Can You Split A King And Queen In Blackjack

Whether you play blackjack at a land-based or online casino, there is a moment that irrevocably may define the outcome. The decision is called splitting. It is the situation when you’re dealt with two hole cards and have an option to split the hand into two. Doubling your initial bet and raising the stakes, you can make such a strategic decision once, right after the first cards are dealt. An enticing and exciting opportunity, indeed, is something you need to know when, how, and why to use.

Splitting in blackjack may be compared to the tuxedo.

As one of the most elegant garments of all times, it dates back to 1865 and the Prince of Wales, future King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain Edward VII, as the Business Insider tells the story.

Same is with splitting cards with the same value. Some games will let you split a 10 and a Queen, others won’t, allowing only for identical cards to be split. You may also stumble upon an online blackjack variant which does not allow doubling down after splitting. In the example, you split a pair of 6s and receive 5 at one hand; some games. Allowed to split twice (up to three hands). You can split non identical 10 value cards. Splits Aces cannot be re-split. Split Aces receive only one card. You can hit and double down split hands. Let’s take basic basic Vegas Strip hole card blackjack rules and see how.

Looking for a bit more formal suit, a Savile Row tailor created the “dinner jacket,” for his highness. Intended as an ensemble to be worn during dinners at the Sandringham House, it was “a more formal than a lounge suit,” yet appropriate enough for informal Royal evenings.

Twenty years later, American millionaire James Brown Potter and his wife Cora visited the future king. Not acquainted with proper dressing code, Potter inquired at the Prince’s tailor what he should wear; he got his own dinner jacket as an answer.

On his return to New York, Potter wore it at the first annual Autumn Ball, social elite gathering at the exclusive country club called Tuxedo Park on October 1886. As upper-class gentlemen and magnates like William Waldorf Astor and JP Morgan donned traditional ensemble of black tailcoats, heavily starched white shirts, and formal bow ties, Potter showed up in the dinner jacket.

The suit instantly took off and was eventually named by the club where it premiered.

Enjoying quite an interesting evolutionary journey thus far, the tuxedo distinguishes itself from other garments by firm rules on when and how to be used.

To wear it right will result in being noticed in a potentially beneficial way; the princess you’re eyeing may realize her prince has just arrived while a businessman you’re pitching will, if nothing else, listen to you seriously — always a potent start.

Then again, to wear the tuxedo at high noon in the street or at the pool party or at night club might make you look quite strange, maybe even provoking — all eccentricities aside — and your social interactions will probably suffer. Though nothing is impossible and you still may get it right, you’d fare much better if you select your wardrobe a bit more properly.

The same is with blackjack splitting: there is when and how to use it.

Rules Dictate Your Strategy

Play it right and you might double your winnings; do it wrong — well, the outcome is obvious. Luckily, blackjack strategy covers splitting extensively, thus at least you have a theoretical baseline when it comes to one the most difficult aspects of the game.

Your initial moves and options are, of course, defined by rules.

When the first hand you’re dealt with consists of same denomination cards — such as two 4s or 9s — you can split them into two separate hands. Your standard bet will be placed on each hand, in effect doubling your wagering amount.

Upon the split, each hand is treated separately. You can play both independently and employ whatever tactics you deem proper at each one.

When it comes to online blackjack, splitting rules might vary depending on games variants.

For instance, if you split 10s and get another 10 on one hand, you can split that too; it’s known as resplitting. Majority of variations and house rules allow it for up to three times (totaling four hands), but some don’t. This one is important; by depriving you of this option, casinos in effect increase their house edge by 0.4 percent.

Same is with splitting cards with the same value. Some games will let you split a 10 and a Queen, others won’t, allowing only for identical cards to be split.

You may also stumble upon an online blackjack variant which does not allow doubling down after splitting. In the example, you split a pair of 6s and receive 5 at one hand; some games will let you double down on 11 after the split, others will not.

Therefore…

Don’t miss the opportunity to read or inquire on blackjack rules carefully.

They will define what you can or can’t do when it comes to splitting, and influence your strategic decisions.

In addition, when you play blackjack at a land-based casino — there is a way to signal split to the dealer. You simply place the next bet close to your original wager and form the letter V with your index and middle fingers. It won’t hurt to also say ‘split’ if you consider it necessary or the casino employs such alternate rules.

Whatever you choose, don’t touch your initial bet or cards at the table.

Your Strategy is Governed by Principles

Now, splitting pairs wisely can be a huge boost for your game. It is one of the most common moves in the game and to know when and how to do it is super-important for the outcome of your game.

(Side note. Blackjack schools of thought on splitting vary, depending on rules, calculations, and experience of players. Therefore, you should indeed take all of them as nothing more than opinions, and form your own dos and don’ts based on a good mix of knowledge and personal experience. In gaining both, do not take anything for granted.)

CONSIDER TO SPLIT when you’re dealt with aces and eights no matter what the dealer has.

Why? If you play two aces in one hand, you’ll start with 12, and any 10 or face card will prompt you to play the second ace as a value of one, reverting you to 12. By splitting, you increase your chances for better hand afterward.

Same is with 8s: by playing them as one hand, you start at week 16 where hitting is kind of a risky. By splitting them, you won’t be bust in the next hand (it’s impossible) and you might get a better hand.

The advice to split 8s and As also works for resplitting.

If you get a second pair, treat them as the original hand and consider splitting. One very important reminder: by resplitting, you triple your original wager.

The rest of the split options depends on the dealer’s hand.

If the dealer has any card value between 2 to 6 in up hand and you get 22, 33, 66, 77, or 99 — you might split. With dealer’s card values between 7 to ace, you should consider not to split.

(Side note. You’ll notice that some players advise not to split 9s by default. Pros: it’s already strong hand, 18. Cons: you might get two strong hands in the next hit. Debatable. Thus, we put double 9s in the category depending on dealers up hand.)

Consider NOT TO SPLIT when dealt with two 4s, 5s, and 10s.

Splitting 4s will give you two weak hands. Next card might either give you another less-valuable hand (if you get 2, 3, or 4) or one that might result in a bust on the next hit. If you don’t split, the highest you can get is 19, which is a very good hand.

Splitting 5s is perhaps even worse. If you get 2, 3, or 4, even 6, you’ll have a weak hand quite possible to be busted out in the next hit. But if you don’t, you have 10, which you can’t bust right away while keeping a chance for 21 alive.

Splitting 10s is a rookie mistake. You have a second-best hand in the game which is not worth jeopardizing for any uncertainty, including the theoretical possibility of two blackjacks in the next hit (which is a question of blind luck). By splitting tens you significantly lower your chances and gamble almost certain win away.

Final Notes: Earn & Own Your Principles

Naturally, wherever there are rules, there is a maybe — a very fine line separating win and loss in any walk of life. Sooner or later you’ll find it in blackjack too. As with any game of luck and skills…

Such maybe line should be evaluated in an educated, prudent, responsible, disciplined, and objective manner.

What will you do — short of remembering to split only when the dealer faces the unfavorable situation — is indeed up to you. To make a right call is not easy, of course, but is something we should always strive for, particularly when facing the game with the best house edge in the industry (the credit shared with craps).

At the end of the day…

Listen to yourself, use your knowledge, intuition, tact, style of play, find reputable sources and personal authorities you’ll use as trusted advisors, and make your pick wisely.

In a way, do it as you would choose the tuxedo, readying yourself for that princess.

Ha ha ha... Glad to see that bj21 is now soliciting humor articles! This one was especially funny, especially the line: 'split only when the dealer faces the unfavorable situation', which is in direct contradiction to the prior advice to split 8's regardless of the dealer's upcard. In addition, the numerous (I hope intentional) typos as well as the syntax and grammatical errors also made me chuckle.

Keep up the hilarious work!

Dog Hand

P.S. If by chance this article was meant to be taken seriously, then I hope it is quickly removed before its poor advice is taken to heart by gullible readers.

I agree with Dog Hand. Any of the usual books on Blackjack and the Wizard of Odds will provide charts with the correct splitting strategy.

The tuxedo story was amusing filler.

Ace Hunter

Hi Dog Hand and Ace Hunter,

Thank you for your comments.

Every advice covered in my article is based on Michael Shackleford’s splitting strategy. In effect, I only followed the Wizard of Odds’ rules on splitting. In retrospection, I should have referred it in the article — would probably clarify my source.

Regarding my notion at the end “to split only when the dealer faces the unfavorable situation” – the idea was to yet again underline all cases except for aces and 8s. In the hindsight, you’re right, it might have been written more clearly.

I hope this feedback explain what I meant to say.

Thank you again.
May the blackjack force be with you!

--Dejan

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In order to understand how the best strategy is computed, lets have a look at the Blackjack rules. Blackjack is played with 1 to 9 decks of 52 cards each. The values of the cards correspond to their numerical value from 2-10. All face cards (Jack, Queen, King) count 10 and the Ace either 1 or 11, as the holders desires. A score with an ace valued as 11 is named soft-hand. A soft-hand score of 17 is denoted as 7/17.

The color of the cards does not have any effect.

The goal of the game is to reach a score (=sum of the cards) as high as possible but not more than 21. A Blackjack (Ace and a card whose value is 10) beats all other combination of cards. If the final sum is higher than the sum of the dealer, the player gets a play-off of 1:1 of his initial stake. If the players combination is Blackjack, the play-off is 3:2 of the initial stake. If the sum of the dealer is higher, the player loses his bet. If the sum is equal, then nobody wins. If the player holds a score of 22 or more, he busted and thus he loses his bet immediately. If the dealer busts, the players wins independently of his final score.

Blackjack can be played from one to seven players against one dealer. The dealer shuffles the cards. Now all the players must place their bets. Then each player and the dealer receives one card. The cards all lie face up. Thereafter the player receive a second card. The player now can continue to buy further cards, one by one, until he believes that he is near enough to 21. If the player believes to have reached a score high enough he must signalize the dealer to stay, which means not to ask for any further card.

Doubling down

The player has some more possibility's other than buy and stay. If he reached a score of nine, ten or eleven with his first two cards, he can double his bet. However if he does so, he will be dealt only one more card.

Splitting

If the first two cards are of the same value, the player has the possibility to split his hand, which means that each of the cards are used to start with a separate bet. For each split hand, an additional bet equal to the first is required. There is one exception: If the player splits two Aces, he receives only one more card and in such a case a score of 21 is not considered as Blackjack.

Can You Split A King And Queen In Blackjack 2

Dealers turn

Once the last player has decided to stay with his score, the dealer starts to draw a second card. If his result is reaching a score of 17 or more, he will deal himself no further cards. If the dealer has a score of 16 or less, he must draw until he has reached 17 or more. If the dealer exceeds 21, he busts. This is the basic knowledge You have: The dealer can not split nor double; he must play according to strict rules: Dealer must stand on all 17. That's the players advantage! On the other side, if both the player and the dealer busts, these scores are not considered as equal and the player looses his stake. That's the dealers advantage!

How to compute the correct strategy

The analyst sees the shoe as black box which computes him a probability for drawing a card of a certain value. Say we have 6 decks of 52 cards, so the probability of drawing an Ace is 6*4/6*52 = 24/312 = 7.7%. The probability of drawing a second Ace without reshuffle is 23/311 = 7.4% and so on. As the game goes on without reshuffle, the probabilities to draw certain cards will raise or decline, depending on which cards have gone in the past. From our point of view the shoe behaves like a wheel of fortune with varying distances between the nails.

The first thing to do, is to calculate the probabilities of the dealers last hand. This computation is straight forward as the dealer has no way of doing any decision. So it is quit easy to find out the probabilities of his final score.

The next thing is to find out the probabilities of what would be if ... . If the players score is 16, what's the probability of achieving 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 or busting. Probabilities also have to be calculated for splitting and doubling.

Because the player knows the dealers first hand before deciding what to do, he can compare the probabilities of the dealers last hand against the probabilities of possible final scores for each intermediate score he has. With this comparison, winning expectations can be calculated, gaining information about the best playing strategy.

Knowing the best playing strategy and knowing the probabilities for each final score, the dealer and the player will reach, the total expectation can be calculated. The total expectation is the magic number playing Blackjack. If it is below zero the player has to place minimum bets as with this card distribution he will lose on the long term. If however the total expectation is above zero (unfortunately thats quite rare) the player has to place high bets.

Interpret the strategy tables

For each decision a player can do the best strategy can be computed. There are 20 possible conditions where the player has to take decisions. These are:

• Buy or stay if the score is 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 7/17 or 8/18.
• Double or buy, if the sum of the first two cards is 9, 10 or 11.
• Split, buy or stay, if the first two cards have the same value.

All these decisions depend upon the dealers first card, making a total of 200. There are some fundamental rules, which never change and must always be obeyed:

• Alway buy if the score is below 12.
• Always buy if the score is below or equal to 7/17. With a soft hand You can't bust, so there is no reason to stay if the score is 17 or less.
• Never buy if the score is 17 or higher.
• Never split 5-5. A score of 10 is a good point to start with, so use it.
• Never split X-X. A score of 20 is too good, to take any further risks.
• Never ever double a Blackjack.

For other decisions consult the expectation and probability tables computed on the Blackjack strategy pages.

Can You Split A King And Queen In Blackjack Play

Stakes height

Can You Split A Jack And Queen In Blackjack

The stake has to be placed before the player can see the dealers first card. So during that decision, very little information is available. The only information the player here, is the total expectation for the current card distribution in the shoe. If this is above zero, he shall place high bets.