Aces and eights is the name of a blackjack strategy for splitting initial cards. In blackjack there are rules that vary across gambling establishments regarding resplitting, doubling, multiple card draws, and the payout for blackjack. Additionally, there are conditional strategic responses that depend upon the number of decks used, the frequency of shuffling and dealer’s cards. However, regardless of the various situations a blackjack player could be in, the common strategic wisdom in the blackjack community is to “Always split aces and eights” when dealt either pair as initial cards.^[1] This is generally the first rule of any splitting strategy.^[2]

History

Blackjack’s “Four Horsemen” (Roger Baldwin, Wilbert Cantey, Herbert Maisel and James McDermott) determined using adding machines that splitting eights was less costly than playing the pair of eights as a 16.^[3] They were part of a 1950s philosophical movement that discovered that strategy could reduce the house edge to almost zero in blackjack.^[4] Now a typical strategy involves the following sequence of playing decisions: one decides whether to surrender, whether to split, whether to double down, and whether to hit or stand.^[5]

One of the earliest proponents of the strategy of splitting eights is Ed Thorp, who developed the strategy on a IBM 704 using Fortran as part of an overall blackjack strategic theory published in Beat the Dealer: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One in 1962.^[4][6][7] Thorp was the originator of the card counting system for blackjack.^[4]

General

The object of blackjack is for a player to defeat the dealer by obtaining a total as close to 21 as possible without accumulating a total that exceeds this number.^[8] In blackjack, the standard rule is that if the player is dealt a pair of identically ranked initial cards, known as a pair, the player is allowed to split them into separate hands and ask for a new second card for each while placing a full initial bet identical to the original wager with each. Thus, during that round of play, the player can bet each split pair separately as a normal set of initial cards. After placing the wager for the split hands the dealer gives the player an additional card for each split card. The two hands created by splitting are considered independently in competition against the dealer.^[9][10] Doubling allows the gambler to turn a bad hand into one or two hands with a good possibility of winning. It also allows the player to double the bet when the dealer busts.^[2]

Some rules even allow for resplitting until the player has as many as four hands.^[9] Some gambling establishments allow doubling the bet after a split so that each hand has a bet double the original.^[11][12] However, the standard rules are that when a bet is doubled on a hand, the player is only allowed to draw one more card for that hand.^[13][14] Also, some establishments use multiple-decks of cards or reshuffle the deck after each hand, which affects the odds.^[11] Also, some cards should only be split conditionally, with the condition being the total of the cards that the dealer is showing.^[11] Splitting strategies are dependent upon dealers up card and the house rules. Thus, depending on the rules, different cards are better split candidates. However, aces and eights should be split regardless of the rules.^[15] Even proponents of strategies that don’t always split aces and eights admit that such strategies are not highly regarded by experienced blackjack players.^[16]

Aces

A pair of aces gives the blackjack player a starting hand value of either a 2 or a soft 12 which is a problematic starting hand in either case.^[2][17] Splitting aces gives a player two chances to hit 21.^[18] Splitting aces is so favorable to the player that most gambling establishments have rules limiting the player’s rights to do so.^[2][17] In some casinos the player is only allowed to draw one card on each split ace.^[13][17] Some establishments do not recognize a split ace followed by a card with a value of 10 to be a natural blackjack (any combination where the first two cards total 21) and do not reward the bonus for the natural blackjack to the player.^[11] Prohibiting resplitting and redoubling is also common.^[2] Regardless of the payout for blackjack, the rules for resplitting, the rules for doubling, the rules for multiple card draws and the dealer’s cards, one should always split aces.^[15][17][19]

Eights

If a player is dealt a pair of eights, the total of 16 is considered a troublesome hand. In fact, the value 16 is said to be the worst hand one can have in blackjack.^[17] However, since sixteen of the other fifty cards are have a value of 10 and four have a value of 11, there is a strong chance of getting at least an 18 with either or both split cards. Having a total of 18 or 19 is a much stronger than having a 16.^[11] Splitting eights limits one’s losses and improves one’s hand.^[15][17][18] Probabilistic research of expected value scenarios shows that by splitting eights one can convert a hand that presents an expected loss to two hands that may present an expected profit or a reduced loss, depending on what the dealer is showing.^[20] A split pair of eights is expected to win against dealer upcards of 2 through 7 and to lose less against dealer upcards of 8 through ace.^[21] If a player hits on a pair of eights, he is expected to lose $52 for a $100 bet. If the player splits the eights, he is expected to lose only $43 for a $100 bet.^[22]

Notes

References

• Dunki-Jacobs, Frits. Betting on Blackjack: A non-counter’s Breakthrough Guide to Making Profits at the Tables. Adams Media. pp. 28–34. ISBN 1-58062-951-2.
• Gros, Roger. The Winner’s Guide To Casino Gambling. Carlton Books Limited. pp. 44–69. ISBN 1-85868-899-X.
• Hagen, Tom & Sonia Weiss (2005). The Everything Blackjack Strategy Book: Surefire ways to beat the house every time. Adams Media. pp. 66–68. ISBN 1-59337-306-6.
• Jensen, Marten (2003). Beat Multiple Deck Blackjack. Cardoza Publishing. pp. 22–23, 51–56. ISBN 1-58042-069-9.
• Ortiz, Darwin. Casino Gambling For The Clueless. Carol Publishing Group. pp. 55–59. ISBN 0-8184-0609-7.
• Schneider, Meg Elaine. The Everything Casino Gambling Book (2nd ed.). Adams Media. pp. 47–49. ISBN 1-59337-125-X.
• Thorp, Ed (1966). Beat the Dealer: A Winning Strategy for the Game of Twenty-One. Vintage. ISBN 0394703103.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

Basic strategy is based upon a player’s point total and the dealer’s visible card. A player may be able to improve on this decision by considering the precise composition of his hand, not just the point total. For example, a player should ordinarily stand when holding 12 against a dealer 4. However, in a single deck game, the player should hit if his 12 consists of a 10 and a 2. The presence of a 10 in the player’s hand has two consequences:^[1]

• It makes the player’s 12 a worse hand to stand on (since the only way to avoid losing is for the dealer to go bust, which is less likely if there are fewer 10′s left in the shoe).
• It makes hitting safer, since the only way of going bust is to draw a 10, and this is less likely with a 10 already in the hand.

However, in situations in which basic and composition-dependent strategy lead to different actions, the difference in expected value between them is small. Additionally, as the number of decks used in a blackjack game rises, both the number of situations in which composition determines the correct strategy and the house edge improvement from using a composition-dependent strategy falls. Using a composition-dependent strategy only reduces house edge by 0.0031% in a six-deck game, less than one tenth the improvement in a single-deck game (0.0387%).^[2]

References

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

The complete set of optimal decisions for a player regarding only the dealer’s current exposed card and the point total of his own current hand is known as basic strategy. The basic strategy table below applies to the following ruleset:

• 4 to 8 decks
• Dealer stands on soft 17
• Double on any 2 cards
• Double after split allowed
• Only original bets lost on dealer blackjack
• Late surrender

Key:

S = Stand

H = Hit

Dh = Double (if not allowed, then hit)

Ds = Double (if not allowed, then stand)

SP = Split

SU = Surrender (if not allowed, then hit except stand on 16v10 if not first two cards.)

In most Las Vegas Strip casino games, the dealer must hit on soft 17. This rule change requires a slightly modified basic strategy table: double on 11 vs. A, double on A/7 vs. 2, double on A/8 vs. 6 and surrender 15, 17 or 8/8 vs. A.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

Print out this form below and run off a bunch of copies. You will notice that it is just a “blank” of the Basic Strategy Decision Chart we used in Lesson 1 to create the rules for each of the player’s starting hands. The object here is to write in the rule for each hand and then check for accuracy. Time yourself as you do it and see if you can get under 60 seconds with 100% accuracy.

(Source: GameMaster)

Basic Strategy Decision Exercise – Here I’ve made up a lot of player’s starting hands along with a dealer’s up card. Use your “Basic Strategy Matrix” from Lesson 1 to make a “correction copy” and mark it as such at the top. Then, just go down the columns of another copy and fill in the proper play. Use your correction copy to check for accuracy. Speed is of the essence here, so work towards a goal of completing this in under two minutes with 100% accuracy.

Player	Dealer	Decision		Player	Dealer	Decision		Player	Dealer	Decision
8,3	A	______		2,3,6	4	______		A,4,2	3	______
6,6	4	______		9,9	7	______		7,6	3	______
5,4	6	______		10,3	3	______		8,2	A	______
7,7	7	______		9,8	7	______		8,8	10	______
9,6	8	______		A,7	2	______		10,7	2	______
7,5	3	______		A,4	5	______		9,3	3	______
A,2	5	______		6,4	10	______		7,4	A	______
3,3	4	______		A,4	5	______		6,3	7	______
9,2	10	______		10,8	6	______		A,6	5	______
5,5	9	______		6,8	7	______		A,9	6	______
A,7	6	______		9,7	8	______		10,4	5	______
6,3	4	______		A,2,5	6	______		9,9	9	______
5,2	2	______		3,6	4	______		2,4	2	______
10,2	3	______		7,8	9	______		6,5	2	______
9,9	7	______		10,3	3	______		7,7	2	______
10,4	9	______		A,4	4	______		3,4	5	______
6,5	9	______		10,5	7	______		4,4	6	______
A,6	2	______		5,2	10	______		A,2,4	6	______
4,4	6	______		8,8	8	______		10,2,A	3	______
10,10	5	______		A,A	7	______		8,2	10	______
8,6	7	______		8,3	10	______		6,6	6	______
7,9	10	______		5,5	10	______		5,4	2	______
10,2,A	3	______		A,5,A	3	______		A,7	3	______
A,2,2	6	______		2,2	7	______		3,3	2	______
2,6	4	______		A,5	4	______		7,8	7	______
9,A	6	______		6,6	2	______		9,9	7	______
10,6	3	______		3,7	9	______		2,5,4	2	______
7,7	6	______		3,3	2	______		10,4	6	______
A,A	9	______		5,5	9	______		9,3	5	______
2,2	2	______		A,6	3	______		A,2	6	______
9,4	4	______		10,6	7	______		9,8	7	______
A,3,4	9	______		6,6	3	______		A,4,A	2	______
A,4,2	6	______		9,4	2	______		7,5	3	______
8,8	10	______		A,4	10	______		2,2	6	______
5,5	8	______		6,4	9	______		3,3	7	______
A,8	6	______		8,3	A	______		6,6	2	______
5,2	2	______		9,9	10	______		2,9	10	______
A,4	6	______		7,5	4	______		9,7	5	______
2,3,4,A	6	______		7,7	9	______		5,4	3	______
A,A	A	______		9,3	7	______		7,4	10	______

(Source: GameMaster)

(Source: GameMaster)

Developed for these rules (as specified in Lesson 1) 6 Decks, S17, DA2, DAS, no surrender.

Remember the Basic Strategy Decision Chart shown here applies only to the game (rules) described in Lesson 1; you must produce your own to fit the rules of your favorite casino.

(Source: GameMaster)

Go to the Blackjack Strategy Engine at http://www.blackjackinfo.com. You will be presented with this page…

Click on the link that says “Blackjack Basic Strategy Engine” You will be presented with this page…

Fill in the information about the game will be playing. Then click the button “Get the Charts!” The engine will figure out what you need and present you with the charts…

Now just print them and your finished.

(Source: GameMaster)

Developed for a fairly common game (as described in lesson 1): Six decks, double on any first two cards, double after splitting pairs is permitted and the dealer stands on A-6.

Splitting Pairs

Key:

• Y = Yes, split the pair
• N = No, don’t split the pair

Remember The Basic Strategy Decision Chart shown here applies only to the game described earlier; you must produce your own to fit the rules of your favorite casino.

Once you’ve made your Basic Strategy Chart, we can begin to memorize it. To do that, we will produce a set of “Flashcards”. Remember those? You probably learned how to add or subtract using those cards and they will also teach you how to win at Blackjack. You need to make one flashcard for each starting hand by reproducing the information above on a 2″ x 2′ piece of paper. (Manila file folder material does well for this.) Here’s what one looks like…

When you’re finished, you’ll have a pack of flashcards which will help you to memorize the proper basic strategy for the game you’ve chosen. Start carrying them with you and as you encounter those “lost” moments we each seem to have in our day — waiting for a plane, sitting at the dentist’s office or even while watching TV, pull your cards out and start reciting the rule for the hand shown. Check your accuracy by flipping over the card and then put it on the bottom of the pack. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you begin to learn all these rules.

(Source: GameMaster)