Splitting a Pair of 7’s

The reason many players fail to achieve the desired success at the blackjack tables is that they lack essential knowledge of the game, including the basic strategy and rules. Blackjack is a casino game that gives players the opportunity to gain an advantage by using their skills and acquired knowledge. They also need to be disciplined in order to manage their money successfully. One of the most important things players must know is how to play every single hand in the best possible way.

• When Players Should Split a Pair of 7s
• When Players Should Hit a Pair of 7s
• An Alternative Move
• Conclusion

It is true there will always be heated discussions regarding many of the possible moves in particular situations, as sometimes it can be very hard to decide which play is the best. However, in many cases, some moves have proved to be the most beneficial, as they put players in a favourable position. It is worth remembering them because whenever there is a chance to turn the tables in their favour, gamblers should take full advantage.

Splitting pairs can be very tricky, as the cases in which players turn a decent hand into two losing ones are not a rarity. They need to be extra careful when their first two cards are of the same rank because such situations can turn out to be troublesome. The only way they can tackle them is to be prepared in advance and remember what their best choice is. One of the card combinations players will eventually receive is a pair of 7s. In this chapter, we will have a closer look at such cases and the best possible moves for them.

The only way they can tackle these situations is to prepare in advance and remember what their best choice is. One of the card combinations players will get at some point will be a pair of 7s. In this chapter, we will have a closer look at such cases and the best possible moves for them.

When Players Should Split a Pair of 7s

Before we proceed any further, we would like to specify that players who hold a pair of 7s are facing four possible playing decisions: splitting, hitting, surrendering, or standing. The optimal approach towards this pair is influenced by the value of the dealer’s exposed card, as well as by house rules such as deck number, the dealer’s standing total, and whether doubling after a split (DAS) and late surrender (LS) are allowed.

Splitting 7s serves multiple purposes. It minimises damage to their bankroll in disadvantageous situations, improves their win rate in advantageous ones, and boosts their odds of turning a poor total of hard 14 into two better hands.

Having a pair of 7s is pretty much the same as having a pair of 6s, except when the dealer’s upcard is a 7; in that case, the best move differs. The reason is that when the dealer has a 7 as their upcard, their position is considered weak. In this case, it is best for players to split. If they do so and receive one card on each hand, the odds are that both hands will be better than the dealer’s upcard.

Moreover, the chances that players will tie with the dealer are quite high, which is better than busting after all. Players should view this situation as an opportunity to split one losing hand into two separate ones with a chance of improving them.

Additionally, they should also split when the dealer’s upcard is from 2 through 7 in multiple-deck blackjack. The motive behind this move is that having a total of hard 14 is a situation where one hit is enough to make them exceed 21 and lose automatically.

When players have such a breaking hand, splitting might help them avoid going bust. Starting two individual hands with a total of 7 is better than playing a single one with a total of hard 14. It is also worth mentioning that splitting gives players the golden opportunity to double down while the dealer is in a weak position, especially if they draw a 3 or a 4 on any of the split hands, or even better – on both.

As for single-deck blackjack, splitting 7s is recommended when the dealer’s face-up card has a value of 2 through 8. However, the 7s should be split against the 8 only on the condition that the house rules allow doubling down after pair splitting.

If not, players should choose the next best decision, which is to hit the 7s versus the 8. Double-deck players must also split 7s against the dealer’s 2 through 8 if DAS is applicable at the respective table, as shown in the following chart.

When Players Should Hit a Pair of 7s

The best possible moves are based on the dealer’s upcard and players’ hand total. In this sense, it is always best to observe particular situations and compare them in order to understand how a certain strategy works. There are cases when it is most beneficial for players not to split but to choose another move instead. Most of the time, this kind of strategy is applied when the dealer has a powerful card, as it is too risky to compete against it by posting another bet.

Whenever players have a pair of 7s in their hand and the dealer’s upcard is from 8 through ace, it is best to hit in variations that utilise four to eight decks. Facing a powerful upcard is challenging enough, and there is no reason to make matters worse by splitting the hand. The odds favour hitting because this minimises players’ long-term losses. The chances of receiving two hands strong enough to beat any of these cards are rather small.

Single-deck blackjack players must hit their 7s when the dealer holds a 9 or an ace and stand against ten-value cards, provided that late surrender is impossible. Players who engage in blackjack variants with DAS that use two full decks are advised to hit against the dealer’s 9, 10, and ace. Under NDAS, hitting 7s is also advisable when the dealer has an 8 in double-deck games. The drawing rules for the dealer do not influence players’ decisions for paired 7s.

An Alternative Move

Another way players can tackle situations when they have a pair of 7s is by choosing to surrender. Many professional gamblers share the opinion that if their hand totals 14, it is best to use this option.

When players surrender, they give the casino half of their bet and keep the rest. In situations where they have breaking hands and the chances they will go bust are very high, this is a great opportunity, as it allows them to reclaim some of the money they would otherwise lose.

However, many casinos deprive blackjack players of this option. Thus, before sitting at a table, they should check the rules of the respective game and whether the surrender option is restricted. It is also worth mentioning that if players decide to take advantage of it, surrender must be their first move; otherwise, they will not be allowed to choose this alternative.

It is of utmost importance to point out that surrendering a pair of 7s is a viable decision only in single-deck blackjack games. Whether the dealer must draw on soft 17 or stand also influences players’ decisions. If the dealer must stand on soft 17, players should surrender their pair of 7s against a ten-value card.

If the dealer must hit this soft total, the best decision is to surrender this pair against both the 10 and the ace. Players should hit against the 9 and split against all other upcards when DAS is permitted.

Conclusion

It is essential for players to know how to deal with situations in which they have a pair of 7s. They must bear in mind that such a breaking hand places them in an unfavourable position, and if they want to choose the move that will lead to the smallest losses, preparation beforehand is a must. Splitting pairs can be very tricky, as it can either result in two winning hands or two losing ones.

If players want to avoid putting themselves in troublesome situations unintentionally, they should study the developed strategies that show how it is best to proceed in such cases. It is also important that they understand the reason behind every move, as this will help them make the most of every situation. If gamblers possess the necessary knowledge, it gives them a huge advantage and prevents them from losing significant amounts of money.