A double down in blackjack is one of the most thrilling moves in the game since it enables you to double your bet in exchange for an extra card. However, it is a risky gamble that cannot allow you to hit again once you receive a low value. Here are some of the reasons why you should play a double down in blackjack.
Play a Double Down in Blackjack When you have a soft 17 or 18
- You should play a double down If you hold a soft 17 and the dealer shows a 3, 4, 5, or 6
- If you hold a soft 18 and the dealer shows a 3, 4, 5, or 6, then you should double down
Both online casino and land-based casinos rarely offer double downs at their tables whenever you have a soft 17 or 18. If you found a table that allows that move and the dealer holds a low-value card then you should consider doubling down your bet.
With an ace in your hand, you are not really risking much but you do have a higher possibility to finish with a win.
When a Single Deck of Cards is Used
Online casino games usually utilize only one deck of cards and they require a modified version of the blackjack strategy.
When you have a hard 8
- If you have a hard 8 and the dealer shows a 5 or 6 then you should double down
If the table game you are involved in only uses one deck of cards, you should consider doubling down sooner. Holding a hard 8 it your hand seems risky to double down so there are chances you might get a low card.
However, when the dealer has a 5 or 6, doubling down is the best move in this situation.
When you have a hard 9, 10, or 11
- If the dealer shows a 6 or less and you have a hard 9 , then you should double down.
- The dealer shows a low-value card and If you have a hard 10 and, then you should double down.
- If you have a hard 11, then you should ALWAYS double down.
Cards 9, 10, and 11 are numbers that can give you the best odds in the game. Once you hold these numbers, you should definitely make the double down move in order to maximize your profits.
When you have a soft 13, 14, 15, or 16
- If the dealer holds a 6 or less and you have a soft 13, then you should double down
- You have a soft 14 and the dealer holds a 6 or less, then you should double down
- The dealer holds a 6 or less and if you have a soft 15, then you should double down
- If you have a soft 16 and the dealer holds a 6 or less, then you should double down
Drawing another extra card is not a good move if you hold a 13, 14, 15, or 16. Once you have any of these values, doubling down is the best choice.
When you have a soft 17 or 18
- If you have a soft 17 and the dealer shows a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, then you should double down.
- If you have a soft 18 and the dealer shows a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, then you should double down.
17 and 18 are considered high values, however they are not high enough to save your bet, which means you should double down.
When you have a soft 19
- If you have a soft 19 and the dealer shows a 6, then you should double down.
The highest hand you could possibly hold is a soft 19 and in order to make the most of it is by doubling down. However, this is only effective when the dealer has an up-card of 6.
Play a Double Down in Blackjack: Practice More
There are multiple blackjack versions that do not allow double downs at their tables. If you want to take advantage of this move then you need to find a blackjack game that permits you to do so.
The dealer utilizes one deck of cards as the game is swarmed by many player-favorable features, including a return to the player of 99.91%.
However:
- You can double down only on your first two cards
- Only if you have a 9 to 11-value hard hand
- It’s not possible to double down after you split
The theoretical Return to Player (RTP) is somehow lower with 99.65%. Nevertheless, you are still going to get paid as much as possible provided you follow the basic blackjack strategy and never take insurance.
You’ll have more chances to double down – it’s not as restricted as in other platforms
- After you checked your first two cards, you can double down.
- After a split, you can double down unless they are aces.
