- Why Always Split 8s In Blackjack
- Do You Always Split 8s In Blackjack
- Why Should You Always Split 8's In Blackjack
- Do You Always Split 8's In Blackjack
- By splitting a pair of eights into two new hands, you’ll have two starting hands with a value of 8 each. Again, this gives you around a 33% shot of landing a ten or face card to turn one of your hands from 8 into 18, which is a solid hand to stand on in most blackjack split scenarios.
- It’s a card worth 10, which means that the most common result you’ll see after splitting 8s is a total of 18, which is a solid hand anyone at the blackjack table is happy to see. Why Would You Never Split 4s, 5s, or 10s? If you have a couple of 4s, you have a hard total of 8. If you hit and get a 10, you have a total of 18, which is great.
But the main reason you always split 8s—indeed, the main reason you always split aces and never split 4s,5s, and 10s—is because it’s the highest expected value play in that situation. Pay attention to commandments 4 and 5, and you’ll have much of the basic strategy for splitting pairs memorized. You’re well on your way, now.
FACTS OF SPLITTING 8s AGAINST A 10
By Henry Tamburin
The May 2009 issue of Casino Player magazine contains an interview with gambling writer and maverick John Patrick, who advocates an “unorthodox” approach to gambling. In the interview, Patrick offers this explanation (in his words) as to why he wouldn’t split a pair of 8s against a dealer 10 and instead would surrender the hand:
“If you’re playing blackjack for $10 a hand and you are dealt two eights and the dealer has a king showing, the book says to split. So you split and you put another $10 up there. Now, there’re gonna give you a card on each eight, which means you have one eight with a card for $10, and another eight with another card for $10. The dealer still has that king showing. How have you improved your situation? Why would you take a bad hand of two eights and turn it into two bad hands, when you admittedly are inferior to the dealer’s hand?” Patrick then goes on to say that if he were dealt this hand, “I’d surrender. I’m gonna lose that with two eights. I give it up. I tell the dealer, “Go ahead, take half my bet.” I’d rather play a hand I’m going to win.”
On the surface, Patrick’s analysis of splitting 8s against a 10 seems convincing. In fact, most players agree with Patrick and would never split. Unfortunately, that’s a big mistake, and here’s why.
There is no question that the dealer has the upper hand when you hold a pair of 8s against her 10. The math says she’ll make a pat (17-21) hand about 77 percent of the time (assuming she doesn’t have a blackjack), and she has only a 23 percent chance of busting. So, there is no argument here: you are the underdog, period. But, what Patrick and others fail to grasp is the following:
Even though you are the underdog when you are dealt a pair of 8s against a dealer 10, you are less of an underdog when you split the 8s and play two hands with an 8 on each hand.
So, the real question that you should ask yourself is this: If I’m going to lose money on this hand no matter how I play it (and you will), which strategy cuts my losses? Is it hitting, standing, splitting, or as Patrick suggests, throwing in the towel and surrendering?
The only way to know for sure which strategy is best is to calculate in dollars how much you can expect to lose using each strategy and then compare the results. Agreed? And the math to do this calculation is, surprisingly, quite simple. (For the following analysis, I assumed a standard game: 6-deck, s17, das, and resplitting allowed up to four hands.)
What we positively, absolutely, know about hitting or standing on 16 against a dealer 10 is this: on average you will win this hand only 23 times out of 100 (hey, I told you this was a bad hand). (Note: The actual win percent to two decimal places is 23.22 for hitting and 23.16 for standing, which is why basic strategy says to hit 16, when it is 10-6 or 9-7, against a 10). But when your 16 happens to be a pair of 8s, you have an escape: you can split and play each 8 against the 10. Why would you want to do this? Because when you play an 8 against a 10, you stand to win this hand more times ... 38 times, in fact, out of 100 (still a bad hand but better than playing a 16 against a 10). And here’s the key, and what Patrick and others fail to understand: Playing two hands of 8 against a 10 will lose less money than playing one hand of 16 against a 10. Can I repeat that again ... it’s cheaper to play an 8 against a 10 twice than to play the pair of 8s against a 10 once!
Wow, that was a bombshell I just dropped, and I’m sure you’re all saying, “Yeah, right Tamburin, now prove it!” So, let’s do it.
Let’s first look at hitting or standing on 16 against a 10. If you win 23 hands out of 100, this means you’ll lose 77 hands and have a net loss of 54 hands. So, if you were to bet $10 on each hand, you would wind up with a net loss of $540 after 100 hands. With me?
Now let’s look at the scenario of splitting the 8s and playing each 8 against a 10. Here you’ll win 38 hands and lose 62 hands resulting in a net loss of 24 hands. At $10 wagered per hand, your net loss is $240. Double that and your total loss is $480, which is $60 less than hitting or standing. Voilá, I told you so: playing an 8 against a 10 twice (which is what you do when you split 8s) is cheaper than playing a 16 against a 10 only once!
The fourth playing option that Patrick proposed is to surrender the hand. The arithmetic of surrender is pretty easy: you automatically lose half your bet on every hand. So, after 100 hands, your net loss if you surrendered the 8s all the time would be $500; therefore, Patrick’s option costs you $20 more than splitting.
So let’s summarize the losses after 100 hands for each playing option:
- If you hit, you’ll lose on average $540.
- If you stand, you’ll lose on average $540.
- If you surrender, you’ll lose exactly $500.
- If you split, you’ll lose on average only $480.
It’s clear that no matter what strategy you use, you are going to lose money when you hold 8s against a 10. But ... here’s the key ... you’ll save more money in the long run if you split.
I know that every once in a while you are going to lose both of your split hands and feel lousy about it (been there, done that). If it’s any consolation, keep this thought in mind when it occurs: You made the mathematically correct play holding a lousy hand, and in the long run, you’ll wind up with more money in your pocket compared to playing the hand any other way.
So now that you’ve read the math-based analysis on how to play a pair of 8s against a 10, are you still going to follow Patrick’s advice and surrender? Or have I convinced you to split? I’m waiting.
(Note: For the purists who are reading this, there are, in fact, a few rare games where surrendering 8s against a 10 is the mathematically correct play, and that’s in 2-, 4-, 6- and 8-deck games where the rules specify that the dealer must hit soft 17 and double-down after pair splitting is not allowed. But these are terrible games that you shouldn’t be playing in the first place. In all other games, splitting 8s against the 10 is the best strategy.)
It’s time to go head to head with the dealer in a thrilling game ofBlackjack. This is a true casino classic that has been around for centuries.Not only has it withstood the test of time but has also succeeded in dominatingthe online casinoworld.
This guide will walk you through the basics of the game and how you can follow a blackjack basic strategy to beat the dealer.
Blackjack through the Ages
To this day, there are still huge debates aboutthe game’s roots. Some think it was the Romans who first shaped the future ofthe game. Some say they used wooden blocks to represent the numbers, to play their own version ofblackjack.
It is also widely thought that this casino classic first startedin French casinos during the 1700s. Following the popularity of card games likeChemin de Fer and Ferme, another game was born – Vingt-et-Un (21).
More traces of blackjack were found in Spain,where it was called One and Thirty More versions of the game includedthe Sette e Mezzo (Seven and a Half) in Italian and the French versioncalled Quinze (15). In all three cases, the objective of the game was toreach each of the respective values mentioned.
Thanks to the French colonists, it also reachedthe States during the 18th century. Nevertheless, its popularitylevels soared up when the state of Nevada legalized gambling in the year 1931.
More players became intrigued after casinosstarted to offer the bet that changed the game completely. A hand with eitherthe Jack of Spades or Clubs along with the Ace of Spades amounted to the10-to-1 payout on the player’s bet.From then onwards, 21 became known as Blackjack, as we know it today.
How to PlayBlackjack
Blackjack is played with a standard deck of 52 cards. The face cards – Jack,Queen and King, amount to 10, values between 2-10 stick to their respectivevalues, while the aces amount to either 1 or 11.
The objective is simple – beat the dealer.Place your bets and form a handthat does not exceed the number 21. Remember, you’re playing against the dealer here, so you need tobe able to anticipate what his next move might be. We’ve wrapped up everythingyou need to know to help you form your blackjack basic strategy.
Play BasicStrategy
Now that you have a better understanding of thegame, let’s talk strategies. While no secrets can help you beat the house edge,some of a blackjackbasic strategy can help you have the upper hand. The most important thing you have to keepin mind is to always maximize your chances of winning, whilst minimizingthe losses.
Next, getfamiliar with terms like Stand, Hit, Split and Double Down. In this way, the houseedge will go down from 2% to 0.5%. Here are a few definitions that will help youunderstand the differences between each of them.
Basic Strategy Rules to Keep inMind
After breaking down all the lingo that you needto know to develop your blackjackbasic strategy, it’s important to know when to use them. That’s why it’sessential to know your cards.
At which stages of the game is it best to hit or better yet, increase yourchances of winning by doubling down? Here are a few key points to keep in mindas a beginner player.
Always wait for the Dealer to Bust
Unless you have a very good soft hand that won’t bust with an additional card, don’t hit if the dealer has a hand of 4, 5 and 6.
AlwaysSplit a pair of Aces and 8s
It’s always a good idea to split a powerful card like an Ace regardless of what the dealer’s up-card is. With 8s, it’s a hit or miss situation but it’s still worth a shot.
DoubleDown on a Hard 11
Doubling down on a hard 11 will guarantee you more money.
Nevertake the insurance bet
If the dealer draws an Ace, you can take the insurance bet. In short, if you post a side bet that is half the value of the original bet and the dealer has a blackjack, the side bet is paid 2:1. This is not a reliable way to win, as it only raises the house edge.
Standif you have a Hard 17 or Higher
Why Always Split 8s In Blackjack
Things often don’t look too pretty for you ifyou have a hard 17 or a higher value. So as a general rule, always stand if youhave any of these cards.
If you’d like to learn further about this strategy, discover the blackjack basic strategy here by CasinoBonuses Index.
The Blackjack Basic: A Timeless Classic
Do You Always Split 8s In Blackjack
A game like Blackjack continues to intrigue players from allaround the world. Thanks to all people who played its earlier variations, wecan now enjoy a casino classic that is truly timeless.
Why Should You Always Split 8's In Blackjack
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Do You Always Split 8's In Blackjack
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