It's about risk and return. True, if you split 10s you double the amount at stake and stand to double your win. But most of the time the odds are, based on the composition of the deck with all the other cards in it, that you won't end up with two hands of 20 - you'll end up with other combinations that may still mean you win both hands, but are more likely not to - if you win one and lose one. They are: always split aces and 8s, never splits 10s, never split 5s, always split 2s or 3s but only when the dealer has a 4, a 5, a 6 or a 7; always split 6s when the dealer is showing a 3, a 4, a 5, or a 6; always split 7s when the dealer shows a 2, a 3, a 4, a 5, a 6, or a 7 and always split 9s when the dealer is showing any number between 2.
While at the blackjack table, you will inevitably find yourself in situations when the dealer will deal you starting hands that consist of paired cards, i.e. two cards of the same numerical value. It is ultimately your decision how to play the hand. In the vast majority of cases, you will have the option to split the pair after doubling your initial stake.
In the event of splitting, the dealer will separate the pair into two hands and draw one more card on each of the two new hands. You will then play each hand as normal and have the chance to win twice as much than you otherwise would.
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The most commonly occurring pair in blackjack consists of 10s for the simple reason the cards that are assigned a value of 10 outnumber any other card denomination in the deck. A single deck contains 16 of those – four 10s, four Jacks, four Queens, and four Kings. A pair of 10s makes for a very strong hand of 20 which can be beaten only if the dealer has a blackjack or a total of 21.
There are three types of players who would venture to split this pair – the blackjack novices who have not yet learned basic strategy, tournament players, and those who have mastered card counting. This article discusses the reasons why splitting 10s is detrimental to basic strategy players and advantageous for professionals.
Playing Decisions with a Pair of 10s
When players are dealt a pair of 10s, they have a choice from two playing options only, to stand or to split. Doubling, hitting, and surrendering do not make the cut for obvious reasons. If the player chooses to stand on this pair, they end up with a hard total of 20. This is almost impossible to beat unless the dealer has a blackjack or draws to 21.
Provided that the player splits, they form two separate hands and each one starts with a 10. In most landbased and online variations of the game, players are granted the option to resplit, usually up to two times so that they form four separate hands during a single round of play.
If you split Q-K, for example, and receive another Queen on one of your split hands, you will be allowed to resplit again to make three hands and each of those will start with a ten-value card. Which is the optimal decision according to basic strategy?
Why Casual Players Should Never Split 10s
Some recreational players would split this pair regardless of what upcard the dealer exposes. Others choose to split pairs of 10s only when the dealer is at a disadvantage showing small cards like 5 and 6. Their reasoning is something along those lines – 'The dealer is going to bust with this 5 or 6 so and so. Let me split the 10s. I can make two great hands instead of one and double my profits'.
Neither decision is optimal in the long run, though. Suppose you are playing six-deck blackjack where the dealer is required to stand on soft totals of 17. You are dealt a pair of 10s and the dealer ends up with a 5 as the upcard.
Blackjack Never Split 10
If you choose to stand on the pair of ten-value cards, you end up winning 84 out of every hundred hands and lose the remaining 16 hands on average. We exclude the cases when you and the dealer push. This makes sense because a total of 20 is difficult to beat, especially by a dealer who starts at a disadvantage with 5 or 6 as their upcards.
Your expected value decreases when you split the pair of 10s against the 5 consistently. When you split, you end up winning only 63 out of every hundred hands and lose the other 37 times on average. The decrease in profits is considerable because players who split their 10s often end up with two weaker hands with totals that are below 20.
Why Casual Players Should Never Split 10s – Additional TipsIf you flat bet $1, your average long-term profits when you stand on your 10s over the course of hundred hands are equal to $84 – $16 = $68. But if you split the 10s, you will experience a decrease in your average profits per every hundred hands of $63 – $37 = $26 * 2 = $52. As you can see, splitting the 10s against the dealer's 5 as opposed to standing will cost you $16 on average.
Respectively, if you decide to split the 10s against a dealer with a 6 as the upcard, you are bound to win 64 out of every hundred hands and lose the remaining 36 hands on average. You end up incurring average profits of $64 – $36 = $28 * 2 = $56.
However, if you decide to stand against the 6 instead, you will win 85 out of every hundred hands and lose the other 15 hands on average, which is to say you will net profits of $85 – $15 = $70 over the long run. This accounts for a drop of $14 in your average profits provided that you consistently split the 10s against the 6 instead of standing.
It should be noted that basic strategy favors standing over splitting the 10s regardless of the number of decks in play, the dealer's upcard, and their fixed standing rules. You will inevitably arrive at the conclusion that standing on the pair of 10s yields more profits than splitting in the long term.
More importantly, if splitting was a bad decision in the first place so is resplitting when you happen to catch another 10 on the draw. The bottom line is basic strategy players should altogether refrain from splitting pairs of 10s and settle for a total of hard 20 instead.
A Few Exceptions to the above Rule
There is a saying in the blackjack circles which states that only clueless players and card counters ever split 10s and indeed, there is some truth to this statement. But why is splitting 10s detrimental to the former and advantageous for the latter?
Unlike casual players, card counters are able to keep track of the ratio of high cards to low cards in the remaining deck or shoe. They would sometimes split a pair of 10s when the dealer shows weak upcards like 5 and 6 but only on condition the composition of the shoe allows it and there are many ten-value cards left to be dealt.
Splitting becomes a good idea under these circumstances because the player is more likely to catch ten-value cards and form two totals of 20 (or potentially draw some Aces for even better totals of 21). This increases profitability for the card counter.
Additionally, when the shoe is rich in ten-value cards, the dealer becomes even more susceptible to busting with their 5 or 6. This is so because high cards are generally detrimental to the blackjack dealer. When there is an excess of ten-value cards in the shoe, advantage swings to the player and vice versa. If the small cards in the remaining shoe outnumber the high ones, the house has an edge over the players.
Blackjack Split 10s
Additional ExceptionsProvided that you are using a popular card counting system like the Hi-Lo, you may choose to split pairs of 10s but only when you have a positive true count of 5 or higher.
Keep in mind most professional card counters refrain from splitting 10s altogether for the purpose of avoiding detection and barring. This play is viewed with suspicion by dealers and pit bosses alike so you should not overdo it, especially not during the same gaming session or shift.
Another situation when splitting 10s gives us more value than standing is in blackjack tournaments, particularly during the last round of play. In tournaments, your goal is to beat fellow players by generating more profits than they do within a predetermined number of hands. Splitting your 10s may be the proper course of action when you are trying to catch up with the table's chip leader and get ahead of them after the last hand.
The crux of the matter is splitting 10s is a good idea only if you are a skilled card counter or are playing blackjack tournaments. It is never wise for a basic strategy player to split this pair because this takes away from their long-term expected value. Standing on your 10s is the optimal strategy decision because it yields the biggest profits in the long run.
Blackjack is interesting because it is very focused upon the probabilities of cards in a minimal way, stripped of the deep and wide psychological dimension found in poker or other games. Blackjack actually is a very individualistic challenge.
The player interacts with the dealer, however, this is a straightforward relationship (without psychological intimidation or deceptions such as bluffing). In fact, many amiable dealers even offer valuable advice.
The reason this advice is at all possible has to do with the straightforward rules of Blackjack, which restrain the dealer into a purely functional role. Your dealer (in a casino, or when playing a live online dealer game) even may point out one of the following worst errors you can make, hopefully before you make it!
Please Note: If you want to understand more context for any of these guidelines below, or actually see what we're talking about then get yourself a reputable Blackjack Basic Strategy Chart (such as the one shared by MIT's winning Blackjack team). Casino malahide apartments for sale venice.
1. Never Split 5s
When playing Blackjack, one may feel tempted to Double Down or Split their pair for the same reason: it puts twice as much cash on the table to win. Of course, increasing one's outlay also means possibly losing more. Like every Blackjack decision, it is recommended that you
Split only under precise circumstances.
Always and Never
There are only two hands in Blackjack that you should always split no matter what the dealer has: split your Aces, and, Split your 8s. Otherwise, although just over half the possible pairs can be Split, half of the time (depending upon the dealer's card) they should be Hit instead — and there are 3 instances when you should Stand on a pair of 9s.
A pair of 5s should never be split under any circumstances. Why? If you think about it, when your dealer gets a 2-6 you can consider it the poorest hand; in those cases you have the best odds that the dealer will bust even if your hand isn't great.
Therefore, if you split 5s then you end up with not one but two of the poorest hands you could have. Don't be tempted by the opportunity to Split when you can play your 5s as a 10, with a good chance of humbler success on your single bet.
2. Do Not Stand with a 12 on Dealer 2/3s
Normally you can safely stand if you have 12-16 when the dealer has only 2-6 showing. That is a whole 25 block of hand situations where a blackjack strategy of Standing has the best odds: except just 2 scenarios you should remember.
Personalised poker chip golf ball markers uk. If the dealer has either a 2 or a 3 against your 12, then you should Hit instead of standing. A 12 for you simply won't be enough to beat the dealer in the event that the 2/3 does not bust and turns into a decent hand of at least 17.
3. Do Not Split 9s on Dealer 10/Ace
Although your pair of 9s are almost as split-able as 8s, don't try it if the dealer has the best card up of 10 or Ace. If the dealer turns over a 10 then you will need an Ace to beat it (so those are very slim odds).
Incidentally, you should also remember this: for the same basic reasons you should not split your 9s if the dealer has a 7 since the chances are high that the hand to beat will be tough.
4. Do Not Split 10s
While at the blackjack table, you will inevitably find yourself in situations when the dealer will deal you starting hands that consist of paired cards, i.e. two cards of the same numerical value. It is ultimately your decision how to play the hand. In the vast majority of cases, you will have the option to split the pair after doubling your initial stake.
In the event of splitting, the dealer will separate the pair into two hands and draw one more card on each of the two new hands. You will then play each hand as normal and have the chance to win twice as much than you otherwise would.
- Bonus⋆80 Free Spins
- Bonus$300
- $500$600
The most commonly occurring pair in blackjack consists of 10s for the simple reason the cards that are assigned a value of 10 outnumber any other card denomination in the deck. A single deck contains 16 of those – four 10s, four Jacks, four Queens, and four Kings. A pair of 10s makes for a very strong hand of 20 which can be beaten only if the dealer has a blackjack or a total of 21.
There are three types of players who would venture to split this pair – the blackjack novices who have not yet learned basic strategy, tournament players, and those who have mastered card counting. This article discusses the reasons why splitting 10s is detrimental to basic strategy players and advantageous for professionals.
Playing Decisions with a Pair of 10s
When players are dealt a pair of 10s, they have a choice from two playing options only, to stand or to split. Doubling, hitting, and surrendering do not make the cut for obvious reasons. If the player chooses to stand on this pair, they end up with a hard total of 20. This is almost impossible to beat unless the dealer has a blackjack or draws to 21.
Provided that the player splits, they form two separate hands and each one starts with a 10. In most landbased and online variations of the game, players are granted the option to resplit, usually up to two times so that they form four separate hands during a single round of play.
If you split Q-K, for example, and receive another Queen on one of your split hands, you will be allowed to resplit again to make three hands and each of those will start with a ten-value card. Which is the optimal decision according to basic strategy?
Why Casual Players Should Never Split 10s
Some recreational players would split this pair regardless of what upcard the dealer exposes. Others choose to split pairs of 10s only when the dealer is at a disadvantage showing small cards like 5 and 6. Their reasoning is something along those lines – 'The dealer is going to bust with this 5 or 6 so and so. Let me split the 10s. I can make two great hands instead of one and double my profits'.
Neither decision is optimal in the long run, though. Suppose you are playing six-deck blackjack where the dealer is required to stand on soft totals of 17. You are dealt a pair of 10s and the dealer ends up with a 5 as the upcard.
Blackjack Never Split 10
If you choose to stand on the pair of ten-value cards, you end up winning 84 out of every hundred hands and lose the remaining 16 hands on average. We exclude the cases when you and the dealer push. This makes sense because a total of 20 is difficult to beat, especially by a dealer who starts at a disadvantage with 5 or 6 as their upcards.
Your expected value decreases when you split the pair of 10s against the 5 consistently. When you split, you end up winning only 63 out of every hundred hands and lose the other 37 times on average. The decrease in profits is considerable because players who split their 10s often end up with two weaker hands with totals that are below 20.
Why Casual Players Should Never Split 10s – Additional TipsIf you flat bet $1, your average long-term profits when you stand on your 10s over the course of hundred hands are equal to $84 – $16 = $68. But if you split the 10s, you will experience a decrease in your average profits per every hundred hands of $63 – $37 = $26 * 2 = $52. As you can see, splitting the 10s against the dealer's 5 as opposed to standing will cost you $16 on average.
Respectively, if you decide to split the 10s against a dealer with a 6 as the upcard, you are bound to win 64 out of every hundred hands and lose the remaining 36 hands on average. You end up incurring average profits of $64 – $36 = $28 * 2 = $56.
However, if you decide to stand against the 6 instead, you will win 85 out of every hundred hands and lose the other 15 hands on average, which is to say you will net profits of $85 – $15 = $70 over the long run. This accounts for a drop of $14 in your average profits provided that you consistently split the 10s against the 6 instead of standing.
It should be noted that basic strategy favors standing over splitting the 10s regardless of the number of decks in play, the dealer's upcard, and their fixed standing rules. You will inevitably arrive at the conclusion that standing on the pair of 10s yields more profits than splitting in the long term.
More importantly, if splitting was a bad decision in the first place so is resplitting when you happen to catch another 10 on the draw. The bottom line is basic strategy players should altogether refrain from splitting pairs of 10s and settle for a total of hard 20 instead.
A Few Exceptions to the above Rule
There is a saying in the blackjack circles which states that only clueless players and card counters ever split 10s and indeed, there is some truth to this statement. But why is splitting 10s detrimental to the former and advantageous for the latter?
Unlike casual players, card counters are able to keep track of the ratio of high cards to low cards in the remaining deck or shoe. They would sometimes split a pair of 10s when the dealer shows weak upcards like 5 and 6 but only on condition the composition of the shoe allows it and there are many ten-value cards left to be dealt.
Splitting becomes a good idea under these circumstances because the player is more likely to catch ten-value cards and form two totals of 20 (or potentially draw some Aces for even better totals of 21). This increases profitability for the card counter.
Additionally, when the shoe is rich in ten-value cards, the dealer becomes even more susceptible to busting with their 5 or 6. This is so because high cards are generally detrimental to the blackjack dealer. When there is an excess of ten-value cards in the shoe, advantage swings to the player and vice versa. If the small cards in the remaining shoe outnumber the high ones, the house has an edge over the players.
Blackjack Split 10s
Additional ExceptionsProvided that you are using a popular card counting system like the Hi-Lo, you may choose to split pairs of 10s but only when you have a positive true count of 5 or higher.
Keep in mind most professional card counters refrain from splitting 10s altogether for the purpose of avoiding detection and barring. This play is viewed with suspicion by dealers and pit bosses alike so you should not overdo it, especially not during the same gaming session or shift.
Another situation when splitting 10s gives us more value than standing is in blackjack tournaments, particularly during the last round of play. In tournaments, your goal is to beat fellow players by generating more profits than they do within a predetermined number of hands. Splitting your 10s may be the proper course of action when you are trying to catch up with the table's chip leader and get ahead of them after the last hand.
The crux of the matter is splitting 10s is a good idea only if you are a skilled card counter or are playing blackjack tournaments. It is never wise for a basic strategy player to split this pair because this takes away from their long-term expected value. Standing on your 10s is the optimal strategy decision because it yields the biggest profits in the long run.
Blackjack is interesting because it is very focused upon the probabilities of cards in a minimal way, stripped of the deep and wide psychological dimension found in poker or other games. Blackjack actually is a very individualistic challenge.
The player interacts with the dealer, however, this is a straightforward relationship (without psychological intimidation or deceptions such as bluffing). In fact, many amiable dealers even offer valuable advice.
The reason this advice is at all possible has to do with the straightforward rules of Blackjack, which restrain the dealer into a purely functional role. Your dealer (in a casino, or when playing a live online dealer game) even may point out one of the following worst errors you can make, hopefully before you make it!
Please Note: If you want to understand more context for any of these guidelines below, or actually see what we're talking about then get yourself a reputable Blackjack Basic Strategy Chart (such as the one shared by MIT's winning Blackjack team). Casino malahide apartments for sale venice.
1. Never Split 5s
When playing Blackjack, one may feel tempted to Double Down or Split their pair for the same reason: it puts twice as much cash on the table to win. Of course, increasing one's outlay also means possibly losing more. Like every Blackjack decision, it is recommended that you
Split only under precise circumstances.
Always and Never
There are only two hands in Blackjack that you should always split no matter what the dealer has: split your Aces, and, Split your 8s. Otherwise, although just over half the possible pairs can be Split, half of the time (depending upon the dealer's card) they should be Hit instead — and there are 3 instances when you should Stand on a pair of 9s.
A pair of 5s should never be split under any circumstances. Why? If you think about it, when your dealer gets a 2-6 you can consider it the poorest hand; in those cases you have the best odds that the dealer will bust even if your hand isn't great.
Therefore, if you split 5s then you end up with not one but two of the poorest hands you could have. Don't be tempted by the opportunity to Split when you can play your 5s as a 10, with a good chance of humbler success on your single bet.
2. Do Not Stand with a 12 on Dealer 2/3s
Normally you can safely stand if you have 12-16 when the dealer has only 2-6 showing. That is a whole 25 block of hand situations where a blackjack strategy of Standing has the best odds: except just 2 scenarios you should remember.
Personalised poker chip golf ball markers uk. If the dealer has either a 2 or a 3 against your 12, then you should Hit instead of standing. A 12 for you simply won't be enough to beat the dealer in the event that the 2/3 does not bust and turns into a decent hand of at least 17.
3. Do Not Split 9s on Dealer 10/Ace
Although your pair of 9s are almost as split-able as 8s, don't try it if the dealer has the best card up of 10 or Ace. If the dealer turns over a 10 then you will need an Ace to beat it (so those are very slim odds).
Incidentally, you should also remember this: for the same basic reasons you should not split your 9s if the dealer has a 7 since the chances are high that the hand to beat will be tough.
4. Do Not Split 10s
When To Split At Blackjack
Even though for the opposite reason as above — with a pair of 5s — it may seem like a good bet to split your 10s no matter how good the dealer's hand looks, have discipline on this one! You've got a 20 and chances are high you'll win, so be content without doubling that win.
5. Do Not Double Down 11 on Dealer Ace
Blackjack Never Split 10s Pro
Although the Double Down move is a great thrill in Blackjack, somewhat similar to going all in with Hold'em, especially when you hold a starting hand of 11, there is just one instance when you should Hit instead: against a dealer's Ace (also 11).
The two best times to Double Down are when you have 10 or 11, and yet all told there are 3 situations to Hit instead (one of which we just told you). The other 2 situations are if you have a 10 against a dealer's 10/Ace. Makes sense, right?
6. Never Use Insurance
In Blackjack, the dealer will always offer you Insurance when her up card is an Ace, since that is the strongest possible hand against you: a 21 if the dealer's next card is a 10. Insurance means that you switch strategy and take a 2-to-1 bet that the dealer will win with a Blackjack against you.
Blackjack Never Split 10
Insurance might seem like a good idea for you if your hand isn't superb. And yet, according to the math whizzes at MIT and other Blackjack hawks, the odds for an Insurance payout are not all that this gambit seems cracked up to be.
Blackjack Never Split 10s 2
So, keep things simpler for yourself when playing against the dealer and just never take Insurance. (You'll feel a nice sense of resoluteness against the dealer's one form of temptation or mind-game, besides!)
