How to Play Blackjack Surrender
When you play blackjack long enough, you will notice that there are certain situations when you can tell the positive outcome isn't very likely. That's when the option to give up your hand but still not lose your wager may come handy. With Blackjack Surrender, you can forfeit weak hands and thus minimize your losses. Where to find this interesting variation? How to make the best of the situation? These are some of the questions we'll answer in our Blackjack Surrender review.
To Surrender or Not?
At land-based casinos, if you choose to forfeit, you are likely to be frowned upon. The reason for that is that most players like to take risks, especially when there's a chance to bring down the house. Also, if you play real-money blackjack, following blackjack strategies, you've probably noticed that forfeit is recommended in just a few cases. Still, it is good to be able to do it if you need to and the cards call for it. Note that you'll get half your wager back if you opt for it.
Early vs Late Surrender
Differentiating between the two is simple. If you forfeit before the dealer checks for blackjack, that is an early surrender. If you do it after the face-down card of the croupier has been checked, then it is called late surrender. The first one is more favorable to the player, but the second one is much more common and easy to find. Bear in mind that if the dealer has a blackjack, you'll lose your wager no matter if the option to surrender was available or not. Getting away with a bad hand and registering a smaller loss is all that matters in this game variation.
The Blackjack Surrender Rules
The game is played with six decks. After each round, the used cards are returned to the shoe and the shoe – shuffled. There are no side bets, so it's more or less the classic blackjack. The dealer stands on all 17s. The dealer checks for blackjack when his upcard is an Ace. Before that, you'll be offered insurance. If the croupier has a natural, you automatically lose your wager. If you've taken insurance, it pays 2:1. You can split same-value cards, and you can take insurance and double down after a split. Remember that you are allowed to surrender when you get your two cards, but if you draw additional cards, the option is no longer available.
Settings and Modifications
If you play Blackjack Surrender online, it's very likely that you're playing the game developed by Playtech. It has an excellent RTP of 99.66%. It's part of a series of blackjack variations, all of which offer beautiful graphics and excellent casino atmosphere, apart from the player-friendly features. As with other games from this software company, you are free to modify the sounds and even change the color of the table. Also, you have all the important information, such as payouts and dealer rules, written across the table.
You'll notice that there are five seats at the table and they are all active. That means you can play mutli-hand. Select your chips and place your wager. Then, press "deal", and the cards will be dealt. Once you get your two cards and see the face-up card of the dealer, you can take advantage of the surrender option. It's only then that it's available. As soon as you choose a different action like hit, stand, split or double, the surrender button will disappear. From then on, it is a standard game of blackjack.
Themed after the cute Chinese bear, it offers a great portfolio of blackjack and other classic games, such as slots, and is one of the preferred online destinations for players worldwide.
Miami Club Casino has established itself as a trustworthy operator offering a good variety of blackjack and other games that can keep you entertained for hours.
One of the longest-standing players in the industry, Bodog boasts history spanning over twenty years. Bodog has what it takes to be the first stop for fans of the game.
Blackjack Surrender Strategy – What You Should Know
We've read through tons of information so that we will provide you with a few simple blackjack surrender rules. As we've already mentioned, you won't have the chance to use this feature very often, but it's nice to have it anyway. Also, remember that you'd be frowned upon for doing it at traditional casinos? Well, there's another reason for that, apart from the one we've mentioned. This feature reduces the advantage of the casino by 0.07% or up to 0.09% depending on the game rules. And if you're shy and don't like feeling judged, just play online blackjack surrender.
Now, let’s look into the situations when it's advisable to surrender. These are just two. The first one is when your hand is a hard 15, and the dealer has a face card. The second one is when your hand is a hard 16, and the dealer is showing either a 10-point card or an Ace. In those two cases, you'd better surrender, because chances of winning are slim – no more than 25%. According to statistics, this feature pays off in the long run if you follow the strategy.
Final Words
There is only one way to find out whether you will enjoy this variation or not – try it. Nobody likes losing their wager but knowing when your chances of winning are not good is important – that's when you can use this option the best way possible. Surrender reduces the house edge by less than 1%, but you never know – sometimes getting half your wager back feels like winning. Now, if you're wondering which the best blackjack surrender casinos are, these are the sites that give you good bonuses with excellent conditions that can be used to play your favorite game.
Other Blackjack Variations
Blackjack Switch
This variation is based on traditional blackjack but has a few specific rules. Most notably, it offers the chance to switch two cards, and thus get a better hand.
Blackjack Peek
This blackjack variation seems rather simple. Upon receiving an Ace or a 10-valued card, the dealer will peek at their face-down card.
Perfect Blackjack
The first time you hear the name of this game, you might think that its objective is to draw a perfect natural, say an Ace and a Jack of Spades. But that is not the case.