Splitting 8's for the most part is a defensive play that will cut down on your losses. But keep in mind you will lose your fair share of hands when you split 8's, but if you were to hit or stand, you would on average be losing more money. It's the smart play to make when you play blackjack. You can then act on that hand according to the rules of blackjack by hitting, standing, or doubling down. You can even split the eights a second or third time. This is how aces and eights are handled at the blackjack table according to basic strategy. It is one of the easiest rules to remember at the blackjack table. Always split aces and eights.

By Henry Tamburin

Always split aces and eights. That is one of the golden rules for blackjack players but not according to a friend of mine. He insists that splitting eights against a dealer upcard of 9, 10, or ace is crazy because you are probably going to lose anyway, so why double your loss by splitting?

Although my friend's logic appears to make sense it is flawed. Here's why.

When you split in blackjack, you must bet more. That is a fact. The strategy of pair splitting, then, only makes sense if you end up either winning more or losing less in the long run vs. standing or hitting.

Losing less is often a hard concept for blackjack players to grasp. For example, you can expect to be dealt a 12 through 17 hand about 43 percent of the time you play blackjack. No matter what strategy you follow, the dealer will, on average, win more hands than the player will (with only one exception- a 17 vs. a dealer's upcard of 6). Thus the best a player can do in a losing situation is to use a strategy that will allow him to lose less in the long haul.

This is in fact the situation with a pair of eights against a dealer 9, 10, or ace. If you hit the eights (or 16), you will lose on average about $52 for every $100 bet. That is quite a hefty loss, but not to be expected because you a big underdog when you hold a 16 against a dealer’s strong upcard of 9, 10 or ace. However when you pair split, you break up you 16, double your bet, and play two hands of 8. A computer analysis of this situation shows you will lose about $43 per $100 bet when you split 8’s. This is still a losing proposition from the player’s perspective. But notice by splitting you’ve won just enough slpit hands to reduce your overall loss $9 per hundred dollars wagered. You’ve reduced your loss by pair splitting the 8’s which is why it’s the better strategy than hitting or standing.

To be sure sometimes when you split a pair of 8’s against say a dealer 10 you will lose both split hands. You might even hear some comments from the dealer or fellow players about why you should have stood or hit. Forget about them. Just remember that in the long run which means after you are dealt many pairs of 8’s you will wind up losing less than if you stood or hit. Follow the basic strategy and always split 8’s no matter what the dealer shows.

Thankfully my friend always splits aces. You would think that every blackjack player would automatically split aces. But recently I observed a young player pass on splitting aces because 'she was afraid to bet more on the hand'. I even offered to make the bet for her at no risk (if the bet lost she owed me nothing). But it was like talking to a wall. She insisted on hitting the pair of aces and drew two tens and broke. She was mumbling incoherently when she left the table knowing full well that if she had taken my offer she would have had two hands of 21 (by the way, I was card counting and the count was positive indicating she had a good chance of drawing tens to her aces.)

It use to be standard casino policy that when you split aces you would get one and only one draw card to each split ace. Sometimes the player would draw another ace and was stuck with a hand of 12. Nowadays many casinos allow players the opportunity to resplit aces. In the above example the player could split his third ace and play three hands. Resplitting aces is a favorable player rule that adds about 0.06% in the player's favor. It doesn’t look like much of an edge but every bit helps so always resplit aces!

Follow the golden rule and always split eights and aces no matter what the dealer upcard happens to be. Splitting aces will result in significant gains for the player. Splitting 8's for the most part is a defensive play that will cut down on your losses. But keep in mind you will lose your fair share of hands when you split 8's, but if you were to hit or stand, you would on average be losing more money. It's the smart play to make when you play blackjack.

By: Harper Whitefield

Blackjack is an extremely popular casino game, and one that offers lots of strategies and tips to help the player overcome the house edge; as much as possible anyway. Below, we've documented the Top 10 Blackjack Tips to help you improve your game.

Blackjack Tips #1: When To Hit

Use the following rules to determine when to Hit, according to your hand and the dealer's face up card.

-If the dealer's face up card is 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace, and your hand totals 8 or 12 through 16, Hit.
-If the dealer's face up card is Ace, and your hand totals 11, do not Double, Hit.
-If the dealer's face up card is 10, and your hand totals 10, do not Double, Hit.
-If the dealer's face up card is 7, 8 or 9, and your hand totals 9, do not Double, Hit.

Blackjack Tips #2: When To Stand

Use the following rules to determine when to Stand, according to your hand and the dealer's face up card.

-When your hand totals 17 or above, no matter what, Stand. (Some strategies will tell you to hit 17 if the dealer has an Ace.)
-If the dealer's face up card is 6 or below, and your hand totals 13 or above, Stand.
-If you have a splitable pair of 10s or Face Cards, do not Split them, Stand.

Blackjack Tips #3: When To Split

Use the following rules to determine when to Split your hand, according to value of your pair and the dealer's face up card.

-Only Split 2s and 3s if the dealer's card is 4-7
-Never Split 5s; either Double Down, or Hit if the dealer is showing a 10 or Ace.
-Split 6s and 7s if the dealers card is 6 or below.
-Always split 8s, no matter what.
-Always Split Aces if allowed.

Blackjack Tips #4: When To Double

Doubling is a strategy often used when the player's hand equal 9, 10 or 11, giving the player a good chance of hitting 19-20 with a 10 or Face card. Use the following rules to determine when to Double your hand, according to your total and the dealer's face up card.

-Always double a total of 10 unless the dealer has 10 or Ace.
-Always double an 11 unless the dealer has an Ace.
-9 should only be doubled when the dealer has 3, 4, 5 or 6 showing.

Blackjack Tips #5: When in Doubt, Use a Strategy Chart

Blackjack Strategy Charts are designed to tell a player exactly how to act in every possible situation. Some players do not like blackjack Strategy Charts because they remove the element of decision making, but consider this... Casinos get the upper hand because the dealer cannot make decisions. The dealer must follow strict rules based on probabilities when playing their hand. If the player uses the same strategy, he is effectively decreasing the house edge to a minimum.

Blackjack Tips #6: Game Selection, Know The Rules

There are many more variations of Blackjack than the classic version we all know and love. Each has a slight difference in the rules, and some even have optional side bets and progressive jackpots. When choosing to play a new variation of blackjack, such as Perfect Pairs, Super 21 or Progressive Blackjack, be sure to know all of the rules and payouts involved.

Blackjack Tips #7: Card Counting

Blackjack Card Counting is an age-old strategy used by many professional blackjack players. It is not that hard to learn, and can be very effective in minimizing losses and maximizing profits. It is recommended to get a good deal of practice in card counting before applying the strategy at a live casino so that the extensive security staff does not discover you are doing it. Card counting is not illegal by any means, but it may get you promptly, if not permanently, removed from the casino if caught. Note that card counting is not a viable online casino blackjack strategy. Online casino software re-shuffles the deck with each new hand.

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Blackjack Tips #8: Play Online, It's Cheaper

Aside from the omission of card counting, playing online blackjack has many benefits. For one, you can put all of the money you intended to spend towards your bankroll. You won't have to gas up the car, purchase airline tickets or book a hotel (if no local casino). When you win, you won't have the obligatory 'tipping the dealer' to reduce your profits. All in all, it just makes sense to stay home, eat your own food, drink your own drinks and spend a lot less money by playing blackjack online.

Blackjack Tips #9: Play Online for Bonuses

Why Should You Always Split 8's In Blackjack

Playing online isn't just about convenience. You can actually double or triple your bankroll when you sign up at an online casino. They all offer welcome bonuses, most matching your first deposit 100% to 200% or more, up to a certain amount. Instead of starting with $100 bankroll, made up of your own hard earned cash, why not play online and claim a welcome bonus that could give you're a lot more bankroll for your buck by way of free casino chips?

Do You Always Split 8's In Blackjackin Blackjack

Blackjack Tips #10: Bet Sizes That Match Your Bankroll

Do You Always Split 8's In Blackjack Game

Lastly, we'll go ahead state the obvious. Don't play a blackjack table where the limits do not correspond with your bankroll. If you have $200, don't sit at a blackjack table with a minimum $100 bet. No matter how many blackjack tips and strategies you apply, you'll want to have plenty of opportunities to play hands, with splitting and doubling available, in order to make a sizeable profit. Make sure you will be able to place a minimum of 40 bets with your bankroll before choosing a table.

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