Naturally, you're only going to split cards if doing so helps you win (or gives you a stronger hand to stand a chance against the dealer) – which brings us to our lesson about splitting 8s.
Should you split 8s when card counting in blackjack? If the deck count is positive – meaning there are more tens in the deck than usual – some may also opt against splitting eights, especially when the dealer’s up card is something like a five or a six.
This post is for people who want to understand in detail why you should always split aces and 8s in blackjack. A Pair of Aces in Blackjack Is a Soft Total of 12. I've looked for, but couldn't find any information stating if surrendering a pair of eights is better than splitting when the dealer has an Ace.
Why would you want to split two 8s against a dealer’s 10 and possibly create two losing hands instead of one? In this situation, the dealer may already have 19 or 20. Simply put, the math says that over the long-term, you have the best chance of minimizing your losing hands by splitting the 8s.
Basic strategy tells you that you should never splits 4s, 5s, or 10s. It also tells you that you should always split aces or 8s. Why You Do the Things You Do in Basic Strategy. Basic strategy has been derived by mathematicians and computer programs who run simulations of millions of hands.
So, there you are with a pair of 8s and you split, and the dealer hits you with a 5. I always split eights. But in a high count there must be a point where surrender or stand is a better option, especially if the dealer has a nine or ten.
Moreover, should you split 8s against a 10? There is no question that the dealer has the upper hand when you hold a pair of 8s against her 10 . Even though you are the underdog when you are dealt a pair of 8s against a dealer 10 , you are less of an underdog when you split the 8s and play two hands with an 8 on each hand.
If the card showing is a 8, 9, 10 or an Ace you should hit your hand. If you have a pair of four's, then you should always hit your hand except when the dealer has a five or a six showing. If this happens you should split your hand. Back to the top
However, if a player gets a pair of 8s and chooses to split them, that makes two $10 hands starting with an 8 each. On average, the player would lose 16 cents on each of the two hands for a total loss of 32 cents. This shows that splitting 8s is saving players more money, even if both new hands lose against the dealer.
Should You Always Split 8s? Basic blackjack strategy says 8s are a safe and wise split. It’s hard to go wrong with splitting 8s. The math says this works out well in the long run. So, there you are with a pair of 8s and you split, and the dealer hits you with a 5. You kick yourself for walking away from an easy 21.
You should always split when you get a pair of aces. Splitting gives you a higher chance to get a better hand. If the dealer gives you a 10 after the split, there is a big chance you will reach a great score. If the dealer has between 2-6 or 8-9, you can choose to split this pair.
The only time I would ever think you could justify not splitting 8s is if you're counting and the count is really negative AND it's late in the shoe. And if the count ever got negative enough for you to attempt this, chances are you've probably already walked away from the table due to the poor count. So yes, always split 8s against a 10.
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Do you split 9s against a 2? The basic playing strategy for a pair of 9s is to: Split when the dealer's upcard is 2 through 6 or 8, 9. Do you split 8s vs 10? If you stand on a pair of 8s vs. a 10, you win only if the dealer busts, and the dealer busts only a bit more than 21 percent of the time when starting with a 10-value card.