There are four options available to the player in a game of Blackjack once he has been dealt his starting cards. One these is to split but what exactly does this mean?
Sometimes when you are playing Blackjack you will be dealt a pocket pair such as 88, 66, 44, etc. When you are dealt a pocket pair you have the option to split. Splitting means that you divide the two cards into two separate hands. The dealer then deals you two separate cards, one to each hand, giving you the net result of two hands instead of one. When you decide to split you also have to double your wager because you are now betting on the outcome of two hands. Anyone who is unsure as to what they’re doing may be better off sticking to video poker instead.
The number of times that you are allowed to split your hand will depend on the rules of the particular casino you are playing in. Imagine you have two eights and decide to split and the dealer deals you another two eights; in some casinos you will be able to split the two eights again giving you the net result of four hands. As you can imagine the splitting of hands can win or lose you a lot more money than you initially bargained for, but it is one of the most exciting parts of the game. Remember, Blackjack has just as many nuances as slot games.
Another rule variation you need to look out for when splitting is when you are dealt a pair of aces. Some casinos will not allow you split aces, others will only allow you to draw one additional card on each ace and some will not recognize an eventual 21 as a 3:2 Blackjack hand. It’s important to bear these things in mind before you start.
