Surrender is a blackjack rule allowing the player to give up the current hand for only half the bet.
It can be done only with the player's first two cards in classic blackjack. Restrictions on the use of this rule seriously increase the house edge. For this reason, almost all prohibit surrender if a dealer has revealed an ace. Moreover, that can not be done in many casinos even if the dealer has a ten.
Of course, you need to stick to the recommendations of the basic strategy using this rule, but not all players are closely familiar with it. Besides, it is not always easy to analyze situations if you play with unknown rules. Therefore, we will describe when to surrender depending on the number of decks in the game and the order of the dealer's cards.
We'll talk about playing with single or multiple decks and variations when the dealer hits or stands on soft seventeen (i.e., an ace). Some pro gamblers give tips on playing with two decks, but this option is not too popular to get into details.
Single-Deck Blackjack
There are two major types of one-deck blackjack.
Dealer Stands on a Soft 17
With these rules, you should surrender in the following cases:
- The player scores 16, and the dealer has an ace or a 10.
- The player has a pair of sevens, and the dealer has a 10.
Dealer Hits on a Soft 17
These are more favorable rules for casinos, so the player should surrender more often when:
The player scores 15, 16, or 17, and the dealer has an ace.
- The player scores 16, and the dealer has a 10.
- The player has a pair of sevens, and the dealer has an ace or a 10.
Multiple decks
Keep in mind the rules for soft hands.
Dealer Stands on a Soft 17
With these rules, the player must surrender only in these situations:
- He scores 15, and the dealer has a 10.
- He scores 16, and the dealer has an ace or a 9 or 10.
With a pair of sevens, you should not quit the game.
Dealer Hits on a Soft 17
With these rules, the player should surrender more often than ever:
- He scores 15, and the dealer has an ace or a 10.
- He scores 16, and the dealer has an ace or a 9 or 10.
- He scores 17, and the dealer has an ace.
He has a pair of sevens or eights, and the dealer has an ace.
Conclusion
These tips were developed through mathematical calculations and had a general statistical purpose.
Following them reduces the house edge in the long run but does not guarantee winning in every game round.
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