Blackjack Double Down Rules Another popular play that could double your potential winnings—and losses—on a particular hand is the double down. The double down allows you to double your wager after the initial bet, but you only get one more card. 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. Blackjack basic strategy is a blackjack chart that includes all the possible combinations of your hand against the dealer’s hole card. While you won’t make money by following the rules of that strategy, it’s the first step you should take if you want to turn into a winning blackjack player. Blackjack Double Down. Blackjack is one of the casino games with the lowest possible house edge, which can be attributed to its favourable set of rules. One such rule that works to the benefit of players is the double down option. It enables you to increase your initial bet when you find yourself in advantageous situations. Blackjack Double Down Probabilities This chart shows exact percentages for how often each double-down hand in blackjack will win, push, or lose. The figures quoted are for a 6 deck game where the dealer stands on all 17s. The dealer is assumed to have already peeked under tens and aces and does not have blackjack.

Inexperienced players often wonder how is it possible to win at blackjack in the long term when their probability of winning a hand in a fair game is approximately 44%. Well, one of the main reasons why this is possible is the player’s ability to get more money into action when they hold an advantage against a dealer who is in trouble.

One way to increase your action in favorable situations is to double down, in which case you post an extra bet that should be equal in size to your initial stake. In exchange, you get one additional card and are no longer able to hit your hand. The dealer would either tuck the extra card under your chips in pitched games or place it sideways next to your initial two cards in a multiple-deck game.

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Doubling down can indeed be risky since it involves increasing your bet. This causes clueless or more conservative players to altogether avoid this play out of fear they might end up losing twice as much money on a single hand. Others tend to overdo it, exercising the double down option each time their “intuition” tells them they stand to win a hand.

Yet, doubling down can be one of the most thrilling and profitable moves you can make at the blackjack table, but only on condition you are able to identify the advantageous situations that call for a bet increase. In this article, we tackle doubling down rule variations and give you further insight into some of the key doubling decisions that can help you maximize your profits.

Doubling Down Rule Variations

The tricky thing about this play is that the rules related to doubling down may vary wildly in different casinos, which is why you should be well-acquainted with the doubling rule variations you may encounter. These are not written on the table’s felt so you will either have to ask the dealer for specifics or stand by and observe others play for a while.

Double Down Blackjack Meaning

In many multiple-deck games, players are permitted to double on any starting two-card total without further restrictions. This is the most player-friendly rule variation because it gives you the opportunity to potentially turn a profit in all advantageous situations you face.

This is not the case in some casinos where players are restricted to doubling only on specific two-card totals, particularly on hard 9, 10, and 11, which increases the house edge by 0.09%. Some venues would even restrict doubling to totals of 10 and 11 only which gives the house edge a boost of around 0.18%.

The “Free” Double Down Rule

We previously explained the player is normally required to increase their bet up to the amount of their original stake. In some casinos, however, there are blackjack tables where the so-called “free double down” rule applies. This variation of the game is known as Free Bet Blackjack and was invented by Geoff Hall, the same guy who came up with Blackjack Switch.

Free Bet Blackjack debuted in the summer of 2012 at the Golden Nugget Casino in downtown Las Vegas and immediately attracted crowds of eager blackjack players because it gave them the opportunity to double down on the house, i.e. without the need of posting additional wagers.

Instead, the dealer places a lammer next to your original wager to mark your double down. If you win, the dealer will pay you both for your initial bet and your double. Should you lose, you lose only your original bet.

You probably think this sounds too good to be true and indeed, you are right. The main catch here is that players are restricted to doubling at no cost only on totals of 9, 10, and 11. When the dealer draws to a total of 22, they do not bust like they normally would. Instead, they push with you if your total is 21 or lower. Add the H17 rule and the absence of surrender to the mix and you have the house edge for this game jump to 1.04% with basic strategy.

Doubling Down on Three Cards or More

At some blackjack tables, players are given the option to double on three cards or more, which is great because it translates into even more opportunities to turn extra profits. Suppose, for example, you start your hand with two cards that add up to 7 against a dealer 5 and then you draw a 4 for a total of eleven.

It would be impossible to double down at this stage in a regular game of 21. However, if you are playing a blackjack variation that allows for doubling on three or more cards, you will be able to fully exploit your dealer’s weakness by doubling on your three-card 11 and potentially pocketing an extra payout.

This rule variation is an absolute rarity, of course, but do not hesitate to take advantage of it if you do happen to come across one such table – this rule takes away around 0.20% of the casino’s edge.

Doubling Down for Less

In some gambling establishments, blackjack players are permitted to double down for less than their initial bet. For example, if you wager $20 on a hand suitable for doubling down, you can double for an amount smaller than $20, like $15 or $10. It is typical for some conservative or underbanked players to take advantage of this rule variation.

Should you do it, though? No, doubling down for less is not a good idea. This decision is contrary to what doubling is all about. Players can maximize their profits only by reaching deeper into their pockets and increasing their double down bets to the full permissible amount at the table.

Let’s consider the following situation to better demonstrate how stupid doubling for less than your original bet really is. Suppose you post a $10 bet and are dealt a nice starting total of 11 against the dealer’s Queen, which, as you know, is assigned a value of 10 like all other face cards. You have several options here, excluding standing since not drawing more cards on your 11 is contrary to all logic.

You can hit your hand, double down for the full amount of your bet or double down for less. Hitting a starting total of 11 against a dealer 10 results in a win around 56% of the time. Therefore, your average expectations with a total of 11 are to win roughly 56 out of every 100 hands, ties excluded. With a $10 bet, this accounts for overall profits of $560, overall losses of $440, and net profits of $120 over the course of a hundred hands.

Doubling Down for Less Additional TipsWhen you double down on a two-card 11 against a dealer 10, your win ratio slightly drops down. You are allowed only one extra card and would sometimes end up drawing small cards like 2 or 3 that get you stuck with a low total against the dealer’s powerful face card. This peculiarity of the game causes your win ratio over the course of a hundred hands to decrease to 54%, which accounts for a 2% difference.

You may think “How is doubling down more profitable in this situation when I end up winning fewer hands this way?!”. If you double for the full amount, which is $20 (2x$10) in this case and win 54 out of every 100 hands on average, you shall generate overall profits of $1,080 and incur total losses of $920.

You still end up with $160 in net profits over the course of every hundred hands on average. As you can see, doubling on your 11 against the dealer’s 10 gives you more value over the long term when compared to merely hitting, where you only win $120 over a hundred hands.

Let’s see what happens when you take the conservative approach and double down for less than your initial $10 bet, say $2.50. Your average win-to-loss ratio, not counting pushes, is the same per every hundred hands played, or 54 to 46. If you double for $2.50 only and win 54 out of every hundred hands, you generate overall winnings of $675 as opposed to the $575 you lose on average. This accounts for average net winnings of $100.

As you can see, doubling down for less is the worst of the three options you have profit-wise. So remember never to double down for less when playing regular blackjack – this is a profitable course of action only for blackjack tournament players.

Doubling on Soft Hands vs. Doubling on Hard Hands

We explained on a couple of occasions that a blackjack dealer ends up winning a bit more frequently than the player whose probability of winning hands in a fair game is around 44% as opposed to the dealer’s 47% probability of winning. The remaining 9% account for the occasions when the dealer and the player push.

From this perspective, it makes sense for the player to bet more conservatively on the majority of the hands they go through. However, this is not the case when it comes to doubling down on hard totals where you should play more aggressively, increasing your action if the dealer has a relatively high likelihood of exceeding 21 and you have an edge over their hand.

Some people would settle for their soft totals and dismiss both hitting or doubling on such hands because they are too afraid they may end up getting stuck with a lower total by drawing an additional card. This fear causes them to pass on many lucrative opportunities to increase their action when holding an advantage against the dealer.

Others wrongfully assume the reason why basic strategy recommends doubling on certain soft totals is that you try to outdraw the dealer. But if you take a quick look at the basic-strategy chart, you will see doubling is a viable option with soft totals only when the dealer is exposing a weak card.

In other words, you double on hands like A-4 and A-5 against the dealer’s 4, 5 or 6 because they are more likely to bust with these small cards and you want to get as much money into action as you can against a vulnerable dealer.

When Your Double Down Goes Wrong

Doubling down can be very profitable but it can also be very tricky for the simple reason you are entitled to draw only one extra card. When doubling on soft hands, you may get stuck with a lower total than the one you started with.

Similarly, if you double down on a hand like 7-2 against the dealer’s 5, you draw a 2 or a 3 for poor totals like 11 or 12. The only way for you to win the round would be for the dealer to break their hand. You would have been able to hit your hand repeatedly if you had not doubled. And yet, doubling is the correct play in one such scenario. Continue reading to see why.

Insight into the Key Doubling Down Decisions

Basic strategy tells blackjack players when it is the best time to hit, stand, split, or double down. It is based on mathematical probability and millions of computer-simulated trials, which guarantees the plays it comprises are the optimal ones in the long run. Let’s examine several situations where doubling down is the best course of action and explain why.

Doubling on a 9 against a Dealer with a Small Card

We talked about how sometimes doubling down can get you into trouble but remains the best play nevertheless. This is the case when you are dealt a hard 9 against a vulnerable dealer who exposes a small card like 5. In one such scenario, you will win roughly 59% of the time and lose around 41% of the hands, i.e. if we do not include the pushes.

Thus, if you flat bet $10 and play the same hand a hundred times, you can expect to win $590 and lose $410 for overall net profit of $180. The average profit you generate per hand with this play is $180/100 = $18.

Your win rate for the hand drops down to around 57% when you double down but this difference is offset by the fact that you are winning twice as much when executing this play. Your average net profit per hand in this instance is equal to ($570 – $430) * 2 = $280/100 = $28. As you can see, you win $10 more per hand, which is why doubling on your hard 9 against the dealer’s small card is the best course of action.

Doubling on a 10 against a Dealer with a Small Card

We already discussed the subject of doubling on an 11 against a dealer’s 10 and the prolific effect it has in terms of net winnings. Now, let’s consider an example where you double on a 10 against a dealer with a small card, 4 for example.

Regardless of the composition of your hard 10 (8-2, 6-4, 5-5, 7-3), the mathematical probability of you winning with this move is roughly 58% whereas that of you losing is around 35%, with the remaining 7% accounting for the ties where no money switches hands (respectively there are no net profits). Let’s suppose you have wagered $10 on this hand and are playing a multiple-deck game where the S17 rule applies.

If you decide to merely hit your hard 10 and draw a small card 2 through 7, you are not supposed to draw again anyway because the basic strategy for the game you are playing recommends you to stand on hard totals 12 through 17 when the dealer exposes a 4.

Doubling on a 10 Additional TipsHitting this total over the course of a hundred hands will earn you $580 and cause you to lose $350 on average. Roughly seven out of every hundred hands will result in a push. Respectively, your average net profits per hand when you hit your hard 10 will amount to ($580 – $350) / 93 = $230 / 93 = $2.47.

Now, let’s see what happens when you double down on your 10 instead of hitting. The win-to-loss ratio is the same, so your overall net wins over the course of 100 hands would be equal to 2 * ($580 – $350) = $460. The seven pushes aside, your average net win per hand will amount to $460 / 93 = $4.95 and this is why you always double down on your hard 10 against a dealer’s 4.

Doubling on Soft 13 through 18 against a Dealer with a Small Card

Inexperienced players often struggle with soft totals, especially when doubling down is concerned. They are too scared they might ruin their soft hand by drawing a card that reduces its total and turns it into a stiff. They argue this is way too risky and may cost them twice as much money if the double down is unsuccessful.

However, in certain situations when the dealer is at a disadvantage, basic strategy requires you to double down on your soft hands, particularly when the dealer is weak with small cards 3 through 6. Here is a brief breakdown of the doubling rules for soft hands 13 through 18 for a multiple-deck game where the dealer stands on soft 17. If doubling is not allowed on any two cards, proceed by hitting or standing depending on your total and the dealer’s upcard.

• Double on soft 13 and soft 14 against a dealer 5 or 6, otherwise hit
• Double on soft 15 and soft 16 against a dealer 4, 5, or 6, otherwise hit
• Double on soft 17 against a dealer 3, 4, 5 or 6, otherwise hit
• Double on soft 18 against a dealer 3, 4, 5 or 6, otherwise stand

Let’s now examine an example with a soft 17 against a dealer with a 4 to see the exact differences in the net profits when you hit and double. Whether you hit or stand has no impact on the outcome of the hand itself because there is no card you can possibly draw that will cause you to make another hit. In the worst possible scenario, you will end up drawing a 5 for a hard total of 12 and stand against the dealer’s 4 in accordance with basic strategy.

Doubling Additional TipsMathematically, you are bound to win by taking one more card 49% of the time, lose 43% of the time, and push with the dealer approximately 8% of the time. We assume your original bet amounts to $10. Provided that you choose to take the conservative route and hit your A-6, you will net profits of around $490 every hundred hands and lose $430.

The pushes are not taken into consideration because you do not generate any net profits or net losses with them. It follows that your net wins are $60, with an average profit per hand from this play of $60 / 92 = $0.65. If you double down instead of hitting your A-6, you will generate twice as much in net profits, or 2 * ($490 – $430) = $120, for a win of roughly $1.30 per hand.

It is essential to remember that doubling down is always the best course of action with certain totals when you are facing a particularly vulnerable dealer. Not taking advantage of these situations is almost the same as giving back some of your winnings to the casino. So be sure to inspect and memorize the basic strategy chart for the blackjack variation you intend to play. This will help you to fully maximize your profits when you are in a good spot.

Blackjack is one of the most widely played games in any casino, brick-and-mortar or online. The game is popular for many reasons, including the fact that it is one of the easiest casino table games to learn to play and offers plenty of strategically-based decision-making to enhance winning opportunities.

While the most common decisions you would make in each round of blackjack include knowing when to hit or when to stand, other crucial strategic decisions include knowing when to split and when to double down.

Splitting Cards – What Is it and When Should You Do It?

The opportunity to split cards usually occurs when any player is dealt two identically-ranked cards, known as a pair, in the initial deal. The player can then split them into two new and separate bets and request another card for each. The two new hands will then each get a full bet, the same as if it were just a single blackjack hand.

Should it be on any two same-ranked cards, or is there a better way to go about splitting cards?

As a matter of fact, there is, and it’s loosely referred to as the aces and eights “rule.” In the case of a pair of aces, the player can either see the hand as a 2 (total), which is very bad, or as a soft 12, which can be just as bad. However, if the player splits the aces into two new bets, they automatically give themselves two separate opportunities to potentially hit a 21 or blackjack.

Similarly, if a player receives a pair of eights in their initial round, it adds up to a total of 16, which is considered to be one of the worst hands in blackjack. However, splitting the eights gives the player an opportunity to build on both hands.

If the player should receive either a 10 card or an 11 card, they will have a total of 18 or 19, which are both much better than going up against the dealer with a total of 16 only, should they choose not to split.

Double Down – What Does It Mean?

As the name implies, doubling down entails doubling your initial bet once you have received your first two cards. Of course, doubling down also depends on the rules of the particular game of blackjack that you happen to be playing.

It is always a good idea to ensure that you can double down in the game of blackjack you want to play before actually sitting down (or playing online). The double-down can be risky since you are putting down twice as much on your hand. If you lose, you lose twice as much. However, if you win, you instantly double your profits for very little extra work.

How the Double-Down System Works

To get your double-down going, you will need to signal to the dealer that this is your intention. In order to do this, simply place the same amount of chips next to your original bet. This is generally the accepted signal for a double-down in most brick-and-mortar or online casinos.

Some land-based and online casinos will also allow you to double down for less, meaning that you can still pull off a double-down move, but you won’t have to put down the same amount as your initial bet, a bit like a special deal.

Once the dealer has acknowledged your wish to double down, he/she will then place an additional card across your initial two cards. This is where the entire double-down procedure ends, as you will not be allowed to do anything else with this hand. In other words, whatever your total hand is with the three cards is the hand you will be playing, without any additional hits.

Letting the Dealer Know You Are Doubling Down and Not Splitting

Blackjack Double Down Rule

In blackjack, the action for a double-down is exactly the same as the action for a split. This is usually not a problem if you are either doubling down or splitting. However, if you want to double down on a pair, you will need to let the dealer know that you are doubling down and not splitting the pair.

In order to do this, you will need to say the words “double down” when placing your additional bet. This will ensure that the dealer does not confuse your intention.

Letting the Dealer Know You Are Doubling Down and Not Splitting – Online

Of course, if you are playing blackjack online, you cannot actually say the words “double down” to the dealer since the dealer is effectively a computer program. However, you can simply hit the double-down button (in most instances of online blackjack), and your additional bet will be placed automatically.

Know the Rules

Not every game of blackjack will allow you to double down on your hand, and not every casino (brick-and-mortar or online) will follow the same rules regarding doubling down. The most common form of the double-down rule allows players to double down on their initial two-card hand. Let’s look at some variations of the blackjack double-down rule:

• The most common double-down rule covers your first two-card hand
• Some casinos will also allow you to double down on a blackjack
• Some casinos will restrict the double-down option to either hard 9, hard 10, or hard 11 – this means that your initial two-card total must be 9, 10, or 11
• Players can also double down after a split – this applies to most brick-and-mortar as well as online casinos

When to Double Down?

Doubling down is an enormously popular strategy in blackjack, and it is used by experienced players to potentially increase their profits very quickly. However, as with any technique or strategy, it is important to know what it is and when to use it for best effect.

There are inherent risks with using the double-down betting option that should be considered as well before attempting to use it in a real money blackjack game. While it does have the potential to instantly double your profits, the reverse is also true in that you could instantly lose twice as much as you would if a regular bet ended up as a bust.

When to Use It Strategically

One of the great things about playing blackjack is that there are plenty of opportunities to employ strategies to help improve your chances of success. Many experienced blackjack players also apply strategy to the double-down betting option, which can be combined with a card-counting technique for added effectiveness.

However, if you’re a novice blackjack player and wish to use the double-down betting option in your next blackjack game, you can simply follow these basic double-down guidelines:

• Double down on 11: if your initial two-card hand totals 11, you should probably double down. One of the main reasons for this is that there is always a good chance that you will receive a 10 card as your third card, giving you an instant total of 21
• Double down on a hard 10 if the dealer shows a 4, 5, or 6
• Double down on a hard 9 if the dealer shows either a 5 or a 6

Double Down in Card Counting

Double Down Blackjack Pics

Card counting is one of the most notorious blackjack techniques for all the wrong reasons. Many people believe that this is a form of cheating, but in reality, it is just a smart way of figuring out what the blackjack deck may be holding.

The way that card counting works is actually quite easy to understand. Different cards in the deck are given a value, either a minus value or a positive value (-/+), to determine what the deck may be holding. A negative deck, therefore, means that most of the cards in the deck will be low-value cards, while a positive deck tells you that there are more high-value cards still to play.

Blackjack Double Down Chart Excel

Card counting can, therefore, be used to determine when to double down and when to avoid the option. If the deck is quite negative, it tells you that doubling down could be a bad idea. For instance, if you have a two-card total of 11, you would probably normally double down in hopes of receiving a 10 card.

On a negative deck, there is more of a chance of getting a low-value card such as a 4, 5, or a 6. If the dealer is showing a 10 card, your chances of losing your double-down bet are much higher.

Being Safe with Double Down in Blackjack

As you can see, the double-down technique can be very effective in providing instant double profits, should everything go right. However, there is always the chance that things could go horribly wrong (there are no guarantees in blackjack), and you could lose twice as much.

Ultimately, it is all about knowing as much as you can about the game, applying a solid blackjack strategy such as card counting, watching the dealer to see what he is showing as well as what he may be hiding with his hole card, and watching other players to see how strong their hands are (which could tell you how strong or weak the deck is).