Surrendering. Is it a good or a bad thing? Some would say that the word has negative connotations, and it shows signs of weakness. Others would argue that it’s a viable strategy, especially when you know the war is lost.
When you play blackjack, you’ll notice that you sometimes have the option to surrender. The question is, should you take it or not? In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about this play in the world’s most popular card game.
If you want to improve your blackjack skills and play the game optimally every time, our expert blackjack guides are here to help you. Don’t wave your white flag just yet. Read on and find out about the best times to do so.
Understanding Surrender Rules
That famous adage that you should always play the hand you’re dealt isn’t necessarily true for blackjack. Some players believe in it and think that you should see if your hand can win every time. Others realize when they are doomed, though, and back out early to mitigate against greater losses.
To understand when it might be more beneficial to surrender than to continue, you need to know the rules around the play. Let’s delve a bit deeper into what surrendering in blackjack means exactly.
Late Surrender
The late surrender is the most used option in blackjack. It’s when you’re allowed to forfeit your bet after the dealer checks for blackjack. If they have blackjack, there’s nothing you can do – you lose anyway. But if they don’t, you can cut your losses and only lose half your bet. In essence, you’re cutting your losses when you know your hand isn’t likely to hold up against the dealer’s.
Early Surrender
The early surrender allows you to back out before the dealer checks for blackjack. That means you can avoid the chances of them hitting the top hand and busting you. This is especially useful if they show an ace, as the chances of hitting blackjack from this are pretty high.
Sounds too good to be true, right? This option is great for the player, as it can cut the house edge by about 0.63 percent. This is why it’s not always offered by the casino. Make sure you check the rules in advance to see if you’ll have the chance to surrender early.
When to Surrender: Common Scenarios
Let’s dive into some common scenarios in blackjack and see whether surrendering can be the optimal play. Make sure you’re paying attention, as you may run into a few of these situations when you’re playing!
Dealer Showing an Ace
The most likely time you’re going to want to surrender is if the dealer is showing an ace. The odds are in their favor in this situation, as they have around a 33 percent chance of hitting blackjack. Therefore, backing out with half of your bet still intact could be the smartest play.
If you only have the option for late surrender, this could also be optimal. When showing an ace, they have the best chance of getting a hand close to 21, even if they need to hit for more cards.
Weak Player Hand
If your hand is particularly weak and the dealer is showing a 10, this is a notoriously tough position to be in. If you have a hard 16, for example, it’s blackjack’s version of being stuck between a rock and a hard place. If you choose to hit, there’s a good chance you’ll go bust. But if you opt to stand, it’s more than likely that the dealer will win anyway. Therefore, surrendering here can be the best play.
In fact, experts have crunched the numbers and discovered that in that scenario you’re going to make greater losses by hitting or standing than you would by surrendering. You would lose $53.20 per $100 if you chose to hit, $54.40 per $100 if you stand, but only $50 per $100 if you decide to surrender.
Specific Hand Combinations
Our best advice for players who aren’t sure about whether to surrender or not is to learn the hand combinations that are particularly disadvantageous. Here are some of the worst hands you can get. If you see them, think about waving that white flag!
• Hard 16 vs Dealer’s 9, 10 or ace: This is one of the worst hands in blackjack! The kind of hand that haunts players’ dreams. If you get this one, you’ve no choice but surrender, trust us.
• Pair of 8s vs. Dealer 10: Normally you’re going to split a pair of eights when you receive them, but this isn’t always the best thing to do. If you come up against a dealer’s 10, you are going to lose more often than win. So, though it may pain you to do so, the best move in this situation is to surrender.
• Hard 15 vs. Dealer 10: You may be tempted to hit on a hard 15, but there’s a good chance you’ll go bust. If the dealer is showing a 10, they have a much higher chance of winning than you. Therefore, it’s a good move to surrender.
• Hard 17 vs. Dealer Ace: Hard 17 can be a strong hand, but if you come up against a dealer’s ace, you’re unlikely to emerge victorious. If you’re allowed to surrender a hard 17 against an ace, you should usually take that option.
The key takeaway here is that these hands are statistically doomed to fail in the long run. It may seem counterintuitive, but dropping out of the hand is sometimes the best way to manage your bankroll.
Surrender Strategies
Now, you may be wondering if there’s a particular strategy to surrendering. How can you integrate this play into your overall blackjack game?
A good rule of thumb is to give yourself some ground rules before you start playing. You should write down a list of hands that you are going to surrender on and stick to your guns by surrendering if these ever show up. Optimal blackjack strategy is often about managing your emotions and not getting caught up in the moment. Even if you have a feeling about a certain hand, you need to play the probabilities.
Surrendering in blackjack is all about reframing the way you think about the game. It’s not a flashy move, but it’s a clever one that could keep you in the game for longer. The move isn’t about trying to win big; it’s all to do with minimizing losses.
If you’re studying a blackjack chart, it may not list the times that you need to surrender. Therefore, you may have to mark the hands that you have decided to surrender so you don’t forget.
The Benefits of Surrendering
The biggest benefit of surrendering is reducing your potential losses. At the end of the day, blackjack is a game of odds. The best players know how to play the probabilities and give themselves the greatest chance of winning.
No matter how skilled you are, there will be times when the cards simply aren’t in your favor. Surrendering allows you to admit defeat gracefully without draining your bankroll. It’s not about being timid—it’s about being smart.
Another benefit is that surrendering keeps you focused on the long game. Instead of worrying about losing a single hand, you can concentrate on making the most money possible in the following rounds. By cutting your losses at the right time, you’re effectively increasing your chances of ending the night in profit.
On top of all that, surrendering may also have psychological benefits. It can be difficult to watch your stack diminish due to bad hands, and this can sometimes lead you to make rash moves. Surrendering helps you to take control of the situation and mitigate the damage.
Art of Surrendering
The problem that many players face with surrendering is that it simply doesn’t feel right. Surely, it’s better to have a go and see if you win, rather than admit defeat and let the dealer remove half your chips. Unfortunately, this is the wrong way of looking at the situation, and you need to think about the likelihood of these extra losses adding up over time.
Surrendering can be an artform, and the perfect way to manage your bankroll so you aren’t facing too many heavy losses. With blackjack being a game of chance, you simply can’t win every time.
It’s time to reframe your thinking and stop seeing the surrender as a negative action. Instead, realize that it’s a way for you to maintain your control over the game, even when things aren’t going the way you’d planned.
As Kenny Rogers said, “you’ve got to know when to hold’em, and know when to fold’em.” Blackjack is all about making the right decisions to minimize the house edge. Therefore, you need to use surrender strategies if you want to play the game in the optimal way.
