How to Know When to Surrender in Blackjack?

Do you know that the Blackjack surrender rule option is still operational in both land-based and online casinos? 

Are you aware of the surrender rule and when to apply it? 

It is true that whenever you use the surrender rule option in Blackjack, you would have to forgo half of your betting sum. Maybe that is why many punters are discouraged from using the surrender rule. And perhaps this is the reason for brick and mortar and even online casinos not offering this option anymore. 

However, if you are playing a game of Blackjack at a Singaporean casino online offering this rule, you might want to know what it is. You might also want to know how and when to surrender in a game of Blackjack and a broad strategy chart around the early surrender and late surrender options. 

This guide explains all you need to know is the basic strategy behind Blackjack surrender so that you fully understand when to apply the surrender’ option to your advantage. But for the uninitiated, we first begin by explaining what playing Blackjack surrender is.

Blackjack Surrender – What is it?

There are several rules in the game of Blackjack, and the surrender rule is one of them. This rule option can be applied once you have viewed the dealer upcards and the first couple of cards that you are dealt with. 

You can decide to Blackjack surrender online when you are pretty sure of losing to the dealer. To avoid losing your entire wager, you surrender and lose only half of your betting sum. When it’s your turn to play, you fold the hand you are served with and surrender rather than playing out your hand. 

Blackjack surrender is a good option for saving money and a great way to get a second chance to play another game of Blackjack. However, you should note that you cannot apply the surrender rule option if you have already chosen to use any of the following playing options – ‘Double’, ‘Hit’, ‘Stand’ or ‘Split’.   

Rules to Blackjack Surrender 

Apart from the general rule that you cannot surrender after you ‘Hit’, ‘Split’, ‘Double’ or ‘Stand’, there are other Blackjack rules you need to be aware of. These rules may vary depending on the Blackjack variations that you are playing, and they include the following:

#1. The Double Down Rule: 

When the Double Down rule option is played in a Blackjack game, you take out a second bet equivalent to your initial betting sum. As a result of this, you are dealt a single extra card. The Double Down option can be applied after the dealer’s initial hand has been dealt, and you assume that your third card is capable of defeating the dealer’s hand.    

#2. The 7 Card Charlie Hand Rule: 

The 7 Card Charlie hand rule is a hand that consists of seven cards with a combined value that is either under 21 or equivalent to 21, which makes a Blackjack.

#3. The Dealer Peek Rule: 

It is a common rule prevalent in most variants of Blackjack. Here the dealer peeks to see if their hand has a natural Blackjack if their up card reveals an Ace or 10. The dealer wins instantly if their hand is a natural Blackjack.      

#4. The Insurance Bet Rule in Blackjack: 

Where the up card turns out to be a dealer’s ace, you will have the opportunity of insuring your initial bet just in case it turns out that the dealer possesses a natural Blackjack. In effect, you are betting on the dealer having a Blackjack. To insure your bet, you will need to choose and use the insurance rule option. A separate amount equivalent to half your betting sum is placed on the Blackjack table using this option. If the dealer has a Blackjack, your insurance bet is successful, and you earn a payment ratio of 2:1. However, where the dealer does not have a natural Blackjack, your insurance bet is lost.

#5. The Splitting Rules: 

If the first couple of cards you are dealt with have a similar face card value, you can split the cards. Applying the splitting rule will lead to two independent hands being created with a second bet placed. This second bet will be similar in value to the initial bet placed. After this, you will be dealt a card each for either hand. Your hand may be hit on several occasions if you so desire. Also, if two Aces were split, you would be allowed to draw a single card for each hand. 

#6. The Early Surrender Blackjack Rule: 

This rule lets you decide to surrender (fold your hand) before a dealer applies the peek rule or checks to know if their hand has a natural Blackjack. However, note that the early surrender rule is pretty rare in both land-based and online casinos nowadays. It is because, in the hands of a professional, the early surrender rule was a real threat to the House (casino).    

#7. The Late Surrender Blackjack Rule:  

On the other hand, you can only surrender the late surrender Blackjack rule after a dealer confirms that their hand is ade natural Blackjack. This rule is still active in many land-based and online casinos. Punters can make a decent profit if they apply this rule in the right way.     

How to Surrender in Blackjack?

You can surrender in an online Blackjack table game by simply tapping or clicking on the conspicuous ‘Surrender’ button. However, to surrender in a land-based Vegas-style casino, you will need to gesture with a hand signal that you indeed apply the surrender rule option. This surrender hand gesture involves using your index finger to draw a 6-inch line directly under your bet. In some brick and mortar casinos, you may be able to surrender by simply voicing out ‘Surrender’. You may also read tips to win blackjack game to increase your winning chances.

Is it Advisable to Use Blackjack Surrender?

Blackjack is a game of odds, and if the odds are not in your favour, then you need to take action to either even the odds or bail out with some sense of pride and real money. It is the case with applying the Blackjack surrender rule. If you presume that your odds of winning are significantly below 50%, you need to consider applying the surrender rule since using other betting options would be ill-advised. You should surrender at least 7 out of 10 times that it is clear you have a losing hand. It is better to go home with half your money intact than to lose it all.  

When do you Apply the Blackjack Surrender Rule?

You should use the Blackjack surrender rule under the following circumstances:

In Conclusion

If you are skilled in card counting (taking note of dealt cards), you may be able to determine if a decks of cards is in your favour or not. If the deck of cards consists of 10s, you may need to surrender if you have a hard 17, 16, or 15, and the dealer’s up card is 10, 9, 8, or 7. Alternatively, if you reckon that the deck of cards in the shoe mainly consist of cards with a low face value, you may decide to ignore the surrender rule option. 

But regardless of your card counting skill level, you should always have it at the back of your mind that you can use the type of surrender if available in Blackjack surrender games and avoid losing out completely. 

It is also interesting to note that applying the surrender strategy will lower the house edge by 0.07% to 0.09%. However, this all depends on the House rules of the Blackjack variant. If you interested to start playing blackjack at real money casino platform, you should read our article first by clicking button below.