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Single Deck - Splitting Pairs 2-7

Single Deck - Splitting Pairs 2-7

Single Deck Splitting Pairs No Doubling After Splitting Pairs Player's Hand Dealer's Upcard Decision 2-2 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Split 2, 8, 9, 10, A Hit 3-3 4, 5, 6, 7 Split 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, A Hit 4-4 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, A Hit 5-5 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, A Hit 6-6 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Split 7, 8, 9, 10, A Hit 7-7 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, Split 8, 9, A Hit 10 Stand

Splitting 2-2

Now, let's examine the rationale for pair splitting. Our 2-2 gives us a total of four, which is worse than an individual card totaling 2, so, against the 3-7, we split. If we hit an individual 2 and get a 6-9, we've significantly improved the hand. Against the dealer's 2, we don't split, because the 2 gives him many ways to make his hand. So we hit the hand, as we do against a dealer's 8-Ace, and hope for the best.

If we hit the 2-2, which is a hard 4, we follow the rules of the table on Hitting and Standing, and play accordingly, depending on what the dealer's upcard is. For example, if the dealer's upcard was an 8, we keep hitting until we have at least a hard 17, then stand.

Splitting 3-3

The 3-3 gives us a possible foundation of 6, which, together with a 10, forms our worst hand of 16. So we're anxious to break up the 3s against a 4-7 dealer's upcard. We don't split against a dealer's 2 or 3 because our individual 3 here can quickly be busted with the addition of two 10s. We prefer to play out our bad 6 for one loss, rather than splitting for two losses. The same reasoning holds true when we face a dealer's 8-Ace.

Splitting 4-4

The 4-4 gives us an 8 total, which is much stronger than individual 4s, so we don't split it, no matter what the dealer's upcard. If we get a 10 to the 4-4, we have an 18, a reasonable, but not a very strong hand. Still, it's better than splitting the 4s, getting a 10, then an 8 and busting the first hand, then running into the same problem with the second split 4, resulting in a double loss.

Splitting 5-5

The 5-5 presents a different situation. It forms a 10, a very strong total, whereas splitting the 5s gives us two weak foundation cards, susceptible to busting.

Splitting 6-6

6-6 should be split against a dealer's 2-6. Even though we have two weak foundation cards in individual 6s by splitting, we're only splitting against a dealer's stiff card, of 2-6. We make this play more to limit loses than to increase our winnings. Against a dealer's 7-Ace we hit our 6-6, which is hard 12, and hope we don't get a 10 to bust our hand.

Splitting 7-7

7-7 is split against a 2-7, with the expectation that a 7 base will form a 17 if we hit a 10 to the 7, and sometimes will be even a higher total. We only take the chance of splitting against a 2-7, and not an 8 or 9, for example, since two 17s might give us a double loss against a dealer's 18 or 19.

7-7 vs. Dealer 10

Note on the 7-7 against the 10. We stand with two 7s against a 10. The reason is this. We are playing a single deck game and already have two 7s. Only another 7 will beat a dealer's potential 20, and the chances of this happening have been dismissed considerably. So we stand