Knowing When to Surrender
The option to surrender is a highly misused function in blackjack. Many player do not know when it is optimal to use the surrender option and end up never using it or using it too frequently. The surrender option is where you deliberately forfeit half your wager no the table. So you ultimately lose fifty cents for every one dollar.
The correct time to use it is when the cards have been dealt and the expected value of your hand against the dealer is actually less than 50% of your bet. There are different options for the option to surrender but usually it can only be done when you have been dealt the first two cards and when the dealer has checked their hole cards and do not have blackjack.
On a table where the dealer stands on soft 17, then it is correct to surrender 15 against a 10 and with 16 against a 9, 10 or Ace. This is derived from you having less than one in four chance to win any of these hands in this situation. Losing half a bet every time actually saves you money in the long run no matter what the outcome actually is.
Reading the board does come into play before you declare surrender. If there are lots of 10s amongst the other players, then it is unlikely the dealer actually has 19 or 20 so it is possible to hit and try to hit the baby card. Look for at least three more 10s than baby cards before going on to hit.
The reverse to having lots of 10s on the board is if lots of baby cards are showing. If there are five more babies than 10s and you happen to be dealt 15 to the dealer’s 10 or ace, then it is definitely optimal to surrender since you are more than likely to bust.
Make sure you learn to use the surrender option next time you play blackjack. It can save you a lot of money.
