Blackjack is among the most popular games in traditional and online casinos. It offers quite a high chance of winning. However, you need to be good at the game. Luck alone is not enough. Success in blackjack requires the ability to use different strategies and tactics and, of course, understanding when to make a split in the game. Let’s take a closer look at this interesting feature of blackjack.
What is a split?
It’s a division of one hand into two during the game when a player receives identical cards. A split is a potentially profitable move that, unfortunately, is often overused. For this technique to be effective, it must first be reasonable.
The player should always remember the main goal of the game — to collect cards with a value of 21 or closer, beating the dealer. Each card has a certain value. For example, ten, jack, queen, and king are worth 10 points, and cards from two to nine represent their face value. And the ace can be worth either one point or eleven. It depends on your cards.
The possibility of a split occurs when a player receives two identical cards. In this case, they can divide the pair into two separate hands. Thus, a bet is placed on the new hand, which should be equal to the original one. It is a game twice during one round.
At first look, everything seems simple. However, splits have their strategies and methods that are worth knowing as they significantly increase your chances of winning. For example, you can use an offensive strategy, thus turning a losing hand into a winning one, or implement a defense strategy, which allows you to lose less money by splitting two cards.
How to split in blackjack?
The decision to split pairs depends on the game or rather its characteristics:
- The number of decks;
- Casino rules;
- Player’s starting cards;
- Rules of the game;
- Dealer’s face cards.
It is important to remember that there are different variants of blackjack. Some may include additional bonuses and moves or have unique rules. So before you start playing, read the rules in detail.
When to make a split?
There are not many conditions when splitting cards brings positive results. The first option is when you get 8–8. The total amount of 16 is quite problematic for one hand. Under such conditions, there is a high probability of a push, especially if the dealer also has 16 points. In this case, it’s more profitable to make a split, trying to score the desired number of points on both hands. This way, the player’s position improves significantly. If the dealer has from two to seven, it’s a win, and if from eight to an ace, it’s a loss, but with a split, it will be smaller. So luck is also important in this game. If you could calculate everything in advance, it wouldn’t be a casino.
The second case when it is worth making a split is when two aces are dealt in the one hand. Depending on the situation, such a card can bring either one or eleven points. Splitting aces gives you a pretty good chance of winning blackjack. If a pair of aces is played in one hand, it brings either 12 or 2 points. In both cases, such cards are quite difficult to win with. However, split aces can bring a victory with the next card worth 10 points.
Therefore, splitting aces is always beneficial for a player. However, you should be aware that some casinos may allow only one additional card to be drawn after splitting aces.
When should you not split cards in blackjack?
There are several card combinations when it is better not to split. The first such case is when a player gets two fours. This brings the total number of points to eight, which is a pretty good result that gives you a good chance of winning. After all, if the third card is a 10, the total will be 18. In the case of a split, two separate hands of four points each is not a very good start in the game.
The second case when you should not make a split is when there are two tens or two fives. Under such conditions, you get a strong hand and a high chance of winning. A split will make them much lower.
Other options
In other cases, whether or not splitting the cards is useful depends primarily on the situation, namely, the dealer’s open cards, which you need to be able to analyze and make decisions quickly.
For example, if a player has two sixes, and the dealer has cards from 2 to 6, it is worth doubling up after the split. 9–9 should also be divided only if the dealer has cards with values from 2 to 6, as well as 8 and 9. Two sevens can be split if the opponent has cards from 2 to 7.
It is important to remember that dividing the cards does not directly affect the casino’s advantage in the game. However, doubling up after a split does reduce the casino’s chances of winning, especially if the rules of the game allow for a second split.Blackjack is a game where success depends on both luck and a player’s abilities. The more strategies and tactics they can skillfully use, the more opportunities for winning they get. One of them is a gaming solution called a split. It depends on many factors, such as the rules of the game, the number of decks, the face value of the pair, the dealer’s cards, etc. To understand when to make a split in blackjack, you need to be aware of all these conditions. It is worth calculating everything before deciding to divide the cards.
