May 07 2008
Basics of Splitting
So to continue on the blackjack thought stream, here’s an important issue. Remember that splits and doubles are what lowers the house advantage the most. That in mind, this is a far stretch from a complete guide to splitting. Instead, it’s going to be a focus on two simple rules to remember: Always split Aces and Eights and Never split anything that starts with an “F.”
First, when to split. Aces and 8s. The logic here is actually pretty simple. Let’s start with Aces. You have a 2 or 12. Far from terrible hands. But, you are more likely to get a 10 than anything else. That means that the first time you hit, you will most likely wind up with a hard 12. Hitting again is more likely to give you 22 (bust) than any other single point total. The alternative is to split and have two Soft 11s. Again, the most likely single value to come out of the shoe is 10. Which means that you are more likely to get 21 than any other point total. And, remember, you can’t bust on one hit. Even if you don’t get a 9 or 10, you can still draw again safely. Two 21’s are better than one 22. Just remember, your first two cards were Aces. What this means is that even if you pull two tens or face cards, and get two two card 21 hands, you don’t have blackjacks. You have 21.
A lot less people realize why they should always split 8s. If the dealer is showing a bust card, with 16, your best bet is to stay. But, what if the dealer has something other than a 10? Even if the dealer has an ace or two under their 6, they beat you. 16 is probably the worst point total in the game. If you split, you now have two 8s, and, more likely than any other point total, will draw to have two 18s. And, again, you can’t bust on your first draw. Even if you draw a 2 or 3, you now have 10 or 11, and can hit again, hoping for 20 or 21. If the dealer is showing a 7-A, you still want to split. Remember, you want to hit to 17, or hard 18. Now, if you hit a 16, you will probably bust. If you hit an 8, however, you cannot bust, and are quite likely to wind up with a decent, if not good, hand.
So, always split Aces and eights.
Now, for the bad splits. Anything that starts with an “F,”. That is, fours, fives, and faces. Also, this rule covers 10s, which have the same value as a face card. Fives, tens, and faces are fairly obvious. You have either 20, or a 10, which, when hit, will likely turn into a 20. If you have a 5 and hit, you will likely wind up with fifteen, which is one of the worst hands in the game. Sometimes people get greedy and split 10s or faces against a bust card. Again, remember that even with a 6 showing, there is a decent chance that the dealer does not have 16, or that even if they do, they will not bust. Only so much can be predicted. You are also not guaranteed to draw two more tens. Why give up the second best point total? You are almost guaranteed to win, or at least push, with a 20.
Fours are a little trickier for most people to understand. Especially against a bust card. If the dealer is going to bust, why not turn one winner into two winners? Well, again, the dealer is never guaranteed to bust. Remember, 18 is a pretty good hand. Most likely, by hitting this hand, you will get 18. 18 is likely to win, even if the dealer does not bust. Now, say you split. You likely get two 14s, which, with the dealer having a bust card, you will hold. The dealer doesn’t bust. Your 14s lose. If you are looking for a way to increase your winnings with a 4/4 against a 4, 5, or 6, double instead of splitting. Doubling an eight against a bust card is an acceptable move. Splitting an 8 for two fours is not.
