When to Split in Blackjack?

When learning how to play blackjack, splitting is one of the most common terms that you’ll encounter in your early days. As a result, knowing what it is – and how to use it correctly – is crucial if you want to increase your chances of succeeding more often. Like many blackjack terms, “split” is easy to understand – but in the early stages, you might find it somewhat confusing. 

The split in blackjack is commonplace in many casinos throughout the world, though each venue has different rules on what is and isn’t allowed. Similarly, if you play online blackjack, you’ll also notice that – in many instances – you’re allowed to  split. 

If you want to learn more about when to split in blackjack, and what it is in the first place, we’re here to help. Today, both of these topics will be covered in this guide. 

What Is Split in Blackjack?

Splitting is a concept that’s easy to understand. In simple terms, you can split if you have two cards of the same value. It doesn’t matter if these are higher ones, such as Aces, or something like a one or a two instead. 

Why would you split in blackjack, though? Well, doing so means that you can play each card in different hands. As a result, you might find that you’ve got a better chance of getting close to 21 without busting. This especially makes sense if you have cards of a higher value, but you don’t necessarily need to wait for that to happen. 

When you split, you will need to place a second bet on the hand that you’ve split. In this sense, it works similarly to when you take out insurance in blackjack. You should also keep in mind that you’re often limited to the number of times that you’re allowed to split in each game, as you’ll find out more about later in this article.

When Should You Split in Blackjack? 

Knowing what it means to split in blackjack is only one part of the puzzle. Once you have that information handy, you should next learn about when it’s a good idea to use the tactic – and when you’re better off avoiding it. 

To make things easier for you to follow along with, we’ll break this part down into two sections – starting with when you should consider splitting. After going through the three subsections below, you’ll then learn when it might be a good idea to think twice about doing so. 

If You Have Aces 

If you get an Ace, you’ve got one of the most valuable cards in blackjack. But if you obtain two of these, what should you do? Although it’s highly unlikely that you’ll get two aces at the same time, you should – if you’re lucky enough to have this happen to you – consider your options.

Considering how valuable Aces are, and that having two could also increase your chances of busting, it’s very much worth splitting when you get more than one of these in the same hand. That way, you’ll be able to manage everything much easier than would otherwise have been the case. 

See also: When to Hit on Blackjack?

When You Have Two Eights 

Eight is another valuable card to get in your blackjack hand, and having two can provide a whole world of opportunities. If you think you have a good chance of winning, for example, you could always stand and keep both of them close by. But in other cases, you might want to think about splitting. 

Like when you split Aces, splitting two eights gives you more flexibility to play a winning hand. At the same time, you could also decrease your chances of busting and subsequently putting yourself out of the game. 

With this in mind, you might also want to think about splitting two nines in some cases. However, you should think about what the dealer’s hand is and make a judgment in accordance with that – as this isn’t always the smartest idea. 

When You Think You Have a Good Chance of Winning Against the Dealer

While we’ve listed some of the top situations in which you should consider splitting in blackjack, these are by no means your only options. If you think that you have a good chance of beating the dealer in your current game, you might also want to think about splitting. 

You can especially keep this in mind if you haven’t already used the maximum number of splits in your game, and you don’t think that you’re going to play many more afterwards. In those situations, you have a bit more room to try out some new things. 

When Should You Not Split?

When you know how to split in blackjack, doing so can often be incredibly helpful in many scenarios. But at the same time, it’s not always a smart idea to do so. In some cases, splitting in blackjack can actually harm your chances of winning. 

To help you make a better decision on when to split, we’ve outlined a couple of occasions when you should avoid doing so. 

When You Have Lower Card Values 

If you have lower card values, it often doesn’t make much sense to split. Generally speaking, you’re better off using these toward your hand total – and if you need to, you can always hit to get more cards and therefore achieve a higher overall amount. 

As a general rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to think twice about splitting when the value of your two cards is lower than eight. It might be worthwhile in rare circumstances – but most of the time, you’re probably not going to achieve an optimal result. 

When You Don’t Know What You’re Doing

Splitting isn’t one of the more difficult skills in blackjack, but it still requires a good level of judgment on your part. When you’re a beginner, you might not know what you’re doing – and splitting could potentially harm your chances of winning. 

Of course, you shouldn’t be too scared of taking risks. That’s the only way you’ll learn, after all. But at the same time, it’s worth watching others for one or two games before trying things out yourself. 

Blackjack Split Rules

Having read this far, you should now have a good understanding of what a blackjack split is. On top of that, you’ve got the information you need to know when you should and shouldn’t do it. Now, you’re ready to move on and learn about what the rules are for splitting in blackjack. 

Theoretically, you could split as many times as you wanted. But in reality, that’s often not the case. Many casinos and other venues place limits on how often you’re allowed to split in each game, and it’s worth keeping these in mind when you play. 

If you’re ever in doubt, you can always ask the dealer when you sit down to play. 

See also: What Is Insurance in Blackjack?

What Is DAS in Blackjack? 

In addition to splitting, you also need to know what DAS means in blackjack. The term stands for “double after split”. 

DAS is also known as doubling down, and it’s a popular technique to use when you have two cards of a high value. When done correctly, doubling down can allow you to increase your chances of hitting 21 and subsequently winning your game. 

How to Split in Blackjack?

Naturally, you’re only allowed to split when you have two cards of the same value. While we don’t recommend splitting cards of a lower value, you can still do that if you want to. Once you’ve got two identical cards, splitting is quite easy – as long as you haven’t already used up your maximum number of limits. 

To split, you’ll need to place a bet on the cards you’re adding to your new hand. After doing that, you’re ready to go. 

How Many Times Can You Split in Blackjack? 

The amount of times that you’re allowed to split in blackjack will depend on where you play. Some casinos are stricter, for example, and will only allow you to split a maximum of once in each session. But in other cases, you might have a bit more flexibility. 

If you live in an area with lots of casinos, you might want to consider shopping around a bit to ensure that you choose a place that gives you an adequate amount of opportunities to split. 

What Cards Can You Split in Blackjack? 

If you have two cards of the same value in blackjack, you can split these. 

Everything You Need to Know

Having read this guide, you should now have all the information you need to get started with the blackjack split. Knowing how to use this technique will stand you in good stead when playing against others, and it’s a particularly useful tactic if you have two high-value cards that you’d like to use in different bets. 

Splitting your cards in blackjack is, by and large, quite straightforward. But at the same time, you’ll need to consider the different rules that various casinos impose. Moreover, it’s worth practicing beforehand to ensure that you know what you’re doing. 

See also: How to Win in Blackjack?