

But when you have a pair of 8s, you get to start 2 new hands, both of which have an 8 as their starting hand. 1/3 of the time, you’ll get a 10, which will make your new total a hard 18, which is a respectable hand for any blackjack player in almost any situation.

Also, even if you don’t get a 10, you might get an ace, which gives you a total of 19—which is, of course, even better than a total of 18.

Even if you get a 9, your hand improves to a 17, which is respectable, if not ideal.

Most casinos don’t have the same restrictions that apply to your “after-splitting” hands, too.

When Do You Deviate from Basic Strategy When It Comes to Splitting Aces and 8s

If you’re not counting cards, you NEVER deviate from basic strategy when it comes to splitting aces and 8s. Most of the time, even if you ARE counting cards, you still always split aces and 8s.

But there are exceptions if you’re counting cards.

If your count is negative and the dealer has an 8, 9, or 10 showing, you just hit the aces instead of splitting them.

Why is this?

When the count is negative, it means that there aren’t as many 10s left in the deck. Part of what gives splitting aces its kick is the possibility of getting that total of 21.

You run the risk of turning a single likely loser into 2 likely losers with twice as much money in action.

Blackjack Split Rules

If the count is positive, you will sometimes not split a pair of 9s. If the dealer has a 9 or 10 showing in this situation, he’s more likely to have a 10 in the hole. (That’s what the positive count means, after all.) This means you’re probably facing a 19 or 20.

When you split those 8s, yes, you’ll probably get a couple of hands that total 18.

But that does you little good against a 19 or 20.

And remember—those are only correct decisions if you’re counting cards and know what you’re doing.

Hands To Split In Blackjack

An Argument against Splitting Aces in Certain Situations

Suppose the dealer is showing a 10, and you have 2 aces.

Most people assume that the dealer’s down card is also a 10, so you’re probably facing a dealer total of 20.

If you split those aces, the only way to win both those hands is by getting a 10 in each of them. The probability of that is less than 1/3 for each, or about 1/9 for both of them.

What this argument misses is that a soft total of 12 is no fun to play in that situation, either. Sure, you don’t have to invest extra money to get those extra cards, but the trade-off just plain isn’t worth it.

Conclusion

When it comes to blackjack, you should always follow basic strategy—except when you shouldn’t.

Of course, the only time you shouldn’t is when you’re counting cards. In rare cases when you’re counting, you’ll deviate from basic strategy.

And one of the 1^st rules of basic strategy is that you ALWAYS split aces and 8s.

That’s an easy one to remember.

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