Blackjack Surrender Chart
- Blackjack Surrender Chart
- Blackjack Surrender Strategy Chart
- The Hi-Lo Count
- When To Surrender In Blackjack - The Wizard Of Odds
- Blackjack Strategy Charts For The Specific Tables You Play On
Blackjack is a negative expectancy game, meaning you will lose money over time as the casino has an edge over you. If you want to lower that edge, then your best bet are the different blackjack charts found below.
The Blackjack Basic Strategy Engine above provides a simple way to memorize a variety of different profitable decisions, such as when to split, double, surrender, hit, or stand. A standard basic strategy chart can only provide you with the strategy for one set of rules, such as dealer hits on soft 17, limiting your mastery to just one game. Looking at the blackjack chart, the blackjack strategy card tells us to stand whenever you have 17 points or more in your hand, regardless of what the dealer is showing for an up card. Reduce the value of your hand by one point to 16, and the chart says to stand when the dealer’s up card is a 6 or lower. There are many variations to the popular online Blackjack game, and Blackjack Surrender is a popular one. Find out the rules of Blackjack Surrender here. The chart you start with is not the chart you end with! Once you learn this chart you will have to learn additional blackjack rules and deviations that relate to the specific rules of the games you will be playing. The better you learn basic strategy the easier it will be to transition to the other rules-specific charts.
The house edge in Blackjack is 8%. If you’re an active player that number will add up over time. The best (and only correct) mathematical strategy for achieving optimal play is to use a blackjack chart.
Example not using a chart: Alfred is a recreational player who doesn’t make use of a strategy. If he wagers €10.000, he is expected to lose €800.
Example using a chart: Nicholas plays with a goal, aiming to achieve perfect play by using a blackjack chart. If he wagers €10.000, his expected loss can be as little as €20.
Question is, which one of these players are you?
How to Use the Strategy Charts
The blackjack strategy charts list the player’s two-card hand total and a possible multi-card hand total as a result of hitting a previously different hand one or more times. (In other words, play the multi-card hand as if it were an original two-card holding.)
For example, suppose you are dealt a 9-3 against a dealer’s 2 upcard in a six-deck game with Soft 17 and DAS. The strategy charts and tables state “hit.” You draw a 3 and you now have 15 against a dealer’s 2. If you look up the strategy for 15 against a 2 (table or chart), it states to “stand” against a dealer’s 2. And so you should stand.
For soft hands, since you can’t double down on more than two cards, any total that would have resulted in a double down, were it only two cards, now must become a hit or stand decision.
For example, suppose you are dealt an A-3 against a dealer’s 4 upcard. You hit (per the blackjack chart or table), and draw a 4. You now have A-3-4, which you should consider as A-7. If it were a two-card A-7, you would double down against a 4; however, since the A-7 is actually three cards, and you can’t double down, you stand.
Here’s another situation that could occur with pairs if the casino rules either don’t allow resplits, or if they do, but you have split up to a maximum of four hands. For example, suppose you are dealt a pair of 6s, the dealer’s upcard is a 6, and the rules don’t allow resplits. You split the 6s and on one 6 you draw another 6. Because you can’t resplit, you once again have to consider just the total of the hand (12) against the dealer’s 6 upcard and decide whether to stand or hit (for which, in this example, the blackjack strategy charts and tables state to stand). Suppose instead the casino rules allow resplits and you draw two more 6s, giving you four hands, each one starting with a 6. On one (or more) of the 6s you draw yet another 6 (which could occur in a multi-deck game). Since you can’t split again, you must consider this hand as a 12 against a dealer’s 6 to determine how to play it.
Another point to keep in mind is that the strategy in the following tables and charts (also known as blackjack strategy card) does not consider the composition of the cards in the hand. For example, the strategy charts and tables state that you should hit hard 16 against a dealer’s 10 (assuming surrender is not offered), regardless of your 16 is composed of 10-6 or 8-4-4.
Single-Deck Blackjack Game
Dealer Stand on Soft 17, DAS Chart
Dealer Stands on Soft 17, NDAS Chart
Dealer Hits on Soft 17, DAS Chart
Dealer Hits on Soft 17, NDAS Chart
Double-Deck Blackjack Game
Dealer Stands on Soft 17, DAS Chart
Dealer Stands on Soft 17, NDAS Chart
Dealer Hits on Soft 17, DAS Chart
Dealer Hits on Soft 17, NDAS Chart
Four or More Decks Blackjack Game
Dealer Stands on Soft 17, DAS Chart
Dealer Stands on Soft 17, NDAS Chart
Dealer Hits on Soft 17, DAS Chart
Dealer Hits on Soft 17, NDAS Chart
Blackjack Surrender enjoys great popularity online because of its favourable rules and relatively low house edge. In this review, we’ll take a detailed look at the game and we’ll provide you with the basic strategy that will bring you optimal results, so make sure you read on.
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The name of Blackjack Surrender derives from the game option ‘surrender’ which allows the players to give up their hand before the dealer reveals the face-down card. If such case, they get half their bet back. This is actually a quite advantageous option as it decreases the house edge with around 0.08%. Below you can see a quick overview of the rules of the game.
- Basic Game Rules
- Return to Player: 99.62% Blackjack pays: 3 to 2
- Decks: 6
- Insurance: yes
- Multihand: yes
- Side bets: no
- Surrender: yes
- Split and Double Rules
- Split: any pair
- Resplit: no
- Double: any two cards
- Double after split: yes
- Hit split aces: no
- Dealer Rules
- Stands: on soft 17
- Peeks for Blackjack: yes
- Special Game Rules: The player can play up to five hands at a time. Only late surrender allowed.
- Bonus:100% up to £150
- Bonus code:not required
- Wagering contribution:20%
- Software:Playtech
- Link:Try now at William Hill
Note that in this review we’ll talk only about the Blackjack Surrender variation which is developed by Playtech, as it is the most popular one. There’s also a Blackjack Surrender game offered by Real Time Gaming but it’s really rare to stumble upon it, so we’ve decided not to cover it in this article.
Blackjack Surrender Chart
Rules of the Game
Your goal in Blackjack Surrender, as in any other blackjack game, is to have a better hand than the dealer. That means having a higher hand total without going over 21. If you go over 21, you lose your bet. All the cards count as their natural numbers, all face cards count as 10 and the ace counts as 1 or 11, whichever is more suitable for the player.
The Playtech version of the game is played on a virtual table where there are five betting boxes, given that you can play up to 5 hands at a time. As you can see in the screenshot below, the table also features information about the rules of the game. As in most blackjack variations, here a natural blackjack (an ace and a 10-valued card) pays 3 to 2, insurance pays 2 to 1 and the dealer stands on 17, including on a soft 17 (an ace and a 6).
The game begins after you’ve placed your bet and hit the ‘Deal’ button. You’ll be dealt two face-up cards, while the dealer will receive one face-up and one face-down card. If your initial hand totals 21, then you have a ‘blackjack’ or a ‘natural’ and you automatically win, otherwise the game will continue. If, on the other hand, the dealer’s upcard is ace or ten, then they’ll peek for blackjack before you even have the chance to choose your next move. If they have a blackjack you automatically lose the hand, if not you’ll be able to make your next move.
You have several options to choose from. You can hit (ask for another card), stand (end your turn by accepting your hand as it is), double your bet at the expense of receiving one and only one more card, or surrender your hand if you feel it’s not strong enough. If you surrender your hand before your turn is over you will receive half your bet back and thus cut your loss by 50%. If you have a pair, you’ll also have the option to split it in two.
As I already mentioned, in the case that the dealer’s upcard is an ace, you’ll be offered another bet, called ‘insurance’. It’s equal to half of your initial bet and it pays 2 to 1 in case that the dealer has a blackjack. That means that if the dealer does have a blackjack, you’ll get the value of your initial and insurance bet and end up not losing anything. If the dealer doesn’t have a blackjack you’ll lose only your insurance money and the game will continue.
After your turn is finished and in the case you haven’t ‘busted’, i.e. the total of your hand is 21 or less, it’s the dealer’s turn. The dealer plays according to preset rules: they hit if the total of their hand is 16 or lower and stand if it’s 17 or more. If the dealer busts and you haven’t, you win the hand. If they stand, then whoever has the higher hand total wins. If it’s a tie, or a ‘push’ as it’s called in blackjack, both you and the dealer get your bets back.
For those who don’t know, there are two types of surrender options in blackjack – late surrender, which is the most common one, and early surrender which is quite rare. The first allows you to surrender a weak hand in exchange for half of your bet only after the dealer has peeked for blackjack, while the second allows you to do that even before the dealer peeks. On that note, Playtech’s Blackjack Surrender features only late surrender.
House Edge – What Are Your Odds?
As any other casino game, Blackjack Surrender’s rules are thought out in such way so that the casino always has a slight advantage and wins in the long run. When it comes to Playtech’s Blackjack Surrender in particular, the rules and the options are set in such way that with an optimal strategy the return-to-player percentage is 99.62%. This means that, with the exception of Blackjack Switch and Pontoon, Blackjack Surrender is the blackjack variation with the lowest house edge – 0.38%.
Blackjack Surrender Strategy Chart
In order to achieve the best theoretical return-to-player percentage when you play Blackjack Surrender, you need to follow the strategy illustrated below. Still, with optimal strategy there will be a house edge of 0.38% which you can decrease and even overcome if you pick a nice bonus which is usable on the game. Of course, you can combine this strategy with a progressive betting strategy, like Martingale or Fibonacci, but if you do so you increase your chances of busting before you can wager your bonus. Therefore, I would advise you to pick a certain bet limit and stick to it throughout the whole process of wagering your bonus.
Bonus Offers Suitable for Playing Blackjack Surrender
As I already mentioned, picking a nice bonus to play Blackjack Surrender with can decrease and even turn around the house edge in your advantage. Of course, the most advantageous bonuses for the users are the welcome offers, so we’ve taken it upon us to check which Playtech casinos offer welcome bonuses that can be wagered on Blackjack Surrender. Here are the results:
Blackjack Surrender Strategy Chart
Casino | Bonus | Playthrough | * | Min. Deposit | Read More |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
William Hill | 100% up to £150 | 20x bonus + deposit | 20% | £10 | Review |
Eurogrand | 25% up to £1000 | 35x bonus + deposit | 20% | £10 | Review |
Winner | 200% up to £300 | 35x bonus + deposit | 20% | £25 | Review |
Ladbrokes | 100% up to £500 | 20x bonus + deposit | 5% | £20 | Review |
The Hi-Lo Count
As you can see in the table above, the wagering contribution of Blackjack Surrender is set at 20% at all the above-mentioned casinos, except for Ladbrokes where it is 5%. This means that if you, say, bet £100 on this game, only £20 will be considered for the clearing of the bonus. Casinos set this rule because blackjack is to a great extent a game of strategy and players can wager their bonuses way too easily on it, as opposed to on other casino games based purely on luck, such as slots and scratch cards. In fact, the wagering contribution of blackjack surrender is quite high. Take, Blackjack Switch for example. In most casino this game contributes only 5% toward the wagering requirement, while in others it doesn’t at all.
When To Surrender In Blackjack - The Wizard Of Odds
But anyways, the best bonus you can claim for playing this game is the one offered by William Hill. Don’t get distracted by the low bonus amount! It may be true that it’s lower than the ones offered by other casinos, but it is in fact the most advantageous one. If you take into account the house edge and the wagering contribution of the game together with the wagering requirements for the bonus, you can easily calculate that there’s a huge chance you end up with a win.
Conclusion
Blackjack Strategy Charts For The Specific Tables You Play On
Yes, there are a couple of blackjack variations that have lower house edge, but choosing to play Blackjack Surrender with the right bonus might just be the best choice you’ve made in your gambling career so far. And the right bonus, in this case, is the one offered by William Hill because of its favourable conditions. If you’re ready to start playing Blackjack Surrender but want to learn more about the operator and their offer, then make sure you also check out our in-depth William Hill Casino review where we take a really close look at all aspects of this gambling giant.