When Should You Split in Blackjack: Expert Tips

This is the easiest strategy we are going to talk about today, as I am always going to split when I have a pair of aces. Even if a dealer has an ace showing, as long as they check their hand for a blackjack before I make my decision as to whether or not I want to split, then I’m splitting.

The reason being , there are more cards worth 10 than any other number, and there is just too good of a chance that you will end up with at least one blackjack, if not two of them, when you split up a pair of aces.

Even if you don’t hit to exactly 21 after your split, there are still plenty of cards that will make your hand a potential winner. This includes any 7, 8, or 9, not to mention the fact that the dealer could always end up busting as well, making you a double winner instantly.

Don’t waste any time thinking about this one. If you get a pair of aces, toss out another bet, split the aces up, and get paid!

Any time that the dealer has a true bust card, either a 4, 5, or 6, I am going to take a hard look at splitting my hand. Remember, the dealer is going to bust right around 29% of the time, no matter what their upcard is. This means that nearly a third of the time that you split, you are going to win, regardless of what cards you draw, as long as you don’t bust.

• If the dealer has a 4, they will bust 40% of the time
• If the dealer has a 5, they will bust 42% of the time
• If the dealer has a 6, they will bust 42% of the time

Against a bust card, those numbers only go up, making it a high-value play to split if the dealer has a bust card showing. Let’s take a quick look at the odds of the dealer busting, depending on the value of their upcard.

Those numbers make a very compelling case that you should be splitting any pair against these upcards, as they are going to bust so often, that just about all splits are going to show long-term value. The one thing that stuck out to me about those percentages, as a seasoned and skillful blackjack player, is that the odds that the dealer busts with a 5 showing, are nearly identical to them busting with a 6 showing.

Just about everyone I see that plays blackjack splits against a 6, but many of those same players tighten up against a 5. The statistics say that you should treat that 5 the same way as you would a 6. If you are one of those players that gets scared away by a 5, you need to trust the math and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Splitting 8s in blackjack is as easy of a decision as splitting aces. Basic blackjack strategy always calls for splitting a pair of 8s.

A pair of 8s equals 16 in blackjack. This is a challenging position to be in as a blackjack player, but if you know basic strategy, this is always an automatic signal to split. When you hit on a 16, there is a 60% chance your hand will bust. Your only chance of staying in the game is if you are dealt a 4 or less after hitting.

The casino will appreciate you hitting on 8s and don’t split. You are giving them a massive 10% window of opportunity to win. In other words, inform the dealer that you will be splitting your 8s.

There is no chance that you will bust following your first hit on both cards. If you receive a 10 or face card, which is the most likely scenario, you’ve improved your standing from 16 to 18.

What about re-splitting? If the rules allow for re-splitting 8s at your casino, always re-split these cards, as well.

There is a bit of controversy with splitting low pairs at the casino, or on a blackjack app. However, unlike middle pairs, the math in blackjack indicates that they should be split under certain circumstances. Additionally, this advice against a dealer’s 7 or less includes a pair of 7s.

The mathematically correct move is always the right decision, regardless of what anyone suggests. There is an exception if the player is counting cards, but for basic strategy, always follow this rule for splitting pairs.

Splitting a pair of aces and 8s is a stronger play than this move. However, when you have 2s, 3s, or 7s versus the dealer’s 7 or lower upcard, consider clicking the split button.

There is an exception to the rule for splitting 6s. In most instances, a pair of 6s should not be split. However, there are some scenarios where 6s have the green light for being split.

If the dealer has a low-to-middle card, then consider splitting your pair of 6s. More specifically, 6s should be split against a dealer’s 2 to 6. If the dealer has another upcard, do not split your 6s.

9s are generally not viewed as the strongest cards to split. However, there are exceptions that you must consider when playing blackjack in-person or online. Again, a counting card strategy is going to vary based on the count, but this is the correct move for players who want to use a basic blackjack split strategy.

When you have a pair of 9s against the dealer’s 9 or less, except a 7, then split. This rule can be a bit tricky to remember because if the dealer has a 7, then you hit instead of split.

We have already talked about a couple of times where you should split, but when shouldn’t you split when playing blackjack? For me, I generally won’t split if I have a pair of 5s or 6s, and I will only split a pair of 4s against a dealer’s 5 or 6.

A pair of 5s is a hand that I would much rather double down on, if the situation warrants getting more money out on the layout, and a pair of 6s is far too likely to turn into a pair of 16s, to ever want to split them up. Even if I am counting cards and the deck is heavy with face cards, I will still stay away from splitting 5s or 6s in most situations, as it is just too risky.

Splitting into the dealer’s ace is just begging to be punished. The only time I will ever consider it is if I have a pair of aces, as the dealer is going to make a hand far too often to make splitting anything else profitable.

We mentioned earlier that splitting your hand has more to do with what the dealer has than what you have, and a dealer makes a hand with an ace as their upcard a very high percentage of the time. In fact, the dealer will make a pat hand more than 35% more often with an ace than even a face card.

The stats tell us that a dealer will make a hand with an ace as their upcard at an alarming 87% clip. That means that you are going to have to make a 17 or higher with your split at an even higher percentage if you want to survive it. That just isn’t going to happen at anywhere near a high enough rate to justify splitting into an ace.

The most reckless things that you can do at a blackjack table are split 10s and face cards, hit on 19 or 20, or double down into an ace. Splitting into an ace is a bad move in terms of when to split in blackjack.