When to Split Hands in Blackjack
In blackjack, every time you’re dealt two of the same cards, you can split them into two individual hands. Some games stop you there, limiting you to two split hands, while others let you play up to three split hands. Learning which hands are best split and which are best kept together will further improve your skills as a blackjack player. But of course, memorizing these scenarios takes practice, so it’s best to start with basic splitting strategy.
Basic Blackjack Splitting Strategy
When you’re not sure which blackjack variant you’re going to play, you can use the following basic splitting strategy:
- Split 22, 33, 66, 77, 99 when the dealer’s upcard is a 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6. Always split 88, AA regardless of the dealer’s upcard.
- Don’t Split 22, 33, 66, 77, 99 if the dealer has an upcard between 7 and Ace. Never split 44, 55, 10-10 regardless of the dealer’s upcard.
Optimal Blackjack Splitting Strategy for The New Blackjack at Bovada
The basic splitting strategy can be fine-tuned to suit the blackjack variant you’re playing. For instance, if you’re playing The New Blackjack at Bovada Casino, there are a couple scenarios that will change based on the fact that you’re:
- playing with six decks
- the dealer is hitting on soft 17
- you can double after splits
- late surrenders are allowed.
Follow the same basic blackjack splitting strategy mentioned above, with the exception of these five scenarios:
- Split 22 and 33 when the dealer has a 7 upcard.
- Split 44 when the dealer has a 5 or 6 upcard.
- Split a 77 when the dealer’s upcard is a 7.
- Don’t split an 88 if the dealer has an Ace upcard. Surrender instead.
- Split a 99 unless the dealer’s upcard is a 7, 10 or Ace.
Now that you know when to split your blackjack hands, try putting it in action by playing blackjack on Practice Play mode.
