If you know your blackjack split strategy, you can help to reduce the house edge and improve your chances of winning. However, if you deviate from the correct split strategy it will cost you, and there is a big risk that your hands may end up worse off than they would have been had you split correctly. This article will discuss the basics of when to do you split 2s in blackjack and how to make the right decisions.
Most variants of blackjack allow you to split pairs of cards, which means that each card becomes a separate hand with a new stake placed on it. You can then hit or stand as normal. Using splits wisely can dramatically improve your odds of winning. This is especially true if the dealer has a weak card showing and your splitting is done when the dealer’s hand will bust.
Some pairs of cards should always be split, for example a pair of aces and eights or identical ten-cards. But other pairs can be split or not, and the decision depends on the dealer’s upcard. For example, a pair of 4s should not be split if the dealer has a strong card such as an 8, 9, ten-card or ace showing. Instead, players should double down on this hand if multi-deck DAS is allowed.
A pair of 5s should not be split either, as this hands totals 12, which is far too high to beat a dealer’s 10, 11 or ace with. Instead, players should hit this hand and hope to get a good draw card such as a 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 that will give them an advantage in their subsequent double down.
Similarly, a pair of 6s should be split if the dealer has a weak card such as a 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6. In this case, hitting the two hands will create an extremely powerful total of 18. However, a pair of 7s should never be split and players should simply hit them, as they will have a much stronger hand than a dealer’s 16 when they do so.
The best option is to always re-split aces or eights if they are dealt again, as this will give you two hands of 18 each that are more likely to beat a dealer’s 17 when you hit. In contrast, a pair of nines or tens should be left alone and should only be hit when the dealer shows a low card such as a 2.
Splitting pairs is an important technique in blackjack that can help to rescue some of your worst hands from defeat. It is also an excellent way to maximize your profits if you can manage to take full advantage of the game’s rules. It is therefore essential that players familiarise themselves with the specific house rules on splitting pairs in order to gain a clear understanding of when this option should be taken and when it should not.
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