Splitting Hands in Blackjack
What does it mean to "Split"
a hand in the game of Blackjack? First off to split your hand you
will need to have a pair or two cards that have the same value.
After deciding to split your pair you will have two separate hands to
play with. Each of the two hands will have one of the split cards and one additional card dealt to the hand. Your hand is now two separate hands and you must decide whether to hit, stand,
double or re-split as you would a normal hand. Splitting your hand will require you to place an additional wager, equal to your original bet.
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When to split Aces?
Should you split 10's and face cards?
When to split 9's?
When to split 8's?
When to split a pair of 7's?
When to split 6's?
Do you split 5's?
When to split 4's, 3's and 2's?
Other Blackjack Hands
8 or less 9 10 11 12
Hard Hands
13/14 15 16 17+
Soft Hands
13 14 15/16 17 18 19+
Splitting Aces
Should you split a
pair of Aces at the Blackjack table? Yes, always
split your Aces
when you are playing Vegas Downtown and Vegas Strip Blackjack, but when
you play European or Atlantic City Blackjack you shouldn't split Aces
when the dealer is showing an Ace. When this happens just
hit your hand.
Blackjack Variations |
Dealer's up Card |
2 - 10 |
A |
Atlantic City |
SP |
H |
European |
SP |
H |
Vegas Downtown |
SP |
SP |
Vegas Strip |
SP |
SP |
H=Hit, SP=Split
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Splitting Face Cards and 10's
Should you
split a pair of face cards in Blackjack?
Hell no, never destroy your near perfect hand. Don't split, only
stand on your twenty hand.
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Splitting 9's
Should you split
your pair of nines at the Blackjack tables? Yes and no, if the
dealer's up card is a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 than yes you should
split your hand, but if the card
showing is a 7, 10 or an Ace you should stand.
Blackjack Variations |
Dealer's up Card |
2 - 6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
A |
Atlantic City |
SP |
S |
SP |
SP |
S |
S |
European |
SP |
S |
SP |
SP |
S |
S |
Vegas Downtown |
SP |
S |
SP |
SP |
S |
S |
Vegas Strip |
SP |
S |
SP |
SP |
S |
S |
S=Stand, SP=Split
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Splitting 8's
Should you split
eights at the Blackjack tables? Always split
your eights except when you are playing by European Blackjack rules and
the dealer's up card is an 10 or an Ace. If this happen you should
just hit your hand.
Blackjack Variations |
Dealer's up Card |
2 - 9 |
10 |
A |
Atlantic City |
SP |
SP |
SP |
European |
SP |
H |
H |
Vegas Downtown |
SP |
SP |
SP |
Vegas Strip |
SP |
SP |
SP |
H=Hit, Sp=Split
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Splitting 7's
Should you split your
pair of sevens at the blackjack tables? You should always split
your sevens if the dealer's up card is an 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or a 7 and just
hit your hand when the dealer has a 9, 10 or an Ace showing. If
the dealer's up card is an eight, you should
split your pair if you are playing
by Vegas Strip or Vegas Downtown Blackjack rules and
hit if you are playing Atlantic City
or European Blackjack. Never stand
on a pair of sevens.
Blackjack Variations |
Dealer's up Card |
2 - 7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
A |
Atlantic City |
SP |
H |
H |
H |
H |
European |
SP |
H |
H |
H |
H |
Vegas Downtown |
SP |
SP |
H |
H |
H |
Vegas Strip |
SP |
SP |
H |
H |
H |
H=Hit, Sp=Split
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Splitting 6's
What is the correct
strategy for playing my pair of fours in Blackjack? You should
always split your pair when the
dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5 or a 6 showing and hit
your hand when the dealer's up card is a 8, 9, 10 or a Ace. If the
dealer's up card is a seven, the best strategy would be to hit your hand
in Atlantic City or European Blackjack and split the pair of sixes in
Vegas Downtown or Vegas Strip Blackjack variations.
Blackjack Variations |
Dealer's up Card |
2 - 6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
A |
Atlantic City |
SP |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
European |
SP |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
Vegas Downtown |
SP |
SP |
H |
H |
H |
H |
Vegas Strip |
SP |
SP |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H=Hit, Sp=Split
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Splitting 5's
Should you split a
pair of fives when you are playing Blackjack? No, never split your
pair of fives. Play the pair like you would play a ten hand.
Double down whenever the dealer
has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or a 9 showing and hit
your hand when the up card is either a 10 or an Ace. Never
split a pair of fives, its always
better to play one great hand than two crappy hands.
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Splitting 2's, 3's and 4's
You should split pairs of two's and three's at the Blackjack table whenever the dealer's up card is a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or a 7. If the card showing is a 8, 9,
10 or an Ace you should hit your hand. If you have a pair of four's, then you should always hit your hand except when the dealer has a five or a six showing. If this happens you should split your hand.
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