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Lesson 2.4 Basic strategy
Splitting Pairs: Which Pairs to Split and When
After this lesson, you will know which pairs to split: always aces and 8s, never 10s and 5s, and the other pairs only against the dealer up cards the chart shows. Then you can practice every pair in the trainer below.
Always split aces and 8s
A pair is two cards of the same value, like two 8s. To split means you turn a pair into two separate hands.
You place a second bet, equal to your first bet. Each card then gets a new second card.
You always split two pairs, against every dealer up card (the dealer's face-up card). These pairs are aces and 8s.
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P |
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P |
A pair of 8s is a hard 16. A hard 16 often busts when you hit and often loses when you stand.
| Move against a dealer 10 | Average result per first bet |
|---|---|
| Split the 8s | −0.475 |
| Hit 16 | −0.535 |
For a split, the number counts both hands together and is measured against your first bet. Both numbers are below zero, so this hand loses money on average – splitting loses less than hitting.
Never split 10s and 5s
A pair of 10s is a total of 20. You keep this hand and stand against every dealer up card.
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| Pair of 10s against a dealer 6 | Average result per first bet |
|---|---|
| Stand | +0.677 |
| Split | +0.457 |
A pair of 5s is a total of 10. You play it as a hard 10: you double down against 2–9 and hit against 10 and A.
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | H | H |
If the table does not let you double, hit your pair of 5s. Never split it.
The other pairs depend on the dealer card
For 2s, 3s, 4s, 6s, 7s and 9s, look at the dealer's up card first. The table shows when you split each pair.
| Your pair | Split against | Otherwise |
|---|---|---|
| Two 2s | 2–7 | Hit against 8–A |
| Two 3s | 2–7 | Hit against 8–A |
| Two 4s | 5–6 | Hit against 2–4 and 7–A |
| Two 6s | 2–6 | Hit against 7–A |
| Two 7s | 2–7 | Hit against 8–A |
| Two 9s | 2–6 and 8–9 | Stand against 7 and 10–A |
A pair of 9s is a total of 18. It is the only pair where the chart switches from split to stand and back again.
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | P | P | P | P | S | P | P | S | S |
These moves are for standard rules, where you may double after you split. Check the table rules before you play.
Practice every pair in the trainer below. For more detail, see when to split and the full strategy chart.
Practise: 25 hands
Only hands from this lesson. Your first answer counts.
The lesson on one card
- A pair is two cards of the same value. Split means two hands with a second, equal bet.
- Always split aces and 8s, against every dealer up card.
- Never split 10s: stand on 20. Never split 5s: play them as a hard 10.
- Split 2s, 3s and 7s against 2–7. Split 6s against 2–6.
- Split 4s only against 5–6. Split 9s against 2–6 and 8–9.
Check yourself
1. You have a pair of 8s. The dealer shows a 10. What does the chart say?
Split the 8s
Right. The chart says to split 8s against every up card. Against a 10, splitting averages −0.475 per first bet, which loses less than hitting or standing.
Hit the 16
Not quite. Hitting averages −0.535 per bet. This loses more than splitting.
Stand on 16
Not quite. Standing on a pair of 8s against a 10 loses more on average than splitting. The chart splits 8s against every up card.
2. You have a pair of 10s. The dealer shows a 6. What does the chart say?
Split the 10s
Not quite. Splitting averages +0.457 per first bet, which is less than standing. You break up a total of 20.
Stand on 20
Right. The chart says to stand on a pair of 10s against every up card. Standing averages +0.677 per bet here.
Double down on 20
Not quite. The chart never doubles a pair of 10s. The move is stand against 2–A.
3. New hand: you have a pair of 7s. The dealer shows a 3. What does the chart say?
Hit the 14
Not quite. For a pair of 7s, the chart hits only against 8–A. A dealer 3 is in the split range.
Stand on 14
Not quite. The chart does not stand on a pair of 7s against any up card. It splits against 2–7 and hits against 8–A.
Split the 7s
Right. The chart splits a pair of 7s against dealer up cards 2–7. A 3 is in that range.