Splitting Pairs Properly

Published on Wednesday, 26 June 2013 11:45

Written by Sam

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When playing casino blackjack, you will inevitably find yourself in a situation with a bad hand. Knowing when to split your pairs can lead to further success at the table… And it doesn’t take a rocket science blackjack system. Splitting pairs sometimes opens you up for not only one winning hand but two, and can also lead to profitable double down situations. Here’s how to take a bad hand and make it into two good ones:

A properly split pair will yield 29.75% more wins than if you were to just play the hand outright. I like to say that properly split pairs are a gift from the gaming gods…

You’ll only receive a pair about 1.6% of the time when you’re playing blackjack, so this is an area of the game where some folks get a little bit rusty.

The dealer’s up card is key when it comes time to make a decision to hit, stand, split, or double down on your pair. Also, if you have a pair of Aces or a pair of 8’s, ALWAYS split, regardless of the dealer’s up card.

A pair of nines is a special case. You’ll want to split those against everything except a dealer’s up card of 7, 10, or A.

Never split 10’s — or you’ll risk being looked at like you’re crazy.

And one more thing that bothers me. It’s the guy who splits his 5’s. Why not just double-down on the pair of fives? In fact, that’s the best move unless you’re facing a dealer’s up card of 10 or Ace.

If you want to know how to win money at the casino, you’re going to have to start practicing these moves. To win at blackjack, you need a good method, a calm head, and a lot of practice.

My book, Ask Dr. BlackJack is written for both the novice and experienced blackjack player who wants to stretch their gaming dollar. Using my strategy has resulted in a lot of success at the table for me. Please stay tuned to my blog for more blackjack strategy updates and you can purchase my book in an exclusive offer right here from my website.

Good luck at the tables!