Blackjack questions

I'm not a big gambler, but I do occasionally play blackjack. In order to minimize my losses, I've been reading up on basic strategy. Apparently there are two areas which differ from casino to casino:

1. Whether you can re-split after a split, and if so, if there's a limit to the number of times you can do this? (That is, you are dealt two 8s, and split them, and the dealer immediately gives you a third 8; can you split this one off?)

2. Can you double after a split? The books I've read indicate that the strategy may change, depending on whether or not this is allowed.

Thanks.

I'm not a big gambler, but I do occasionally play blackjack. In order to minimize my losses, I've been reading up on basic strategy. Apparently there are two areas which differ from casino to casino:

1. Whether you can re-split after a split, and if so, if there's a limit to the number of times you can do this? (That is, you are dealt two 8s, and split them, and the dealer immediately gives you a third 8; can you split this one off?)

2. Can you double after a split? The books I've read indicate that the strategy may change, depending on whether or not this is allowed.

Thanks.

If I recall correctly, you can not double after a split and you can split on a split. No idea how many times that may be permitted but imo its a moot question as you would have to be dealt more than 3 of the same cards and it's incredibly unlikely.

No guarantees I am recalling this correctly though.

If I recall correctly, you can not double after a split and you can split on a split. No idea how many times that may be permitted but imo its a moot question as you would have to be dealt more than 3 of the same cards and it's incredibly unlikely.

 

No guarantees I am recalling this correctly though.

Thanks. This lets me concentrate on the actual info I'll need.

On the Equinox now. You can split a split...just saw someone do it. Not sure about doubling after a split.

Table minimums were very high most of the cruise...$25 was the lowest I saw the first 2 days with dealers standing there at $100 & $300 tables waiting for someone to play. They've come down the last 2 days...$15 has been available and saw a $10 table for a little while last night.

They've had a single deck table @ $15 occasionally, but I've stayed away as it only pays 6:5 for blackjack.

On my cruises you could double down after split . reslit 3 times

Yes, you can re-split (unless they were aces) and you can double after a split.

Yes, you can re-split (unless they were aces) and you can double after a split.

Thanks. That clarifies things.

confirming that you can double down after a split, you can split up to three times (so if you get 4 8's, you can play four hands..... except for aces which you may only split once and you can't double down on a split ace.

confirming that you can double down after a split, you can split up to three times (so if you get 4 8's, you can play four hands..... except for aces which you may only split once and you can't double down on a split ace.

Thanks. These are the details I need. I'll still lose money, I realize, but this info will slow down the rate of loss--which is what I'm after!

Whether you keep splitting or not depends on the dealers "show" card.....you don't want to be splitting stuff if they have a 10 showing! Or a 8 or 9!

Look at your "cheat sheet"...it will tell you what to do with ANY hand! NEVER split 5's or 10's ! EVER!

Thanks. These are the details I need. I'll still lose money, I realize, but this info will slow down the rate of loss--which is what I'm after!

This is how I cut my losses. I played the $5 tables on our last cruise.

I always wondered what answer I would get if I called the gambling help line asking if I had a soft 17 and the dealer showed a 6 if I should take a hit, stand or double down. 🤔 🤗

If you really want to get attrention double down on a hard 12 when the dealer shows a 7. I use to count cards and it was always fun to do that as you would know that the deck was rich in low cards ranging from 5 to 9. Or double down on a pair of aces instead of splitting. you still get one card and ends up costing the same. It depends on what the dealer is showing, and depending on the card count It could be advantageous . It is a gamble but also a calculated risk.

Another unknown is that when you "double down" in most casinos you don't have to double down for the full amount and if you don't another player can take the rest of the bet.

I found that counting cards helped some but in the long run I still ended up losing. That is why those experts sell those books and give seminars. They make more money doing that, and they do things on purpose to get kicked out or banned from the casino so they can brag that they got kicked out.

A little later in life after retiring I worked as a dealer in a casino, no one ever left as a winner ( not because of my dealing or being a card mechanic) If I was on a $10 table for the whole shift my drop would average $17,000. I could tell if some one was counting cards and I would inform the pit boss and they didn't care. All we worried about were those that cheated. And we were taught all the tricks and scams that were used and looked for them. Most times I would be used as the relief dealer as I know how to deal all the games.

Good luck 🎲🎰

On the Equinox now. You can split a split...just saw someone do it. Not sure about doubling after a split.

 

Table minimums were very high most of the cruise...$25 was the lowest I saw the first 2 days with dealers standing there at $100 & $300 tables waiting for someone to play. They've come down the last 2 days...$15 has been available and saw a $10 table for a little while last night.

 

They've had a single deck table @ $15 occasionally, but I've stayed away as it only pays 6:5 for blackjack.

Very different on my recent Reflection TA. $10 table minimum on several tables all night.

Our upcoming cruise will be our first on Celebrity for about 14 years, but on every cruise I have ever been on, the rules about splitting and doubling down have been the same. Yes, you can split ANY pair except for Aces. The latter gets one split and one card on each ace after which that hand is done. For everything else, you can split and double down if you want to.

This is something I actually saw on a recent cruise...

A young man, who was betting $50-100 per hand made a rash decision to place $800 on this particular hand. The dealer's face card was a nine, but according to 'the book', you ALWAYS split Aces and Eights, so he had to hit is seapass card for another $800. He got a 10 on the first and the second was...another eight! Again, he dipped into his seapass for another $800 and split them. On his split, the first eight saw a five, followed by a busting 10 and the second got, well, you guessed it, ANOTHER EIGHT! This time, he got a nine on one and a 10 on the other. Bear in mind, all through this was an ominous nine in front of the dealer.

At this point, this poor guy has already lost $800 and still has $2400 floating on the table with one 17 and two 18s. The dealer goes to the house nine and flips over the other card. It's a six! Everyone is cheering because from an almost certain loss, the passenger now is looking good to win back $2400, turning a total of $3200 into $4800.

The dealer must hit the 15 in front of him and, with everyone in the casino holding their respective breath, hits it with a five!

My entertainment is to spend the night in the casino after my wife goes to bed and I've seen many strange things and heard a lot of stories from the dealers, but this one must be the craziest.

Don't play any of the blackjack "side bets". This goes for ANY casino, cruise or land-based.

Lucky Ladies, Super Sevens, Match the Dealer, whatever......there are many varieties of this.......and every single one of these is a sucker bet and should be avoided like the plague.

I say this with the understanding that these are very popular bets, it seems almost everyone plays them.

In fact, if you don't play them, you often get looks and comments from the other players, sometimes even the dealer, when your hand "hits".

Nonetheless, in the long run, these are "house bets" and should always be avoided.

:)

Once on a cruise I had 8's split 4 ways and was doubled down on 2 of the 4 hands. :D

Whether you keep splitting or not depends on the dealers "show" card.....you don't want to be splitting stuff if they have a 10 showing! Or a 8 or 9!

 

Look at your "cheat sheet"...it will tell you what to do with ANY hand! NEVER split 5's or 10's ! EVER!

The book I read stated you alway split aces & 8 .