Blackjack is one of the world’s most widely-played casino games and is only growing in popularity thanks to the rise of real money online gambling. One of the reasons blackjack is so often played is its copious number of variants. While some are more famous than others, all are based on a core set of blackjack rules. One somewhat lesser-known variant is blackjack surrender. This form of blackjack gives players additional options that can often make the game more interesting and can even provide the player with a small advantage. While blackjack surrender is still relatively rare, those that are familiar with its rules often prefer it to other online blackjack variants.
Best Blackjack Surrender Games:
Blackjack Surrender Rules
Blackjack surrender typically shares almost all of its rules with standard American blackjack. Blackjack surrender is incompatible with European rules as the lack of a hole card prevents a player from surrendering.
The term surrender can refer to two different player options when used in the context of online blackjack. Early and late surrender operate based on the same principle, but are quite different in execution. Both allow a player to forfeit his or her hand and be returned half of his or her bet. Surrendering essentially amounts to halving one’s wager in order to cut losses. An early surrender option allows a player to surrender his or her hand before the dealer has checked for a natural blackjack. Players often choose to surrender if the dealer shows an ace and is likely to flip a 10, Jack, Queen or King, which would result in a blackjack and an automatically-winning hand. A late surrender option only lets players do this once all cards except for the dealer’s have been flipped.
Early surrender is not offered by most online casinos or gambling sites as it provides players with a significant advantage against the house. Even the late surrender option grants players some degree of advantage, making blackjack surrender one of the most popular online casino games.
Choosing Blackjack Surrender Online Casino Sites
Finding an online casino that offers blackjack surrender can be difficult, since most gambling sites avoid blackjack variants that give players a concrete advantage. Some of those that do offer the game variation make other changes to shift the edge back in favor of the house, such as lowering the payout for player blackjacks. While an ideal online gambling site offers blackjack surrender without these stipulations, those set on playing this variant online may be forced to accept these changes. Because late surrender is most commonly offered, players must decide whether it is worthwhile to consent to disadvantages for the relatively small benefit granted by the late surrender option.
Players looking for online gambling sites that offer blackjack surrender or any other casino game should always ensure that a selected site abides by all applicable regulations and demonstrates itself to be reputable and secure. One should always check a trusted online gambling information source before choosing to play blackjack surrender at a prospective casino.
Tips for Playing Blackjack Surrender
Although the temptation to surrender any weak hand may be strong, it is generally inadvisable. Surrendering should be used carefully, only in situations where you are very unlikely to beat a dealer’s hand. In general, there are few situations when it statistically advantageous to surrender. For example, a player with a hard 15 or 16 against a dealer’s Ace, 10 or 9 should probably surrender. In most other cases, it is unlikely to provide any significant benefit. Other strategies, such as card counting techniques, should be unaffected by either an early or late surrender option.
