Additionally, some blackjack variations restrict your ability to double down only on hard totals of 9, 10, and 11. Doubling Down on Three Cards This is among the rarest double down variations that you will find in the gambling world since it pushes the odds in the player’s favor. While rare, it is not unheard of for casinos to allow this. Blackjack Double Down – A Numbers Game Firstly, however green you are to Blackjack, we can all agree that the highest number you can sensibly get is 21. Secondly, we’re out to beat the dealer, either by having the higher value hand, or watching them go bust. From there on in it’s a case of using statistics to your advantage. If you win a double down, you get twice what you would expect than for winning only one hand, but it still counts as a single win for the player. Also, if the dealer gets a blackjack, you lose only your initial bet, instead of 1½ times the bet, which is what a player wins by getting a blackjack.
As one of the most popular casino games, blackjack can be found in most land-based and online casinos. Due to its relative simplicity and extremely low house edge, it is preferred by both skilled and average players but in order to maximize their winnings, they must learn how to play the game correctly. It seems that one of the most confusing ideas in blackjack theory is that of the “soft and hard hands”.
It is soft hands, in particular, that often cause uncertainty even in those who consider themselves experienced blackjack players. Furthermore, casiual players tend to make more mistakes when playing with a soft hand than with any other hand. In fact, every single hand in blackjack can be classified as either a hard or a soft hand – any two-card hand that does not include an Ace is referred to as a hard hand, while hands with Aces in them fall under the category of soft hands.
This is, at least, the simplest explanation but real-life blackjack is a little more complicated than that. While the definitions of hardness and softness are quite simple and straightforward, the correct strategy of playing out these two types of hands is often elusive.
In the simplest of terms, soft hands consist of two cards, one of which is an Ace, while hard hands do not include an Ace. But why is necessary to make this distinction? The key is the nature of the Ace in blackjack – this is the only card in the game that does not have a fixed value. It counts as either 1 or 11 so it cannot be busted by Hitting once. To describe this in a simpler manner, let us see some examples of hard and soft hands:
Players who are dealt a hard hand at the beginning of a round – 7-10 for example, are presented with little freedom as to how to play out their hand. If they Hit, i.e. decide to draw another card, they have a big chance of exceeding 21 and busting. If it is a soft 17, however, Ace-6, the hand can be counted as either 17 or 7 and if players Hit, the risk of busting is considerably smaller. Imagine you receive 17 and you decide to Hit – you are dealt 7. The hard hand will reach 24 and therefore bust, while the soft hand will become 16, only here, the Ace will count as 1 and not 11.
And this is where the theory becomes more interesting. While many players and even blackjack guides consider only two-card hands as being hard or soft, real-life play requires you to look at a hand of 3 or even more cards. Not all hands with an Ace in them are soft – in fact, all hands with an Ace that counts as 1 are hard hands. Let us take the 17 hand example, once again.
A soft 17 would be Ace-6, as well as various other combinations such as Ace-4-2, Ace-2-2-2, and even Ace-Ace-3-2. In that last example, the hand should still be considered soft because one of the Aces may count as 11 or 1 without resulting in a bust. The hand still has a lot of liquidity as it can be counted as 17 or as 7.
There are, however, hands where the Ace must be counted as 1 otherwise the hand will bust. In these instances, this will be a hard hand even though it contains an Ace. A good example of this is a hand of 8-9 (hard 17) – an inexperienced player, who does not know the basic blackjack strategy, may decide to Hit. This would not be the optimal decision and, in fact, 17 is not a very good hand in blackjack but let us get back to the imaginary scenario.
The player Hits and an Ace is dealt – the hand will be 8-9-Ace and the Ace cannot count as 11 because the player will bust. In this case, the Ace always counts as 1 – once again, a rigid hand with a fixed value that cannot be adjusted, hence, this will be a hard 18.
As you can see, the Ace plays an important and a really unique role in blackjack. Players should know one basic rule when they are dealt a hand with an Ace – always count the Ace as 11 as long as your hand does not bust. There are many more fundamental things players need to understand when playing out a soft hand and if they do that correctly, their chances of making some decent profits from blackjack will increase – even without counting the cards.
As we always count the Ace as 11 in soft hands, there will be only several soft hands that can be dealt initially – from soft 12 (Ace-Ace) to soft 20 (Ace-9). A soft 21 (Ace-10/Ace-Jack, etc.), as we all know, is blackjack and it always wins in the standard game. A soft 12 is also a special case as it can count as 2 or 12 but it is also a pair that brings great opportunities when it is split. And here comes the second universal rule that applies to all variations of blackjack – you should always Split a pair of Aces.
However, a few other things should be considered. First and foremost, most versions of blackjack would allow only one card to be dealt to each of the split hands. After that, the two hands automatically Stand and are compared to the dealer’s hand. The best scenario, in this case, is receiving 10-value cards (10, J, Q, or K) to your split Aces for a total of 21. Other beneficial outcomes would be getting 8 or 9, which would result in hands of 19 or 20, respectively. If they are dealt 7, the total of 18 would still be relatively good. If the cards are below 7, however, the outcome will not be favorable to players at all.
But the Ace-Ace hand is a special hand and players need to know how to play the other soft hands – whether they Stand, Hit or even Double Down.
Most skilled blackjack players would never Stand on soft hands – with just a few exceptions. And there is a good reason for this – the flexibility of soft hands allows the player to make the most of the hand without having to fear busting. In fact, the decision whether to Stand, Hit, or Double would depend not only on the exact value of the player’s hand but also on the dealer’s card that is shown on the table and the number of decks used in the game.
You should never Stand on soft 17 or less. There are just a handful of scenarios when players are advised to Stand on a soft hand. They should always Stand when they have a soft 20 or more. If they have a soft 19, they should also Stand, except when the dealer has a 6 – here, they should Double if this option is permitted. They should also Stand when they have a soft 18 and the dealer holds 7 or 8. This applies to games where the dealer is required to hit on soft 17. If the dealer must stand on soft 17, the player should always stand on soft 19 or more, as well as on soft 18 and dealer 2, 7, or 8.
As for the number of decks in play, the above-mentioned rules should be considered mostly for games with 4, 6, or 8 decks. Most casinos – both online and land-based, tend to opt for blackjack versions with 4 to 8 decks.
Soft hands are much safer to play than hard hands, especially when it comes to drawing more hands to them. Often, players would avoid hitting on hard hands over 12 or 13 as the new card may easily lead to a bust. It is much more different when you have an Ace – if the hand goes over 21, the Ace will simply count as 1 and save the player from losing immediately.
The general rule is to Stand on all hands that are higher than 18 and to Hit on soft hands with a total of 17 or less. There are, of course, some exceptions. Typically, players are also advised to Hit on soft 18 if the dealer’s up card is 9, 10, or an Ace. In fact, soft 18 may be a little confusing for some players, as depending on the dealer’s card, they may be better off doubling down.
Many blackjack players, especially those with little knowledge of the basic strategy for this game, would avoid the Double option altogether. But if played correctly, it can bring them good winnings in the long term. In reality, professional players know exactly when to Double when having soft hands and this is why they tend to quickly catch the attention of casinos – remember that many casinos associate professional blackjack players with card counters.
But you do not need to count cards to know when doubling on soft hands is profitable. There are two cards that are not favorable to the dealer – these are 5 and 6, which is why players should always Double against these two numbers on their soft 13 through soft 18. It is also a good strategy to Double Down against dealer 4 if you hold soft 15 through soft 18.
This is one of the fundamental rules in blackjack and it is usually displayed on the table itself. Most casinos used to require the dealer to Stand on soft 17, which was and still is favorable to the player. After all, the average winning hand in blackjack has been calculated to be 18.5 (i.e. at least 18) and dealers who Stand on soft 17 are easier to beat.
However, many games in recent years have introduced another rule – dealers must draw to 16 but if they hold a soft 17, they must Hit. This allows them to improve their hand against the player and is, therefore, beneficial for the casino, not the player. After all, soft hands cannot bust – they can only be improved. So, blackjack tables where the dealer Hits on soft 17 increase the house edge. Players are advised to choose games where the dealer must Stand on all 17’s.
As you can see, playing with soft hands is not too complex but to avoid mistakes, players should learn how to act in every situation. There may be dozens of tips and strategies developed over the years but both professional and occasional blackjack players show learn the basic strategy of the game. As there are many different versions of 21, there may be slight changes but overall, this basic strategy for soft hands will apply to most blackjack games.
Player’s Soft Hand/ Dealer’s Card | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Ace |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
13 | H | H | H | D/H | D/H | H | H | H | H | H |
14 | H | H | H | D/H | D/H | H | H | H | H | H |
15 | H | H | D/H | D/H | D/H | H | H | H | H | H |
16 | H | H | D/H | D/H | D/H | H | H | H | H | H |
17 | H | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H | H | H | H | H | H |
18 | D/S | D/S | D/S | D/S | D/S | S | S | H | H | H |
19 | S | S | S | S | D/S | S | S | S | S | S |
20 | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
A-A | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP |
Blackjack seems to be one of the easiest games among all those provided in the casinos. However, this is not quite the case. When you start thinking about this game deeper, you find that there are many tricky spots. One of those relates to the use of special moves available to players. In this article, we are going to provide you with a complete guide on how and when to use (or not to use) the double down move.
ALSO READ:
There are several options you have in blackjack that allow you to make winning moves during the game. There is also a move that relates to increasing the stakes. One such option is double down.
Double down is a move where the player decides to double his bet and takes one more card. The important thing about this move is that you won’t be able to take a second card further into this match.
Due to the essence of this move, it should only be used, when you feel more confident about your chances of winning in the current match than usual. There are basic principles that we recommend being adhered to by all players who want to use this move. There are also advanced principles if you want to use more comprehensive strategies and get a deeper insight into the game.
In the beginning, it will be useful to start with the basic rules that explain the positive and negative conditions for the double down move.
Before you read these rules, consider the fact that any land casino or online casino you play in can have specific limitations on doubling. Get acquainted with the restrictions on the corresponding page before starting the match.
Along with the positive scenarios for doubling down, there are negatives as well. These are the basic initial card you shouldn’t double down with:
There can be many tricky situations when you need to make a choice among the strategies available. Double down might be the best choice, though it the right move, might not be obvious. To get a better understanding of the rules listed above, consider the situations you might face when playing blackjack.
Dealer: 5
At first, you should count your total that makes 9. Consider that it is a hard nine, which means you do not have an Ace in your hand. This is a very important detail that should have a great impact on your decision.
In the meantime, the dealer has 5. Due to the mathematical calculations, in case the dealer has 3-6, you have the highest chances to get better results if doubling down. Thus, your best option would be to make this move and likely to enjoy your winnings.
Dealer: 5
With your Ace, the hand becomes soft. Here you can get either 8 or 18. This provides you with a wide range of positive combinations, as you can appoint the value of Ace for your benefit.
If the next card is 3 or less, you will get a Blackjack and triple your winnings. And you also can get something like 9-10 (or equal) or even another Ace.
Now, we come to the dealer’s upcard, which is 5. As we can derive from mathematical calculations, the highest chances for you to win with such a hand occur in the case where the dealer’s upcard is 2-6. Thus, in this scenario, choosing to double down would be a good option.
Dealer: Ace
You get the 11 hard cap – a very good combination that is the most desired for the initial hand. This is one of the best combinations for doubling down, and you may already be ready to make this move. However, let’s not forget about the dealer’s up card.
We see that it is an Ace. Ace means 1 or eleven, and we do not really know what other cards there is. Maybe, the best option for you would be to surrender; in any case, you should definitely avoid using the double down strategy here. Considering the flexibility of combinations available for the dealer, your chances to win drop dramatically.
This situation can seem really controversial, though. You get hard 11, the dealer gets an Ace, so why not take a risk? That’s what many novice players do, and practice shows that it is usually a mistake. Do not forget that if an Ace is good for you when doubling down, it is even better for the dealer, as he has more options with several hits available.
Take a look at these tables to help you remember the best soft hands to double down.
If the card total value in your soft hand is 13 or lower, doubling down would be a good idea.
However, considering the fact double down can be just another move in your strategy, you may want to know the profit for 1 dollar bet per match. Based on the statistical analysis we have managed to calculate the profit where possible.
In the table below you can see a profit per one dollar (if 20, then it means 20 cents).
As you can see, the best combinations for double down are concentrated when you get hard 10 or 11. These are the most profitable to double down. How can you use this table? The thing is there are other moves available – Surrender, Hit, and Stand, which you can use. Thus, it may be better to use another one, rather than double down. Use this table to make a choice among these moves based on statistical profits.
Signaling when doubling down: place the additional wager close to the initial bet and point your finger on the chips (not applicable to your favorite live casino blackjack games).
Place the additional bet near the initial one and point your finger on the chips to make sure the dealer has noticed. Note that in some casinos, you are allowed to bet less than 100% of your initial bet when doubling down. Though, many bettors have figured out that it is not the best strategy for this move.
Double down is not the only strategy you can use in Blackjack. A variety of strategies is something that makes this game so engaging. An ability to define the best moment for the specified strategy can bring you to profitable gambling.
Split is all about dividing your initial hand into two separate hands. When you get your first two cards, it is possible to split them into two hands, that are treated separately afterward. That means that for each hand, you place the same bet. If used right, this strategy can increase your winnings dramatically.
Hit means that you take another card from the deck. That card is added to your hand, and the sum is calculated then. There are no limitations to the number of cards you can take until the sum exceeds or makes 21. Stand means that you are done with taking additional cards and that the dealer can make his move. This option is chosen when you feel you have rested on the best combination possible.
Surrender is a strategy that allows you to give up losing only half of your bet. This strategy can be used when you see that the dealer’s hand is much better than yours. Thus, if you feel that the chances to win are low, it can be the best option to choose from.
Correct usage of double down won’t increase your chances to win, and still, it can increase your winnings. Moreover, combining double down with split can bring a cumulative positive effect. The only thing you need to consider – different casinos can have different rules and restrictions when it comes to double down.
Want to use this strategy straight away? Make sure to play online Blackjack games on CasinoChan to practice the charts above and win!