To Split Or Not To Split Pairs.

If when playing blackjack you are dealt a pair – two cards of the same value such as two eights, two kings etc – the rules of the game allow you to “split” them and play them as two separate hands. This is not mandatory – you have the choice.

If you do decide the slit them then you are effectively doubling your bet though not necessarily doubling your chances of beating the dealer and winning the hand. Think about thikngs carefully before you decide to split.

For example if you have two tens or two picture cards then you are holding a total of 20. The dealer has to pull a 21 or a blackjack to beat you. You’re in a strong position so may be best to stick on 20. If you are dealt a pair of aces then you’d more than likey decide to split them. Any ten or picture as your next card on either ace and you’re odds on to take the hand down as the dealer has to pull a blackjack.

The lower the value of the pair you are dealt then in general the less likely you should be towards splitting them. Think about this – if you have two nines you have eighteen. Not bad. If you split and are then dealt say a ten then you’ve inproved one hand by one though if on the other nine you are dealt say a six you’re in no-mans land with that hand – 16. If the dealer is showing a ten or picture card you may decide the stick on 18 and take your chances as if the dealer pulls a nine or twn he has you beat. Losing one hand on 18 is better than splitting and losing twice.

If however you have two nines and the dealer has a low or mid-value card then you may be better off splitting as if the dealer is showing a seven and draws another mid-value card he’ll have to pull again and may well bust out.

If you have lower value pairs I suggest you think about the total of those cards before splitting. For example a pair of fives means you have a totl of ten. Not splitting and drawing a nine or card with a face value of ten puts you on 20 – a strong position.

The flip side being that of you did split those fives and then get say an eight on one and a seven on the other you are back in no mans land. A low total which the dealer could easily beat pretty mch forcing you to hit again – and if that his is a high valu card you’ll bust and lose your money.

I hope this short article has given you food for thought when you are dealt a pair when playing blackjack online.

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