Splitting Aces in Blackjack

Splitting is a sometimes tricky play in blackjack. Many players do not execute it at the right times, but that can be reversed with practice and by applying strategy. But perhaps the trickiest to logic out is splitting Aces.

When dealt a pair of Aces, you have the choice of playing it as a 22, which is just silly, or of playing it as a 12, making it a stiff hand. Or you can split the pair of Aces and wind up with two individual hands each starting with 11. This is a much stronger way of starting a hand than with a 12.

The only downside to splitting a pair of Aces is that most casinos will only allow a player to receive one card on each Ace once they are split. The same rule often applies in online blackjack games as well. That is how good the odds are on split Aces

Dealing with Splitting Aces

It seems that come casinos will take one approach to what happens when a blackjack player splits Aces. Some will go with a more greedy approach in that they will only allow players to receive one more card after splitting a pair of Aces. In other words they treat it like a double down.

Then you have casinos that are on the more enlightened side of blackjack. They will allow blackjack players to hit for more cards after splitting Aces. This difference, while it sounds small, can actually make an impact on the house edge to the tune of 0.14% off their edge, which improves your own blackjack odds.

So why is this house rule such a big deal?

First off splitting Aces is not a double down and it shouldn