Blackjack Strategy - Should you Split Pairs?

Henrik Kjellberg

In blackjack when you're dealt a matching pair of cards, you have the ability to split the hand into two separate hands, and play them independently. But when does splitting pairs make sense?

Let's say you are dealt a pair of eights which total sixteen. Sixteen is statistically the worst possible player hand. It is unlikely to win if you stand, and is very likely to bust if you hit. Here's a great chance to improve a dire situation.

Splitting, in effect doubles your bet, therefore, you will only be able to split if you have enough available funds. The 2 cards will be separated and treated as two independent hands. At Betfair Casino you could even double down on each hand, which means that if you feel that any hand has a good chance of beating the dealer, you can double your bet, thus double your possible winnings. This is called "double after split".

You can only split pairs once during any hand.

BBS Tips!

Never split 10s. You can split any 10-value card pair if you so wish, such as a "Queen, King" or "Ten, Jack" pair. Tempting though it may be, statistically it is always a bad idea. Stick with the 20!

Always split Aces. When you split Aces, you can only draw one more card per hand. And, if you draw a ten-valued card on one of your split Aces, the hand is not considered a blackjack, simply a 21. However, despite the restrictions, it always makes sense to split Aces.


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