When To Double In Blackjack

Tip Category: Blackjack

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The Double is a fantastic move in blackjack. The player gets to see the dealt cards. He can then double his wager. The condition is that he takes one and only one more card. Certain combinations of dealt cards, even with the stipulated condition, greatly increase his chances of winning. It is important for blackjack players to be able to recognize these opportunities and cash in on them. They will not win all the time but will win most of the time and this is what wagering is all about.

The simplest strategy in blackjack assumes that the next card dealt will have a value of 10. This is because there are sixteen such cards in the deck of fifty-two cards, which gives it a probability of 31%. In contrast the probability of getting any other value is less than 8%. The first tip considers when the player should never double. If the player has a hand value greater than 11, without any card being an ace, he should not double. If he doubles he will have to take one more card. Assuming that card has a value of 10 the player’s hand value will become 22 or more and he will bust. If the player has a hand value of 7 or less without an ace he should not double. The player can take only one more card and therefore is likely to reach a hand value of 17 at best, which is not worth a double.

Extending the above argument the best time for a player to double is when his hand value is between 9 and 11. This will most likely put him at between 19 and 21 after he takes a card, which is as best as he can get. However when the player holds a hand value of 10 he is at a comparative disadvantage and in such circumstances if the dealer’s face up card is a 10 or an ace the player should not double. When the player holds a hand value of 9 he is at a greater comparative disadvantage and he should not double if the dealer’s value is 7 or more. This set of tips is based on the likelihood of the player getting a good hand.

Another set of tips is based on the dealer’s likelihood of busting. If the dealer’s face up card is a 5 or 6 then his hand value will most likely become 15 or 16 after he draws another card. As per the rules of blackjack the dealer will then have to draw a third card which will result in a bust if that third card is greater than 6. Hence this is an ideal situation for doubling. When the dealer’s face up card is between 2 and 4 he still is likely to bust, but comparatively less. At such times the player should double only if he is holding a strong hand like an ace with a 5, 6 or 7.

These tips are indicative. The exact strategy will depend on the exact rules of the game like the number of decks being used and whether the dealer hits or stands on a soft 17. For the exact strategy the player should consult the relevant strategy cards from blackjack web sites or books.