When to Double Down in Blackjack and When Not To?

Blackjack is a strategy game, but to win at blackjack, timing and knowing when to double down are needed. Doubling down, specifically, is one of the most frequent blackjack actions, but most individuals have no idea what this action is and how timing is important in the utilization of the action. We are going to talk about doubling down in blackjack because at times, if done the right way, you can make big profits. In order to play at the best casinos for blackjack, one must learn the right strategies so as to have the highest opportunity of winning. What is Doubling Your Bet in Blackjack?

While doubling in blackjack, you receive only one card after doubling the amount bet

The only potential issue with this scenario is that if you receive a low card, you won't be able to draw another card and might lose twice the amount. Therefore, you must learn when to double down in blackjack so that you have the best opportunity to win. The trick is how to balance between taking risks and being safe, and that will put you ahead of your competitors in the game.

When to Double Down in Blackjack?

Luckily, the fundamental blackjack strategies have been nicely designed using mathematical probability, and they instruct you exactly when to double up (in the long run). There are three situations based on the situation when it is most ideal to double up, and when you double up, you are likely to be dealt a better hand, and the dealer is likely to lose.

Then there are the hands when you must double down:

• Total hand value is 11
• Hard 9 or 10
• Soft 16, 17, 18

Total Hand Value Is 11

No doubt, the most renowned and popular time to double down in blackjack is this one. You will almost always receive a blackjack when you have 11 points on your hand because adding one more card will take you there. Anyways, you will never reach more than 21. Due to this reason, most of the players prefer to double down when their card value is 11.

Hard 9 or 10

A "hard hand" is a hand that does not have an Ace (thank goodness). If you are being dealt a lower card than the dealer, meaning you are ahead of the dealer, then maybe it's time to double down.

Soft 16, 17, 18

"It's called a soft" means a hand holding an Ace and a other card. As the person who has experience with blackjack will know, the Ace usually is a valuable card because it provides you with the higher chances of getting hit to 21 or to be closer to 21 as desired. Just don't become conceited when the Ace is unfolding on the table.

A helpful rule of thumb to keep in mind is that you can double your bet only in the situation where, once again, the dealer has a weaker card appearing in his hand.

When Not to Double Your Bet?

Continuing losing doubles are expensive when you are trying to construct your victories. But there are certain situations where doubling a bet is wrong and you can lose a lot of money very quickly if you continue so.

There are certain situations where you don't want to double down:

• When the dealer's upcard is an Ace
• When your hard hand is over 11

When The Dealer has an Ace

For blackjack, an Ace can be a very powerful card in the dealer's hand, and you should never double down when they possess one. That is, the probability is on their side when they draw a blackjack or get very close to 21.

Hard 11

You ought not to double bet when your hard hand exceeds 11 and there is a chance that you might lose. Never take a risk when you have no idea what will occur.

Doubling Your Bet in Blackjack Tips

To help you decide whether to double bet or play with the initial amount, the following are some tips and tricks that you ought to remember:

• If you are prepared to risk, place a stack of chips equal to your initial wager next to your current stake. Never place additional chips on top of your original wager to avoid having it treated as cheating. Double the same amount as your original wager at all times.
• When you have 11, it is almost always best to double your wager, especially for new blackjack players.
• It is not normally allowed to double down after you have split your hand. As the title itself suggests, splitting is where you are given two cards of the same value and then you have the option of being able to split the two cards into two separate hands, receiving two new cards from the dealer. There are some online casinos in which one is able to do so, but the majority will not have this available.
• If you have doubled (taken another card), you cannot double your bet. The rule is that you can double your bet after the first two cards have been dealt.

Conclusion

If you believe your hand has a significantly greater likelihood of winning, you can double your bet and place a second bet. Yes, it will be twice as expensive as you would have otherwise bet, so you have more to lose.

Some games also allow doubling down on a split pair, such as if you are dealt two 10s and the dealer has a 3, 4, 5, or 6 up, and you can split your tens, double down on both of them, and try to get 21 on both hands.

The only disadvantage to doubling down is that there remains some risk. The dealer always has an eye on the players and has more information to make his choices from. For this reason, the house has a slight edge on players. Last of all, it's reassuring to know that if a tie is discovered, the player's bet alone will be paid back.