Blackjack Surrender is one of the best yet most underrated variants among blackjack games. The game is known to reduce the house edge and actually increases your chances of winning.
Nine out of 10 casino players will commend blackjack as the best casino game especially if you are looking for a high possibility to win. Once you select the right variants of blackjack such as Blackjack Surrender, you will find yourself winning a lot of good values.
What is Blackjack Surrender?
The game of Blackjack Surrender is a variant that includes a surrender feature for players. This option allows you to give up a hand with low values as you are able to retrieve half of your bet. In a standard blackjack game, it is difficult to decide whether to take a stand or hit when you hold a weak hand. When you play Blackjack Surrender, you will not experience this kind of dilemma.
The standard game of Blackjack
Once the cards are dealt to you, you will see the up-card of the dealer. You wait until it is your turn to make a move.
In classic Blackjack, you usually have two options:
- hit – draw another card
- stand – not taking extra cards and sticking to the pair in your hand
In some blackjack tables, they allow some of these options:
- double down – doubling your bet and drawing one but last card
- split – splitting a pair of the same cards into two separate hands
In Blackjack Surrender, however, there is an extra option:
- surrender – giving up your cards after seeing them and you will be able to retrieve half of your wager.
If you choose this option, the round ends. If you continue the play, the game will be the same as the standard blackjack.
Early Surrender vs Late Surrender
There are two types of surrender in blackjack:
- Early Surrender
- Late Surrender
Early Surrender is when you choose to give up your hand after seeing the dealer’s up-card and before he could check his second card. This type of surrender is uncommon in Blackjack Surrender as players tend to use the Late Surrender option more. Meanwhile Late Surrender means you give up your hand after the dealer has a 10 or ace and after he checks his hole card. Once he holds a blackjack, the game is over and you lose.
The Strategy
Before you play a few hands of blackjack, it is important that you should learn the basic strategy first. This strategy will help you decide the right time to take a hit, stand, split, or double down. You will be able to understand more of that in a separate article written by Giovanni Angioni.
In Blackjack Surrender, there is undoubtedly a strategy as well that can help you decide the right time to surrender in the game. One of the common mistakes of many players is surrendering too often. Taking a hit with a weak hand will not always result in a losing hand. The option to surrender is only effective when your hand is 25 percent low or less.
Below is a quick guide in Blackjack Surrender about how to properly use the surrender move.
When to Surrender when the dealer stands on all 17
| Your Hand | Dealer’s Card |
| Hard 15 | 10 |
| Hard 16 | 9 |
| Hard 16 | Ace |
| Hard 16 | 10 |
If the dealer hits soft 17, also add this to the mix:
Your Hand Dealer’s Card
Hard 15 Ace
Hard 17 Ace
As of now, you know the rules and basic Blackjack Surrender strategy. The next step is to find an online game where you can play and practice a few hands for your skills to improve. Reallivedealer.ag offers a wide variety of casino games and fortunately, Blackjack Surrender is one of them.
