How to Correctly Play Blackjack Pairs

You either have to choose whether you'll split blackjack pairs or to hit. Those are the two most common decisions you'll ever make when dealing with pairs in this game. If you split your pairs you get to double your winnings or at least break even. At the worst, if you really don't know what you're doing then you lose twice as much as your original wager. Every serious player should learn how to correctly play blackjack pairs.

The strategy we'll present here works for most blackjack tables. Most of the blackjack tables you will find have decks numbering from four to eight. Doubling after a split should be allowed or else you should make some adjustments to the basic strategy shown here.

So, before sitting down at the next blackjack table, remember to check what game rules apply. You might also want to compare this strategy with the one for single deck games. Following basic strategy for blackjack pairs adds your advantage in the game.

You should begin by checking what cards were dealt to you. You then check what up card is on the dealer's side of the table. You should always assume that the dealer's hole card, which is the one face down, is ten. Initially you don't have to mind what cards have been dealt to other players, unless of course you are card counting.

When dealing with blackjack pairs, and to make things a lot easier, remember the two hands that you will always split and the one that you should never split. The rest of the blackjack pairs will be split except under certain conditions with a few exceptions. The blackjack pairs that you will always split are a pair of Aces and a pair of eights. On the other hand, the blackjack pair that you will never split is a pair of tens, which means you only stand with this blackjack pair.

The rest of the basic strategy for blackjack pairs is now easy. You will split the following pairs given the following dealer up cards and your option is to hit.

Pair of twos or threes: split on a two to seven up card. Pair of fours: split on a four to five up card. Pair of sixes: split on a two to six up card. Pair of sevens: split on a two to seven up card.

Here are exceptions to the split or hit rule:

Pair of nines: split on a two to six and eight to nine up card; stand on seven, ten, and Ace. Pair of fives: double on a two to nine up card, hit if it is any other card.

To correctly play blackjack pairs requires learning basic strategy. Using the strategy above allows you to make optimal moves and lower the casino's advantage.