About Blackjack Surrender
We’re going to be honest here. Opinions on Blackjack Surrender differ greatly. Some people think that this game is for losers who give up easily. We wouldn’t agree with this statement though. Blackjack Surrender has a huge fan base. There are lots of people who sincerely consider Blackjack Surrender to be the best blackjack variation out there. We hope that after reading this article you’ll be able to choose which side you’re on!
So what is the fundamental difference between Classic Blackjack and Blackjack Surrender? And what is “surrender” in blackjack? Basically, “surrender” is an option that allows the player to fold their hand before the dealer checks for a blackjack. By doing so, you’re saving half of your original bet. When the player surrenders, 50% of their stake goes back to the stack while the other 50% goes to the casino represented by the dealer. Using this option is really easy. You simply need to click the “Surrender” button on the control panel. Surrendering is a wise and reasonable move when your odds are not looking good and you’re bound to lose. If the risk of losing exceeds 50%, it’s a sure sign that you need to use the Surrender option.
The main reason for using the Surrender option is that it reduces the house edge compared to the traditional blackjack. If you have a poor hand and are likely to lose anyway, you can just quit your hand and get half of your original bet back. Knowing that you can save yourself if things go really bad takes the stress factor out of the game. It’s especially relevant for beginning players who haven’t yet got the full grasp of the game and take every loss close to the heart. Along with the emotional comfort that it brings, the Surrender Option also gives a boost to your bankroll, allowing you to minimize your losses.
How to play Blackjack Surrender
Apart from the additional Surrender feature, Surrender Blackjack has the exact same rules as its classic counterpart. Plus, it features the same payouts as Classic Blackjack online. If a player hits blackjack, they get paid 3 to 2. The game’s RTP stands at 99.65%.
There are two main Surrender options, Early Surrender and Late Surrender. Let’s see how they differ and which of them is more beneficial for the player.
- When using Early Surrender, you surrender your hand before the dealer turns up their cards, thus only losing 50% of your bet. Early Surrender reduces the house edge by a whopping 0.6% which is a very significant value for a card game like blackjack.
- When using Late Surrender, you quit your hand after the dealer has revealed their hand. If the dealer doesn’t have blackjack, you get to keep 50% of your stake. Otherwise, you lose your entire bet. Late Surrender takes down the house edge by ca. 0.07%. As you can see, Early Surrender is a safer option for gamblers because it guarantees that you’ll get half of your bet back. With Late Surrender, it’s a gamble.
Back in the 1980s, when Blackjack Surrender first emerged in Atlantic City, it only had the Early Surrender option. However, after the casinos saw the dramatic decline in their profits, they removed this player-friendly feature and introduced Late Surrender instead. Nowadays, the Early Surrender option is hard to find at land-based casinos. As for online casinos, they still offer games with both of these features. It’s not uncommon that some Blackjack Surrender games only include the Late Surrender feature. For the best winning chances, go and look for the game with the Early Surrender option.
Another important issue we’d like to address is when to surrender your hand. If you think logically, you’ll guess that this option comes in handy when things are not looking good for you, i.e. when your winning chances are low. But how do you know when the time is right for using this option? During the game, you must be able to act quickly and be able to recognize an unfavorable situation at once.
There is no standard strategy for surrendering. It all depends on the rules of the casino game, number of decks, and other factors. Use the Surrender option if your hand total is at 16 and the dealer gets a 9, 10, and Ace. (Attention: If you get two 8s, you should better split them into two hands rather than surrender.) Also, don’t hesitate to quit your hand if your total is at 15 and the dealer has a 10.
It’s worth noting that Blackjack Surrender offers the Insurance option. While we wouldn’t recommend wasting your hard-earned money on insurance, it’s still an available option for those playing Blackjack Surrender.
Since players can simply discard their cards instead of thinking what to do with their weak hand, Blackjack Surrender is usually played at a faster pace than the traditional blackjack. However, this doesn’t mean you need to hurry. When playing Blackjack Surrender online, you can take all the time you need to think over your next move and whether you should use the Surrender option on this particular hand. If, however, you’re playing Blackjack Surrender with live dealers, you’ll have to make more speedy decisions.
By the way, you can come across different variations of the Surrender option, such as Early Surender vs.10, Surrender after Spitting, Surrender after Double, Surrender after Insurance, and more.
Our verdict
Blackjack Surrender is one of the best - if not the best - blackjack variations that enables you to limit your losses and spare your bankroll. It’s a great solution for gamblers who tend to be pursued by bad luck. Instead of trying to get through the game with a poor hand, you can simply discard your hand and get 50% of your bet back. It saves your nerves, time, and money!
The reason why many professional blackjack players ignore the Surrender option is that they are determined to make any hand work, whether a good or a bad one. Knowing the rules and strategies like the back of their hand, they can manage that sometimes. For beginners, however, Surrender is a life saver. If you’re just starting to navigate the diverse world of blackjack, you’d better quit your hand and get half of your wager back. Along with Atlantic City Blackjack, Blackjack Switch and other variations, Blackjack Surrender is a super popular blackjack game among both online and offline gamblers.