Although blackjack may appear to be a relatively simple table game, there are several rules with which you should be familiar in order to assess your next move correctly. One such rule is the surrender option, which is available in two different variations in some blackjack games.
While many players find surrender very useful, others believe that this option should never be used. If you know how to take advantage of the surrender option, you have the opportunity to reduce the house edge. It is important, however, to be able to recognise when the surrender option is the best choice you can make.
Often players who are unwilling to take risks prefer to make use of the surrender option, even though this may not be the optimal move in some situations. At the other end of the spectrum, there are players who relish the thrill of risky decisions. Such risk-lovers never make use of the surrender option, no matter what card the dealer is showing. Lastly, there are players who have invested time and effort in learning the Basic Blackjack Strategy and know when it is best to surrender and when they should avoid this option.
If you want to learn more about the surrender option and whether you should use it, we suggest you continue reading.
Blackjack Surrender Rule Explained
Some blackjack variations offer a surrender option that is available before the player takes any action. After you are dealt your cards and examine them, you can choose to surrender once the dealer’s upcard is revealed. If you decide to make use of the surrender option in blackjack, half of your bet will be collected by the house and the other half will be returned to you. Regardless of the dealer’s face-down card, the hand is over.
This may not appear to be a particularly attractive option, as you simply stand and wait to see what the outcome will be. That being said, there are scenarios in which surrender is preferable to playing out a hand with a high chance of losing.
The best time to use the surrender option can be influenced by the number of decks in play as well as the specific house rules. When discussing surrender in blackjack, we should distinguish between the two types of surrender a game may offer.
Whenever you play blackjack, you may have one of the two options:
- Early surrender
- Late surrender
Depending on which surrender variation the game offers, the right time to use it will differ. To learn the specific differences between early surrender and late surrender in blackjack, we suggest you continue reading.
Early Surrender Option in Blackjack
When you examine the specific rules of the blackjack game you have chosen, you might encounter a rule regarding early surrender. If the variation you are playing offers this option, you will have the opportunity to give up as soon as your cards are dealt. This means the surrender option is available before the dealer peeks for blackjack.
Whenever the dealer’s face-up card is a ten or an Ace, and before the dealer peeks for blackjack, early surrender allows players to give up their hands. Because early surrender gives players a greater advantage, this option is not commonly offered in most blackjack variations. Having the opportunity to take early surrender will boost the RTP by 0.39% if the dealer is showing an Ace, while a dealer showing a ten will increase the RTP by 0.24% if early surrender is available.
While early surrender may sound very advantageous, you should also consider the other rules of the game. Even when a blackjack table allows early surrender, chances are the house will compensate by implementing other rules, such as the dealer always hitting on soft 17.
If early surrender is available and the dealer’s upcard is an Ace, you should surrender only under a few circumstances. These include the player holding:
- Hard 5, 6, or 7
- Hard 12 through 17
- A pair of 3s, 6s, 7s, or 8s
If the dealer’s upcard is a ten, you should take early surrender only if you are holding:
- Hard 14, 15, or 16
- A pair of 7s
- A pair of 8s in a single-deck blackjack variant
Late Surrender in Blackjack
Late surrender is more common in many blackjack variants, allowing players to give up their cards only after the dealer peeks for blackjack when the upcard is a ten or an Ace. If the dealer has blackjack, you will still lose your stake. However, if the dealer does not have blackjack, players who have taken late surrender will lose only half of their bet.
While late surrender is far less beneficial than early surrender, there are a few situations in which you should consider using this option. When the dealer is showing an Ace or a ten, you may want to take late surrender if your hand totals 14, 15, or 16.
Despite the limited situations in which late surrender is advisable, there are several exceptions to the guideline of using it when holding 14, 15, or 16. The number of decks in play, or whether the dealer hits on soft 17, can affect the correct timing for late surrender.
To further clarify the scenarios in which late surrender might be advisable, we can examine the following rules:
When the player is holding a total of 14
Late surrender may be taken in a single-deck blackjack game against a dealer’s 10. If you are holding a pair of 7s in a single-deck game and the dealer’s upcard is an Ace, you might also take late surrender if the dealer hits soft 17.
When the player is holding a total of 15
Late surrender can be taken against a dealer’s Ace if the dealer hits soft 17 and you are holding 9+6 or 10+5. Regardless of the number of decks, use late surrender against a dealer’s 10 if you are holding 9+6 or 10+5. In games with four to eight decks, players should take surrender on any total of 15 against a dealer’s 10 or Ace, provided the dealer hits soft 17.
When the player is holding a total of 16
In a single- or double-deck blackjack variation, take surrender against any dealer’s 10 or Ace. In games with more than four decks, players must surrender 16 against any dealer’s 9, 10, or Ace. If doubling after split is not allowed, regardless of the number of decks, surrender a pair of 8s against a dealer’s Ace.
When the player is holding a total of 17
When playing a single-deck blackjack variation, use late surrender on 10+7 against a dealer’s Ace when the dealer hits soft 17. Furthermore, surrender any total of 17 in any blackjack variation when the dealer holds an Ace and hits soft 17.
Why Some Players Use Surrender in Blackjack
Even in the scenarios described above in which surrendering is your best option, you will still end up losing money. Giving up your cards will cost you half of your wager, but sometimes sacrificing half of your bet is better than losing the hand more than 25% of the time.
As mentioned earlier, some players surrender their hands constantly out of fear of losing. Others, however, enjoy taking risks and would never use the surrender option. In reality, players who understand optimal strategy will do neither: they will not risk extra money when there is an opportunity to lose less, yet they will not always choose the riskier path either.
Once you learn the surrender rules that indicate when giving up your hand is the best move, you will be able to increase the game’s expected value for yourself in the long run. Although some blackjack players believe that surrendering is not worthwhile, experts recommend the option in the situations described above because the chance of winning in those cases is less than 25%. With such a low likelihood of success, giving up your cards to minimise your losses is the wisest choice.
Of course, as blackjack is ultimately a game of chance, there is always a possibility that the dealer will go bust when showing a ten or an Ace. However, such an outcome is merely short-term variance, and the situations described above will cost you money in the long run.
Should You Use Surrender When You Play Blackjack?
If the blackjack variation you play offers a surrender option, you should use it – especially if early surrender is available. While we believe this option can greatly affect your blackjack results in the long run, it is important to know when giving up your wager is the optimal move in blackjack.
If you want to make your blackjack endeavours more rewarding, you should explore and learn Advanced Basic Strategy. While the house edge when playing blackjack may reach approximately 5%, employing proper strategy can reduce the house’s advantage to about 0.5%. That includes taking early or late surrender whenever it is most suitable for your long-term play.
Early surrender is definitely the more advantageous option when you play blackjack and wish to prevent further losses in certain situations. However, this option is less common in blackjack variations both offline and online. Even if early surrender is allowed, the house may impose other rules to give itself a greater edge over the player.
Although early surrender is the better of the two options, late surrender can also help you improve the expected return when playing blackjack. If you follow the surrender guidelines outlined in this article, you should be able to preserve your bankroll for future rounds of play. The only time surrendering is of little use is when you are counting cards. Because the composition of the cards that have been dealt is crucial when counting, surrendering your hand does not contribute to this wagering strategy.
In conclusion, surrender is a valuable option that can improve the expected value of a blackjack game – provided you recognise the right time to use early or late surrender and play only when the rules are in your favour.
