Split the Couples
Knowing when to stand or draw when splitting a pair are all essential to winning against the house in the game of blackjack. Knowing when to do so is the real questions that needs to be known. A player needs to really think about when to split a pair correctly.
The first decision a player has to make when receiving a pair is whether to split it or not before she or he can decide to double down and later whether to draw or to stand.
If the player's hole cards are numerically identical, they are called a pair. The player may then turn them face up and treat them as cards in two separate hands (this is called splitting a pair), so the player now has two hands of cards to look after. The original bet goes to one of the cards while an equal amount on the other split card. To each split card, the player receives immediately one card. These split cards are played one at a time like ordinary hands.
There is an exception: if the cards split are aces, each ace will only receive one card and no more. If a face card or 10 card happens to be the card that is added, it cannot be called natural but as an ordinary 21.
Likewise if the split cards are face or 10 card and the added card is an ace, it is still considered an ordinary 21 and not a natural. If a player receives a third card of the same value and has already decided to split, he cannot opt to split again. It would not be splitting pair anymore but splitting trios.
There are approximate rules in splitting such as always split aces and 8's but never on pairs of 4, 5 or 10's. Split all other pair if the face up card of dealer is from 2 to 7. If you have a total of 9 in your hands don't split on 7, 10 and aces. If you have a pair of 4's, split on if the dealer's up card is 5 and nothing else.
Aces should be split because doing so creates a good chance of getting a winning hand. Eights should be split because a total of 16 is bad to hold. When the dealer's card is 7 or higher, he is not likely to go beyond 21 and bust but he is sure to beat 16.
The splitting of tens is unfavorable because it replaces a good 20. Splitting fives can be disastrous it replaces a good total to double down on or good to draw.
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