Blackjack split rules

Always split aces. There are a few situations in Blackjack when it always makes sense to split, no matter what card the dealer is showing. For example, you should always split when you get a pair of aces. Splitting gives you a much better chance to get a strong hand. See below:

• If you play your two aces as one hand, you'll start with a value of 12 (one is played as an 11 and the other as a one). Only a nine will give you 21. A 10 or face card will force you to play the second ace with a value of one, bringing you back to 12.
• On the other hand, if you split, you have four ways to get a 21 in either hand (being dealt a 10, J, Q, or K).

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• Always split eights. Besides aces, the other pair that almost every Blackjack expert will tell you to split on is eights. It's difficult to get a good hand when you play your eights as one hand. Your chances aren't fantastic when you play them separately, but you do stand a better chance mathematically. See below:

• Playing your two eights as one hand starts you at 16 (a very weak hand). Hitting at this point is a risky proposition. Anything above a 5 will cause you to bust, so you have about a 60% chance of losing the hand from the get-go.
• On the other hand, if you split, it's impossible to bust out on your first hit, so you at least have a chance of getting a more favorable hand.

• Always re-split aces or eights if you are dealt a second pair. When you split, the dealer gives you two cards — one for each of the new hands. If this gives you a second pair of aces or eights, treat it as its own hand and split again.

• Note that this requires you to triple your original bet (splitting the first time requires you to double it).
• House rules may vary here. Most Blackjack games will allow you to split a maximum of three times (to play a total of four hands).

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