Splitting at correct times can lower casino advantage

By Alan Vaughn

In the game of blackjack, splitting pairs is one of the biggest advantages that a player has against the dealer. Despite the infrequency that players are dealt pairs that should be split, knowing the correct strategies can help the player to regain about .5% of the casino advantage against them.

A player is allowed to split their hand when their first two cards are the same numerical value. In order to do so the player is required to place an additional bet equal to their original wager, and then each hand is played separately. If either of the subsequent hands results in another pair the player will be given the option to split again. Most casinos limit splitting to a total of four hands. In this article we are going to look at the pairs from 2 through 7, as they share a lot of the same strategy.

Players should split pairs of 2s, 3s, and 7s against any dealer up card from 2 through 7. There are two reasons to split these hands: you have a relatively weak starting value, and the dealer is likely to bust. Most players understand the logic of splitting these pairs against a dealer’s 3-6, but players often struggle with the decision to split when the dealer is showing a 2 or a 7.

It is correct to have reservations because these are losing situations and any further money that is put on the table will also be placed into a losing situation. With that understanding, it is still a good idea to split. The reason is that you will go from a relatively weak starting hand (4, 6, or 14) to two hands with more potential (2, 3, or 7), meaning that even though you are still expected to lose money, you will lose less money splitting than if you either stand or draw an additional card.

In the example of 2s v. 2 you go from one bet at an 11.5% disadvantage to two bets at a 3.4% disadvantage. So even though you have twice as much money at risk, you still save just shy of 5% of your original bet by splitting.

I know that betting more money when the casino has the advantage sounds crazy, but there are several situations where it saves you money, and basic strategy accounts for this. Pairs of 6s have the same basic strategy plays as 2s, 3s, and 7s with the exception of 6s v. 7. In this case it is best to take a hit, as splitting to two hands of 6 v. 7 slightly increases the casino advantage over the player.

Fours and 5s behave very differently from the other pairs 2 through 7, due to the strength of their initial value (8 or 10). Ten is an extremely strong starting hand and should never be split. Instead, you should opt for the appropriate double-down strategy, as this is the best way to get more money on the table. Fours should only be split against a 5 and a 6. The reason is that you are going from a strong starting hand of 8 to two relatively weak starting hands of 4, so you should only do this when the dealer is most likely to bust.

While splitting is a very powerful force when used properly, it is also worth noting that splitting in situations other than those shown in basic strategy will often drastically increase the casino advantage. If you split too little you will risk increasing the casino advantage up to 1%, but if you split too frequently it could go much higher. In short, take a couple of minutes to learn basic strategy and stick to it. If you already know basic strategy, take a couple minutes to review it – you may have forgotten something.

Alan Vaughn has played high stakes blackjack for several years in casinos all across the US. He recently moved to Denver where he teaches blackjack to players of all skill levels. For questions, comments, or information on lessons please email denver21school@yahoo.com.