In blackjack, a player is able to split if they hold two cards of the same number in their hand. For example, a player can hold two number eight cards or even two number six cards, and that player can split the two cards apart to form separate hands.
Once the two cards are separated from one another, they are played as two different hands instead of playing as together as one.
How do you split in blackjack? When a player gets a pair of cards with the same number, they can split the hand into two, and play them separately.
For a player to split in blackjack, they must place an extra bet for the newly created hand, equal to the initial bet they had placed at the beginning of the hand.
Certain guidelines dictate which hands have the highest chances of being favorable to split during a blackjack game. In addition, there exist some hands that a player should never split in a blackjack game.
To split hands decision is influenced by the number value of your cards and the hand held by the dealer. The guidelines are not a guarantee that a player will win every time, but odds are increased in your favor.
How many times can you split in blackjack?
When playing a blackjack with a standard deck, it is only possible to split a hand three times during the round. As a result, the player will play four hands in total.
However, the rules on splitting in blackjack vary depending on the casino at which a player is playing. Casinos make their own house rules, such that there are some that limit the number of times to split in a hand, and there are others who allow a maximum of three times.
Despite casinos having varied rules regarding the number of times a player can split, no casino in the world has allowed double splitting for more than three times. The max is three, so that a player can have a total of four hands when splitting any pair.
Some casinos allow double split three times in all the games, while others do not double after the split. Therefore, there are no specific rules concerning the split of cards in a blackjack game since the rules are essentially determined by the casino where the game is played.
Can the dealer split in blackjack?
No, the dealer can never split in blackjack. In standard rules, the dealer is not permitted in any way to split and the ability is only available for the players.
In a blackjack game, if a dealer busts, the remaining players win the hand. When the dealer doesn’t bust, the hands higher than the dealer win the bet and the hands lower than the dealer lose the bet.
What cards can you split in blackjack?
You can split any pair of cards that are matching in value. However, there are two cards that its very essential to split in a blackjack game regardless of which card a dealer is showing.
- Aces: A player should always split a pair of Aces during the game, for the game to end on an Ace. Splitting Aces gives a player a better chance to have a strong hand and double the possibility to get blackjack.
- Eights: Eight is another crucial card that splitting is highly recommended. It’s always difficult for a player to get a good hand whenever they play two eights as one.
However, although the player doesn’t have a great hand after splitting eights, they stand a good chance mathematically.
For example, consider a player who plays the two eights as one. That player starts with a value of 16, which is a weak hand. A player reaching this point is in a risky position because any value above five from the dealer will force the player to bust out.
Therefore, it results in a 60% chance of the player losing a hand. In the second case, assume the player splits the eights into two hands. It protects the player from busting out because at least one has a second chance of getting a more promising hand. - Sevens, Twos and Threes: Other cards are not that fundamental to split them, but it is normally a good idea to split them. It’s only applicable, especially when the cards that a dealer shows resemble them or are lower than the cards you hold.
It’s recommendable for a player to split either twos or threes but not sevens when a dealer shows the eight. - Sixes: A player can also split two sixes if the dealer shows a card two through six.
- Nines: A player can also split nines when a dealer has cards two through either nine, eight or six.
How to split in blackjack
A player is dealt with a pair of cards that have the same value. The player splits the two cards into two separate hands and the dealer has to deal one card to each of the hands separated, thus doubling the player’s bet.
A player has to play each hand normally, and the player gets two opportunities to beat the dealer’s hand.
Note, a player should not be enthusiastic when splitting. They need to use their wisdom and strategy because they pay more when they split in blackjack.
For the best odds, a player should always split aces and eights to increase their value, and they should not split tens.
Splitting in Blackjack: Conclusion
Splitting is allowed in a blackjack game, and it occurs when a player has two cards of the same value being split into two hands with a second bet placed.
The dealer deals an extra card to each of the hands when splitting occurs. Splitting acts as a tool to give the player another opportunity to beat the dealer.
The dealer is not allowed to split in blackjack, and when the dealer busts, the hand which is higher than the dealer’s win the bet, and the hand with the lower value than the dealer loses the bet.
A player should use strategy when splitting cards in blackjack.
Cards that are always recommended to split, regardless of what cards the dealer shows, are the aces and eights. And, a player should never split tens, fours and fives.
The rules of how many times to split varies depending on the casino the game is played, but the maximum allowed in the standard rules is three times in one hand.
A player has to add an extra bet on the hand for the newly created hand, and it should be equal to the initial bet placed at the beginning of the round. Splitting is a strategic move, and should be utilized to increase betting odds in your favor.