What Are The Five Decisions In Blackjack?

Blackjack is one of the most popular online casino card games of all time. The choices you make at the start of the game determine a player’s long-term success, which makes Blackjack a game of strategy, careful decision-making, and luck.

Throughout a round of Blackjack, you have a set of actions you can choose from to help you win the hand. For instance, depending on the circumstances of the game, you need to decide between a stand, draw, split, double, or a surrender. Continue reading to ensure you understand the pros and cons of each of the five decisions in Blackjack.

Stand

You choose the ‘stand’ action if you do not want to take any more cards from the deck. Before deciding to ‘stand’, you must feel confident in the hand you have by considering the chance of the dealer having a hand closer to 21 than you. An example of this would be if your cards add up to 20, it would be unwise to draw another card as it would have to be an Ace to win. However, the only risk of this move is that ‘standing’ with your original hand might not be close enough to 21 to beat the dealer.

Draw

Along with ‘stand’, ‘hit’ is one of the most used decisions in Blackjack. Deciding this means you would like to draw another card from the deck. The aim of Blackjack is to get as close to 21 as possible, starting with 2 cards. Therefore, if your cards add up to a low number, like 7, you need to ‘draw’ another card with the hope of getting a number to help you get close to 21 without ‘going bust’ by exceeding 21. If this happens, you automatically lose, and the dealer will collect your bet and discard your hand.

Split

The ‘split’ is the choice you make if your two original cards dealt at the start of the round have the same value. For example, if you’re handed two 6’s, you can decide to ‘split’ the two cards into two different hands. By doing this, you increase your chances of winning as you have two hands to play from, making it more likely for you to create combinations close to 21. The only danger of choosing this move is that you could end up with 2 weak hands rather than one strong hand.

Double

The ‘double’ move is one of the riskiest decisions in Blackjack you can take but could be the most profitable. This decision involves you doubling your original bet for one extra card. If you decide this, you can not draw again and must stand. The best time to make this move is if your two starting cards add up to 10 or 11, and if your next card is a face value, you have a high chance of winning. However, you could easily lose double your bet if the card drawn is low.

Surrender

The ‘surrender’ option is quite uncommon and can only be found in certain casinos. However, with All Bets Blackjack, you can potentially save a portion of your money if you believe you’re likely to lose. The ‘early surrender’ grants you the ability to discard your hand for half of your starting bet back before the Dealer checks their cards for a natural Blackjack. Doing this move after the Dealer looks at their hand is called a ‘late surrender.’ If the dealer has a natural, you will lose your full bet, but if they don’t, you’ll receive half of your bet back.