🖐 Double Deck Blackjack

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That being said, most blackjack pros avoid single deck games because their rules have been crippled to such an extent so as to render them completely unplayable. The rules pertaining to splitting also bear consideration. Having the option for a late surrender is another beneficial rule but double deck tables that still use it are quite the rarity these days. This is important because of the differences in some strategy decisions for double deck games. It all has to do with a marketing ploy on behalf of casino operators who continue to advertise pitch games as the best blackjack variations on the casino floor, especially when compared to multiple deck variants where six or eight packs of cards are in play. In games with poor rules, resplitting may not be an option. If allowed, double deck players should always surrender totals 15 through Similarly, the optimal strategy for double deck games requires you to forfeit starting hands that total 16 or 15 when the dealer exposes strong cards 10, Q, J or K. As a rule of thumb, the more decks are in play at a given blackjack table, the bigger the advantage of the house, which in turn results in smaller returns for the players. Here, the dealer receives only one card first and draws a second one only after everyone else at the table has played out their hands. Surrendering where you forfeit your two-card hand in exchange for half of your bet is generally not an option at double deck tables. In many double deck variants of the game, the player is allowed to double only on starting totals of 9, 10, and This yields a 0. However, if the dealer exposes a weak card that increases their chances of busting , you might want to stand on your poor totals instead of hitting your split aces. The optimal alternative is to choose a pitch game where the dealer stands on soft 17s S This notion may sound counterintuitive because the dealer is then sitting on a completed hand but we should also take into consideration the fact the dealer is always the last one to act at the table. The restrictions on doubling down have a pronounced negative impact on your long-term profits. Next, we make a distinction between the favorable and unfavorable proprietary rules for double deck games. One exception is commonly made in regard to the single most important payout in the game of 21, that for a blackjack. Is double deck blackjack yay or nay? These restrictions increase the house edge even further, by around 0. A total of 16 or 15 is simply not good enough to beat a dealer who exposes stronger cards like 10, J, Q, or K. The first thing you will notice when you approach a double deck blackjack table is that the cards are pitched. Even more so if the players have taken the time to master perfect basic strategy which we also discuss in this guide. Double deck games can be a real treasure for blackjack players provided that they offer favorable rules and decent payouts on naturals. Once the cards are dealt, you have a choice from the standard playing decisions of hitting, standing, pair splitting, and doubling down. Here is where we bring up the topic of payouts for discussion. We have covered all hand signals in both pitch and multiple deck games in our Blackjack Rules article so feel free to go back and check it out. However, resplitting Aces or RSA is a very valuable option for the player , albeit one that is rarely found in most double deck versions of Being able to hit split aces is yet another rule that merits the player. But what about double deck blackjack? The rules of a decent double deck game allow you to split all pairs of numerically equal cards as well as to resplit to up to four individual hands. This enables you to take the full advantage of splitting your Aces and eliminates the possibility of you getting stuck with poor totals like 12 through 16 where you can win only provided that the dealer breaks their hand. Even if all other rules in a double deck game are favorable, they will not be able to offset the horrendous impact of this payout reduction. The premise of the game is the same as that in all other blackjack variations. And finally, we have the double deck variants like European Blackjack where no hole cards are in play. When surrendering, you are basically forfeiting your starting hand in exchange for half of your stake. The ability to double down on any starting two-card total is of equal import for blackjack players. By reducing the blackjack payouts to 6 to 5, the house gains as much as 1. When surrender is not an option, your only choice is to hit your hard 15 or 16, in which case you risk breaking your hand.

When blackjack first made its way onto casino floors double deck blackjack basic strategy, there was double deck blackjack basic strategy much variation in double deck blackjack basic strategy the game played at different tables rules-wise.

The two decks are normally cut toward the middle but different establishments may give different deck penetration. In pitch games also called hand-held or face-down gameseach player picks up their two starting cards with one hand only but never takes them off or under the table.

In optimal double deck games, the dealer stands on all totals of 17, soft or hard. Is it any good? Not only will blackjack mavens come across different playing rules from one gambling venue to another but often will find rule variations at different blackjack tables in the same casino.

Needless to say, this play is impossible in double deck games where doubling down double deck blackjack basic strategy restricted to totals of 10 and 11 only. This is basically the same thing as accepting insurance, which is something we strongly advise you to refrain from if you are here basic strategy player.

If the dealer peeks, they will immediately turn over their hole card when they have a natural sparing you from wasting more money on a double down. Since double deck blackjack is easy to count and yields a smaller house advantage in comparison to six or eight deck games, most casinos have tweaked the rules to gain a larger edge over their players.

The negative impact this rule alone has is greater than the negative effect of all other unfavorable rules combined! On top of that, some double deck games entirely do away with the surrender option. In our observations, many online casinos do offer double deck games where blackjacks return at the standard ratio of 3 to 2.

We have already discussed this subject in detail in our Single Deck Blackjack article so we suggest you go and check it out for further elucidation on why accepting even money for your naturals is a bad idea. And finally, we have the peek and hole-card rules which we believe should also be discussed in conjunction because when no hole cards are in play, peeking for naturals is practically impossible. When dealer and player have the same total, their hands push and the player gets to collect their original bet or let it ride. Without a hole card, the dealer cannot check for blackjacks when showing an Ace or a ten-value card. The following article discusses the good, the bad, and the ugly side of double deck 21 and introduces you to the favorable rules you must look for while on your quest for decent pitch games. In an attempt to boost their advantage, many casinos especially across Las Vegas and Atlantic City pay out 6 to 5 for blackjacks on their double deck tables instead of the standard 3 to 2. In other words, the dealer holds the two packs in their hand and tosses the cards face-down toward each player. No DAS equals 0. You should never play 6-to-5 blackjack double deck or not even if there are no tables that pay 3 to 2 where you live. The decisions of doubling down and splitting are sometimes discussed in conjunction because some variants of 21 allow players to execute the doubling decision after splitting pairs. After all players have made their decisions, the dealer completes their hand and settles the payouts before a fresh round starts. With 6-to-5 blackjack, there is a reduction in the payout because you receive only 1. An exception is generally made for pairs consisting of Aces which can be split but cannot be resplit in most double deck games. A standard game of blackjack which pays 3 to 2 for naturals gives you more value because you collect 1. Hand gestures are used to signal the different playing decisions. A dealer hitting soft 17 H17 has the opportunity to improve their starting total. In other words, you are forced to act on your hand before knowing whether or not the dealer has a natural which has a pronouncedly poor effect on your play, and especially on some of your doubling down decisions. So in essence, the S17 rule prevents the dealer from potentially outdrawing you by pulling a deuce, a 3 or a 4 on the next hit. The most obvious play that suffers from the absence of hole cards is doubling on two-card totals of 11 when the dealer shows a ten-value card or an Ace. And then, there is the even money payout you are offered for your blackjacks in some pitch games when your dealer shows an Ace. In the majority of double deck games, the dealer peeks. What is the difference and why does it matter? What they forget to tell you, though, is that in reality, you are playing a far worse game than any six or eight deck blackjack variant. But things have changed greatly over the span of the last sixty years or so. This rule may concern the dealer but it has a significant negative impact on your decisions as well. Optimal play also calls for doubling on hard totals of 9 against dealer upcards 2 through 6. Not being able to make the correct strategy moves because of doubling-down restrictions is never good for a blackjack player. And now for our final verdict. This fixed rule alone reduces the house advantage you are combating by around 0. The most common rule variation concerns the number of decks in play. You are better off playing craps or single-zero roulette. In pitch games played with two decks, the optimal strategy calls for doubling down on soft totals of 13 through 18 when the dealer exposes weak cards 5 or 6. The absence of DAS Doubling After Splitting is also unfavorable for the player , especially if they can resplit to four hands because more split hands allow for more doubling opportunities, which in turn results in more potential profits for the player. Some of these include scratching the felt with your two cards to signal a hit and slipping them face-down under your chips to indicate a stand. As we explained previously, a dealer hitting soft 17 works to the detriment of the player because it boosts the likelihood of the dealer improving their total by catching small cards like 2, 3 or 4. In some double deck variations of 21, players are allowed to split pairs of ten-value cards only if said cards are identical, like Q-Q, K-K, J-J, and While basic strategy players are, by and large, encouraged to never split such pat hands because they might end up being stuck with smaller hard totals, such splitting restrictions work to the detriment of advantage players you might have heard the joke about fools and card counters being the only people to ever split pairs of ten-value cards. You are probably wondering why people continue to flock to the 6-to-5 double deck tables. This is a weak card for the dealer, so DAS would enable you to fully benefit from the favorable situation after splitting as you might catch a 6, a 7 or an 8 for a total of 9, 10 or 11 to double on. The same goes for hitting Aces after they have been split, which is commonly unavailable in double deck games. However, some variations require the dealer to peek for naturals both when showing an Ace or a ten-value card , which is all the better for the player. This takes away 0. Deck number is easily one of the most important things that bear consideration when you choose a blackjack game, the reason being it impacts the advantage the casino holds against players. This rule, commonly abbreviated as DAS Doubling After Splitting , can be quite useful in certain situations and even more so if combined with the option to resplit. Here you have no way of knowing whether the dealer has obtained a blackjack or not. The strategy recommends doubling on soft 18 against a dealer 6 as well.