Two Avoidable Blackjack Options

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Many online blackjack games offer certain facilities to the players that are presented as advantages. The objective is to attract players to these blackjack variants. Sometimes the claim is that they offset some other disadvantages in the rules. Most such offers are above board. But the following two should never be considered as an advantage.

The first offer that you should understand allows players to split on ten value cards of unequal ranks. In online blackjack the split move comes into play when the player is dealt two cards of the same rank. The player can place a second bet, split the cards, take a second card on each hand and play the two hands separately. This can be done when the player starts with two tens, two jacks, two queens and two kings, all of which are valued at 10. But normally it cannot be done when the plyer is dealt a jack and a queen, for example. The cards have the same value but different ranks. When splitting on ten value cards of unequal ranks is allowed, you may be licking your lips. But before you jump into the fray, step back and think. Will you split on two jacks? You have a hand with a value of 20. This is extremely strong. By splitting you risk weakening the hand. So, if you should not split with two jacks, you should not split with a jack and a queen.

The second offer is more common. It is known as the insurance bet. It is an option that the player can exercise when the dealer’s face up card is an ace. He will then he places one half the amount of his regular bet as the insurance bet. If the dealer has a ten value card as his hole card and thus gets a blackjack then the player receives a payout of 2 to 1 on his insurance bet. However, he loses his original wager and ends quits. If the dealer does not have a blackjack then the player loses the insurance bet and the play continues. If he loses the main game then he loses the original bet as well. If he wins the main game, then his net winning will be reduced by the insurance bet. A mathematical evaluation of the situation reveals that the player will lose more often than not by placing the insurance bet. Therefore you should never place this bet.

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