Blackjack Double Down: When You Should and Shouldn’t Use

Blackjack is one of the few casino classics that were introduced centuries ago and continue to be popular among casino players even today. The reason why the game of Blackjack is because it comes with a relatively house edge. And the casino edge can be further reduced to less than one percent by making use of a basic strategy.

An important part of using the basic strategy is knowing when to double down. In this guide, we explain to you what double down in Blackjack means and the times when you should use the betting option.

What is double down in Blackjack?

As a Blackjack player, you’d be knowing that you receive your initial two cards after placing the Ante bet. At the point, you can choose from any of the two basic Blackjack options – hit and stand.

However, the game of Blackjack also comes with some other wagering options, including split and double down. In some games, you may also find the Blackjack Insurance option available. And it’s important for you to know the basics of each of them in order to play Blackjack effectively.

It’s worth noting that while the basic premise of all Blackjack variations is essentially the same, they come with slightly varying rules. As such, it’s important for you to check what the specific rules of your chosen Blackjack game are before you start playing.

At Blackjack tables where doubling down is allowed, players can opt to double down by taking a stack of chips that’s equal to their initial wager and pushing it in front of the dealer. When playing Blackjack at UK mobile casinos, players can find a dedicated button to use the double down option.

After using the double down option, the dealer deals you just one extra card. After this, you aren’t allowed to go with other options such as hitting, splitting or taking insurance. Doubling down can be a great move to make in instances when you have an exceptionally good hand.

When can I double down in Blackjack?

The double down option is made available to you after you’re dealt your initial hand of two cards. But again, this may differ as each and every Blackjack game comes with its own set of Blackjack dealer rules.

Usually, almost all Blackjack games allow players to use the doubling down option when the value of their initial hand is either 10 or 11. Interestingly, this is also when most players want to double down in Blackjack.

Just like the other bet types in casino games online, the usage of the doubling down option may not be linked to the value of your initial hand, whereas some Blackjack versions may allow it on 9, 10 and 11. At some casinos, you may be allowed to use the doubling down option after splitting your pair. All in all, you can choose to double down at several points during your Blackjack gameplay round.

When you should double down in Blackjack?

Now that you know the basics of Blackjack double down, let’s have a look at when you should go with the wagering option as you play Blackjack games. First, doubling down is a great move to make if your initial hand value is 11. This is because the chances of you getting a Blackjack (an exact score of 21) are high here. And even if you don’t get a Blackjack, you still have the chances to get a good total like 18, 19 and 20.

Another instance when you’d want to double down is when the value of your hand is 10 and the dealer has a small card. The dealer having a small card means their chances of going bust are good. Then having a soft 16, 17 or 18 are also consider as good times to double down in Blackjack. If you want to make more informed decisions, you can take help of the Blackjack calculator to calculate things like odds, winning probabilities, and so on.

When you shouldn’t double down in Blackjack?

At some casinos, you may have the option to double down on nine. Also, some sites allow you to double down irrespective of the value of your hand. But these may not be the best times to consider doubling down in Blackjack. Sure, you may still win the game by having an initial hand value of 9. But the chances of that happening aren’t that good.

Also, even if the value of your hand is 10, you shouldn’t double down if the dealer’s hand value is 7 or higher. Also, you must avoid doubling down if the value of your initial hand is eleven or higher. The only exception to this is the soft hands we’ve explained above.