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Understanding Blackjack Surrender: What It Is and When It Should Be Used

Introduction

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In blackjack, surrendering is a technique that allows a player to fold their hand, risking only half of their bet instead of the full amount. Players have two types of surrender options: Late Surrender , which occurs after the dealer checks for blackjack, and Early Surrender , which can happen before the dealer checks. This section delves into the complexities surrounding the option to surrender, influenced by various factors such as whether the dealer has a hole card, the number of decks in play, and whether the dealer hits or stands on a soft 17, in addition to the specific composition of the player's hand.

The purpose of this page is to give exact advice to the basic-strategy player Deciding when to surrender is particularly nuanced. For instance, if a player's hand totals 16, it could consist of either a 10 and a 6 or a 9 and a 7. Meanwhile, a scenario involving two eights has its unique row indicating when surrender is warranted.

Late Surrender

Late surrender allows players to fold their hand and lose only half their wager, but this option is only available after the dealer has confirmed they do not possess a blackjack. The subsequent basic strategy charts illustrate the appropriate moments to surrender (represented as Y for yes and N for no), taking into account the total of the player's hand, the dealer's visible card, and the number of decks used. The last two columns consider scenarios where the dealer has an ace, differentiating between whether the dealer stands (S17) or hits (H17) on a soft 17.

Late Surrender — Single Deck — Dependent on Total

Player's
Hand		 Dealer's Card
__9__ __10__ A (S17) A (H17)
15 N N N Y
16 N Y Y Y
17 N N N Y

Late Surrender — Double Decks — Dependent on Total

Player's
Hand		 Dealer's Card
__9__ __10__ A (S17) A (H17)
15 N Y N Y
16 N Y Y Y
17 N N N Y

Late Surrender — Four Decks or More — Dependent on Total

Player's
Hand		 Dealer's Card
__9__ __10__ A (S17) A (H17)
15 N Y N Y
16 Y Y Y Y
17 N N N Y

The specific makeup of a player's hand can occasionally deviate from the general basic strategy charts previously mentioned. The tables below detail the circumstances under which one should surrender, tailored to the player's total, the dealer's upcard, and the number of decks in play. If the dealer reveals an ace, the strategy often varies based on whether they hit (H17) or stand (S17) on soft 17. make it advantageous Single Deck — Late Surrender — Based on Composition

Double Decks — Based on Composition — Late Surrender

Player's
Hand		 Dealer's Card
9 10 A (S17) A (H17)
14 Never 7+7 Never 7+7
15 Never 9+6,10+5 Never 9+6,10+5
16 Never Always 10+6 9+7,10+6
17 Never Never Never 10+7

*: In a double-deck game where the dealer hits on a soft 17, players should only surrender an 8+8 against an ace if they are not allowed to double after splitting.

Player's
Hand		 Dealer's Card
9 10 A (S17) A (H17)
15 Never 9+6, 10+5 Never 9+6, 10+5
16 Never Always Always 9+7,10+6
8+8 Never Never Never *
17 Never Never Never Always

Four or Six Decks — Based on Composition — Late Surrender

The late surrender strategy for eight decks follows the same principles as the total-dependent strategy. In this context, the exact makeup of the hand does not influence the decision to surrender.

Player's
Hand		 Dealer's Card
9 10 A (S17) A (H17)
15 Never 9+6, 10+5 Never Always
16 Always Always Always Always
8+8 No No No Yes
17 Never Never Never Always

Early surrender is a rare option that permits players to give up their hand and half of their stake prior to the dealer checking for blackjack. This strategy diverges from late surrender primarily when the dealer shows a ten or an ace. Below is a list of scenarios in which early surrender is advisable against a dealer's ten or ace, with exceptions noted as necessary.

Early Surrender

Consider surrendering against a dealer's ace if your hand consists of a pair of 2s and the dealer hits on soft 17.

  • Dealer ace Vs. hard 5-7
  • Dealer ace Vs. hard 12-17
  • Dealer ace Vs. pair of 3\"s, 6\"s, 7\"s, or 8\"s.
  • Dealer 10 Vs. hard 14-16
  • Dealer 10 Vs. pair of 7\"s or 8\"s.
  • Do not surrender 10 Vs. 4+10 or 5+9 in single deck
  • Do not surrender 10 Vs. 4+10 in double deck
  • Do not opt to surrender with an 8,8 against a 10 in a single-deck game if doubling after a split is allowed.
  • Splitting Strategies for Back Players

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Written by: Michael Shackleford